# Ready to plant.. but what to plant?



## Tress (Jun 6, 2014)

Tank size: 15g low. 24"x12"x12"
Lighting: 2x CFL 14w 6500k bulbs
Filter: AquaClear 30
Heater: Hydor Theo 100w
Water Prams: N/A. PH suspected low. Lots of Iron in our water - still a safe human level though.
Substrate: 1 - 1.5" Miracle Grow Organic Choice Potting Mix
Cap: 0.5 - 0.75" Regular Play Sand
Driftwood: Mopani
Stock: Current: 1 Male Betta (once planted and water is tested). Future: Malaysian Trumpet Snails and maybe Panda cories (6-8)

Budget for plants/plant supplies: under $50 

I spoke to my LPS and since they order weekly they are willing to order in some plants/supplies for me IF they can get it and IF I get a list for them in tomorrow (Thursday). I know that most of their plants are about $5 each. I also will be checking if they can get Malaysian Trumpet Snails and Freshwater Master Test Kits (I've been on back order on amazon for one for almost a month now). I've got a relative idea about what I want/would be interested in. I need some "back-up" ones just in case.

Plants:
- Ludwigia Repens
- Pennywort
- Moneywort
- Red Root Floaters or Dwarf Water Lettuce
- Water Sprite
- Anubias (barteri, nana, coffeefolia, etc)
- Java Fern
- Crypt. Wendtii (or other crypts)

Again, this is just kinda a rough idea. I decided I should avoid swords since I have a low tank and they can get rather big. I wont get ALL of these, probably 5 or so. All depends on what they can get in and how much they want for it compared to other places.

So my questions are: 
- Are these decent choices?
- Is there something I should avoid?
- Is my lighting classed as low or moderate?
- Do I need ferts, and if so what do you recommend (give a few options, some things are hard to get here)?
- Will Malaysian Trumpet Snails be good for algae control as well as the soil? or would a different snail be better? I don't mind dealing with lots of snails, plus I may sell them to the pet store/local people.
- Quarantining. Should I do this/for how long? Or would just a dip be ok since I don't have any fish in the tank yet? Also how do I make a dip for the plant?
- What should I expect to see within the first few days of planting? aka what to watch out for, good and bad?
- Anything else I need to know?


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## Lettuce (Jul 12, 2014)

Only thing I can suggest is don't plant the anubias. It's ok to bury the roots somewhat but the green chunk thing where all the stems come together has to stay above the substrate.


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## Tress (Jun 6, 2014)

I already know that  I plan to tie it to the driftwood near the filter as I read that they don't mind moving water and it helps keep the algae off them.


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## aselvarial (Feb 21, 2014)

I have all of those except for the moneywort. So this is my 2 cents worth. 
1) I like them. Water sprite is one that I have issues with, but when it actually survives, my fish love it. Dwarf water lettuce is my favorite floaters. It reproduces like crazy so it's a great ammonia sucker.
2) I think those are all good, as long as you are willing to clean out the dwarf water lettuce on a pretty regular basis. Also, it does NOT like high flow, so low current.
3) I consider the lighting "moderate". Mine isn't super bright or high tech, but it's not low light for sure.
4) I don't use fertilizers. Most ppl here who do, recommend Seachem Excel.
5) Malaysian trumpet snails suck for algae control. They prefer to clean up your dirt. 
6) I never quarantine. So far, have had no problems. If you are getting them from those little tubes, you are probably in the clear. It you are getting it from a tank, you can probably quarantine it like you do a new fish, but many bacteria can live for months just waiting for a host. So I don't see the point in quarantining plants.
7) You will likely lose some leaves. Crypts are notorious for melting. If they come complete with roots, just plop them in. If you have trumpet snails, the plants will likely pop back up a few times as trumpet snails borrow and disturb the still establishing roots. Just replant. (again, and again, and again) or buy plant weights.
8) Don't plant the java fern! And it gives of baby java fernlets from its leaves. That disturbed me the first couple times I saw it. A complete tiny plant forms from these little brown nubbies on the leaves. Very strange.


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## TerriGtoo (Jul 2, 2013)

From personal experience I would say the last three on yoour list, and the floaters are your best options if you are new to plants. Java Moss is also easy to grow and can grow quickly once established.


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## Raye (Feb 5, 2013)

1. Yeah they're pretty good choices! If you're doing the NPT method, def. pick _watersprite_ and _DWL_ because they're nutrient sponges and will suck up all the ammonia that's coming from the soil after the initial setup. you mentioned that your water has a lot of iron in it which is great for the _ludwigia repens_ because that extra iron will help them turn them red and it'll be a fun pop of color so i'd recommend those too. get _crypts_ to provide oxygen to the soil and help prevent anaerobic pockets. and then your fifth choice is whatever you want. i think two/three medium-ish java ferns would balance things out pretty well. a foreground plant (dwarf saggitaria, hydrocotyle sp. japan, staurogyne repens) wouldn't be a bad idea, either. 

