# Easiest aquarium plants



## catsie (May 7, 2015)

Hi all. Im pretty new to betta keeping.. and im most certainly am new to real plants.. Though they look so beautiful ive found myself wanting to try.. 
The only problem is.. im in the assumption that it is pretty pricey and complicated to add plants to a tank.. such as.. finding the right plants, changing substrate, adding new lights.. maintenence, etc.. 

I have two 2.5 gallon tanks.. both with silk plants only. I would like to get one more tank that is 5-6 gallons.. 

So what are the basics for keeping a planted aquarium? 
what kind of plants would you recommend for a beginner with no experience keeping plants?


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## Aqua Aurora (Oct 4, 2013)

catsie said:


> Hi all. Im pretty new to betta keeping.. and im most certainly am new to real plants.. Though they look so beautiful ive found myself wanting to try..
> The only problem is.. im in the assumption that it is pretty pricey and complicated to add plants to a tank.. such as.. finding the right plants, changing substrate, adding new lights.. maintenance, etc..
> 
> I have two 2.5 gallon tanks.. both with silk plants only. I would like to get one more tank that is 5-6 gallons..
> ...


What is your substrate? Not all plans need a new substrate unless its those large glass marbles.. If you want cheap substrate go to tractor supply co and get 20/40 or -60 grit Black diamond ('sand') blasting abbreviate (its coal slag and perfectly safe for tank use i have it in all my tanks). You will have to thoroughly rinse the black diamond before use but you should rinse any sand/gravel before it goes in an aquarium.

Lighting, easiest (and cheapest) for that size tank is a desk lamp with metal reflective inside and a 6500k cfl 13 watt bulb (home depot has a 4 pack for very cheap [click], grocery stores also sell them for cheap). Also grab a light timer (again home depot cheap and easy I use the non digital one [2 prong-click], [3 prong-click]. Standard photo period (lights on time) for a planted tank is 6-10 hours, I usually do 7-7.5. 
you can also use a clamp on reflector lamp from home depot [click] but tits a bit big for a 2.5, I use one on my 6g and 7g though.

Maintenance would be minimal if you get slow growing plants and don't go overkill on the light (too high wattage, too close, and/or on too long will cause hair algae).

Gotta go for a bit will post more info when I get back ^^


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## catsie (May 7, 2015)

Aqua Aurora said:


> What is your substrate? Not all plans need a new substrate unless its those large glass marbles.. If you want cheap substrate go to tractor supply co and get 20/40 or -60 grit Black diamond ('sand') blasting abbreviate (its coal slag and perfectly safe for tank use i have it in all my tanks). You will have to thoroughly rinse the black diamond before use but you should rinse any sand/gravel before it goes in an aquarium.
> 
> Lighting, easiest (and cheapest) for that size tank is a desk lamp with metal reflective inside and a 6500k cfl 13 watt bulb (home depot has a 4 pack for very cheap [click], grocery stores also sell them for cheap). Also grab a light timer (again home depot cheap and easy I use the non digital one [2 prong-click], [3 prong-click]. Standard photo period (lights on time) for a planted tank is 6-10 hours, I usually do 7-7.5.
> you can also use a clamp on reflector lamp from home depot [click] but tits a bit big for a 2.5, I use one on my 6g and 7g though.
> ...


Ty Aqua! I appreciate the amount of information youve already given me and i look forward to the rest  

My current tank: 
black aquarium gravel , lighting: LED that comes with the aquarium kits


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

There are lots of so-called "easy" plants. The best thing you can do is find plants you like and check to match their preferred parameters with yours. I can't grow Cabomba or Myrio which are on the easy list. Certain types of Swords are also a no-go.

Most can grow Anubias, Dwarf Water Lilies and Tiger Lilies, Java Fern (not me), Cryptocorynes, Anacharis, Guppy Grass, Hornwort.

I suggest you start out slow with one Anubias. They are low-light, low-tech and will grow in kit lighting with no fertilizers. If that goes well then try another plant. Don't go overboard and stock up on supplements until you know if you're going to keep live plants. And the only supplment I would buy is an all-around liquid fertilizer unless your plants show you they need more.