2. nah, those are all pretty safe choices. although, do note that watersprite has a tendency to float sometimes. a similar option to that would be water wisteria. it doesn't grow quite as rapidly in my experience, but it should display those same pinnate leaves under your lighting and root more readily.

3. moderate.

4. you probably won't need them initially, but since you have moderate lighting, you'll probably need them down the road. Seachem Flourish Comprehensive (NOT trace and NOT excel!) is a good all-inclusive liquid fertilizer. 

5. IME, trumpet snails aren't really that great at algae control. Olive nerites would be a better option. That said, they tend to be very picky about food that's not algae, so don't get them unless you actually need them otherwise you'll have to grow your own algae on a rock in a window for them to eat.

6. I quarantine my plants for about three days for root feeders and up to a week for stems. I've saved myself from lots of pests this way, including dragonfly nymphs, leeches, tubifex worms, scuds and once upon a time, upwards of FIFTY baby trumpet snails. I think some people dip their plants in some sort of concoction (potassium permanganate?), but I find that just leaving them in a body of water that you change regularly works decently enough.

7. 
a. Monitor your water params because it doesn't sound like you're gonna have a lot of plant mass and therefore you will have ammonia/nitrite/nitrates. 
b. Except turbidity that will clear up in a matter of days. 
c. Your plants will most likely lose leaves which is normal - they'll be growing within the week anyway. 
d.. Diatoms (brown algae) will appear. Don't freak out, it's normal too. 
e.. You'll also probably have a (regular, green) algae bloom because of the excess nutrients in the water. Don't worry about that until maybe a month or two down the road. If you've still got (green) algae then, adjust something - lighting, ferts, frequency of water changes, etc. 
f. Might have some gas pockets for the first month or two so poke around in the substrate.

that's all i can think of. good luck ~


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## Tony2632 (Aug 30, 2013)

That Organic soil with play sand cap is a good start. CFL bulbs 6500k daylight is other good start. With those you could pretty much grow anything in low to mid lighting range. Anything in higher light, I would definitely use CO2 and I'm not talking about Flourish excel. I love aquascaping my tanks, so I research every single plant before I buy them. For beginners in planted tanks, I would all ways recommend Flourish comprehensive supplement. It has all your main nutrients from macro to micro nutrients in smaller dosage. After you gain the experience and knowledge in fertilizer. Go with dry fertilizer, because it could save you a lot of $$$$$ in the long run. When I plant tanks I follow on 3 things Dutch style, Iwagumi, and Nature layouts. In my opinion, if any one says I have jungle scape. It's just a poor excuse for not trimming the plants and bad plant placement. I'm sorry if I offended any one with that last sentence. But it's true, there is a difference between a nice aquascape tank then just a old planted tank.


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## Tress (Jun 6, 2014)

Urggghh, Had to take my driftwood out, it's suddenly growing a clear/white-ish film, mainly over some of the holes in it. It wasn't doing this during the time it was soaking, nor for the time I've had the tank running (about a week). It started this yesterday, so I rinsed it in hot water but I guess I'm gonna have to boil it.

I'll take this list in, find out prices and choose a few to get. That way I'll know what I can get and if I want something later I can just order another time. Best thing is they'll be getting it in the next day and keeping it separate, but I still will be quarantining them.

@Raye
I thought of Dwarf Sagittaria, but I figured I'll go with these ones since I read enough about them to feel more comfortable.

Thanks for the help everyone, wish me luck in getting at least some of these


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## Tony2632 (Aug 30, 2013)

That white fungus is not a bad thing. It doesn't harm fish or mess with water quality. Some fish and shrimp actually eat the stuff.


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## Aqua Aurora (Oct 4, 2013)

How high are your lights above the substrate? 10-13" (right on hood) or higher? Depending on how close they are you could be right around the middle of medium light or near the high end of medium (tent to start needing co2 to combat algae). Keep an eye out for green hair alage if you get this raise your lights 6".. And don't do over 10 hours of lights on especially if they are right against the hood (10 is pushing it so 6-8 hours may be best but depends on height).
Don't worry about the semi translucent blobs in your driftwood, they are unsightly but harmless. It usually goes away in a few weeks-2 months. You can also try scrubbing the wood thoroughly and boiling it for a few hours. Let it cool completely then put it back in the tank (don't put it in hot, it can raise water temp and harm your fish and benificisl bacteria... And plants). Another option is snails or shrimp as most will eat this stuff, there are also a few alage eating fish (I think mollies and platies will sometimes eat this) but I'd re comes you research before grabbing fish. If you want to try shrimp you need to know you pH and hardness as they are delicate and cannot survive as wide a range of persmeters as bettas can.
If you get anubias remember not to bury the rhizome (horizontal part that roots and leave grow from) it's best to weigh it down or tie to decor (like wood).
If it's your first time getting plants, acclimate them like you would a fish: turn off tank lights, float Thur bags to get them to tank temp then slowly add tank water over time to adapt them to the different pH and such before putting them into the tank.
Personally is only quarantine anubias and only if ingit an unhealthy plant I suspegged had rhizome rot (contagious disease for anubias). Usually characterized by: lack of roots, rotten garbage smell, discoloration of rhizome and soft spots in rhizome (check the cut in for darker brown spotsand soft area too), and stems rotting off at their base (rhizome).
Even with acclimating you may see some die off with you stem plants, but don't panic, they'll get new growth adapted to your tank. Just removed the rotted leaves to keep nitrates down.
You may find snails on your plants or babies hatched from eggs on the plants. Most commonly you'll get pond snails or ramshorn snails. A lilit or people misunderstand these snails and find them as pests. I don't mind them as they do eat slates (all be it very slowly), leftover food, and dead plant matter. They will slowly work on the wood fungus you have. I know 2 of my bettas eat small snails so they are a fun extra snack for them, I also harvest snails for my husbands dwarf puffer tank (they love snails).
For ferts I use Seachem brand: Excel, Pottasium, Phosphorus, and Fliurish.. Also recently got Iron (but you won't need that with your water). However since you have a soil based tank I think you'd be fine with just Seachem a excel, it's a "liquid co2" pit in quotes as it's not real co2 but a chemical that acts similarly to it with plants. Some plants however do not like Excel including Vals but you don't have any in your list so you should me fine.


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## Tress (Jun 6, 2014)

I'm still gonna boil the wood, since I don't have shrimp or snails yet to deal with it. 

My lights are 10" from the substrate. I have an old timer I am trying to figure out how to use, otherwise I'll just buy a new one. Where the tank is it gets natural light from my window and a bit of light from my room's ceiling light. So I'm guessing 6-8 would be plenty anyways for it. 

I do want to try shrimp eventually, but certainly not till next year when/if I'm more comfortable with planted tanks. ... and have more tanks.

I was kinda hoping for "free" snails anyways.


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## Aqua Aurora (Oct 4, 2013)

There are very cheap mechanical timers at Home Depot (probably also at Walmart) digital ones cost more. Be mindful of how many prongs your light has so you don't have to get an adaptor. I only use mechanical as it always seems digital stuff breaks quicker :/
If you somehow manage to get the magic batch of plants without snails you should be able to go to your lfs and ask to harvest some pest snails from their plant display tank, they shouldn't charge you for it.


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## Tress (Jun 6, 2014)

Well I only got like 4 plants ordered, they'll be at the store for me tomorrow afternoon. Wisteria, Moneywort, Java Fern, and some sort of Crypt (just said assorted). I think I was getting on their nerves cause they usually just buy an assorted pack for their tanks.

I've seen pest snails on their plants in the tanks and I think they said before that they came with them. I'll find out soon 

No luck on floaters, but they told me to call on Tuesday as they get different sellers week to week. She also pointed me towards the home hardware but they get rid of their floaters (duckweed, saliva, azola) once the weather starts turning and don't get them back to May.


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## Aqua Aurora (Oct 4, 2013)

too bad you aren't in the US, I'd offer to send you some salvia minima but I cannot ship out of country. Hope you have luck getting everything you want.


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## Tress (Jun 6, 2014)

Yea, I'm jealous of all the plant packages I see getting offered here but in the US. I put up and ad weeks ago and got no answers. I even put an ad locally on Kijiji (basically Canada's Craigslist) but I didn't get any replies. Not much in the way of ads for plants in my area, the one I did contact with what looked like Ludwigia Repens had only a few left, and they were dying because she didn't have the right lighting, and I wasn't going to be going to that city for another 2 weeks - so had to scratch that.

I find that most people up here just aren't that interested in the hobby, and those that are don't seem to let others know. Heck the only Aquarium club is like 5 hours away. I swear I'm in some kind of dead zone here lol.

But thanks for your help  If feels nice to finally have a goal of mine work out.


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## Tress (Jun 6, 2014)

Well. Only got two plants. Moneywort and two bunches of Wisteria - well I think it's wisteria. The Moneywort looks really good and I got a great amount of it. They ended up giving me two bunches of the wisteria for the price of one because she had to remove a lot of dead stuff. It also grew really weird, like it was upright for a while and then on it's side so it grew bent halfway.

So now I've cleaned them up and trimmed off all the dead stuff. I found a big glass jar that I will fill with tank water and set on my dresser with the clamp light on it. Should I QT them till I see them perk up some?

Also, my "amazing" luck got me snail free plants... when I was willing to take in snails xD


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## Tress (Jun 6, 2014)

Urgh, one of the pictures in my last post didn't show and apparently you only have 20mins to edit it -_-

Anyways here's the Moneywort. It was in great shape and already sending out roots


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