If you like plants and decide to go whole-hog, then consider upgrading lights, substrate, etc.


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## catsie (May 7, 2015)

RussellTheShihTzu said:


> There are lots of so-called "easy" plants. The best thing you can do is find plants you like and check to match their preferred parameters with yours. I can't grow Cabomba or Myrio which are on the easy list. Certain types of Swords are also a no-go.
> 
> Most can grow Anubias, Dwarf Water Lilies and Tiger Lilies, Java Fern (not me), Cryptocorynes, Anacharis, Guppy Grass, Hornwort.
> 
> ...


Yeah, Anubias was high on the list of one of the plants i wanted to start off with. that with javafern and guppy grass. 

Are those three along with: the rest you mentioned all available in places like petco?


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

catsie said:


> Yeah, Anubias was high on the list of one of the plants i wanted to start off with. that with javafern and guppy grass.
> 
> Are those three along with: the rest you mentioned all available in places like petco?


Sorry but I don't know. I buy all my plants from a couple of online sellers.


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## Sereya (Jun 15, 2015)

I have great luck with java ferns and moss, (basically anything that says java )no special ferts or substrate. I just use pool filter sand. It gives a white beachy look.

I also have ludwiga repens that do great for me in my Goldie and tropical tanks. I give them a root tab every couple of months.

Jdaquatics13 on eBay sold me the best plants I've bought to date.

http://www.ebay.com/sch/jdaquatics13/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_ipg=&_from=


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

JDAquatics is a member here without the "13."  I agree, great plants sensible shipping costs and stands by his product. Right now probably 90% of my plants are from him.


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## Aqua Aurora (Oct 4, 2013)

Sorry I got busy and didn't have time to write up more yesterday. 

Black aquarium gravel is fine. 

What plants are available varies at each store. I've heard of some Petsmarts with stunning selections of rare/harder to keep plants.. mine has jack [censor].. my Petco has as many non aquatic plants stuffed into the plant tank as they do proper aquatic plants. Before you buy anything be sure to research and make sure you're not buying a non aquatic plant-don't trust the store to know the difference. Several* non aquatic plants* often mis-sold as aquatic:
Purple waffle (Hemigraphis colorata), aluminum plant (Pilea Cadierei) or otehr members of the Pilea family, mondo grass, any Dracaena or Cordyline species, Draogn's tounge (Hemigraphis repanda), Syngonium (arrowhead plant), Spathiphyllum (peace lily). 
Though not able to grow with leaves under water, most of these make good riparium plants: roots in water, stem/leaves above water.
There are also some terrestrial ferns sold in tubes (pestmart usually) [click to see photo of fern] this is NOT aquatic, but a high humidity terrestrial plant (good for vivariums).

I would not recommend a tiger lily in a small tank, its leaves get *HUGE *, dwarf lily plant leaves get big, this is in a 12" cube:

(all the green pants are various type of java fern)

Anubias, hornwort, and anacharis, java fern, and a large variety of mosses (java moss being the most common) are very easy starter plants. 

If you try anubias it is a rhizome based plants (so is java fern), the rhizomes is the horizontal part that both roots and leaves grow from. DO NOT BURY THE RHIZOME IN THE SUBSTRATE! This will kill the plant. Rhizome based plants ended to have the rhizome exposed tot eh water column an d do best either tied to decor/wood/rock (don't tie too tightly-think of the rhizome like your arm with veins running through it, don't want to cut off "the blood flow") or tried to lead free plant weights (or in my case glass beads). If the plant has long roots its ok to bury the roots as lone as the rhizome is not buried.
I have an anubias tank 6g bowfront, most are weight down by plant weights but the small ones on the right just have their roots shoved in the sand. No rhizomes are in the substrate:


If you get Anacharis do NOT dose Seachem Excel in the tank, (Excel is a liquid co2 'supplement' but anacharis, subwassertang, vals, and marimo balls will not tolerate it and often die if it is put in their tank).

Crypts are another good low light low tech plant to try. They should be planted in the substrate so roots are buried. Its a sensitive plant to changes in environment so often (but not always) its leaves will melt. Don't panic, give it a few weeks, new leaves should grow and you'll be good to go. You can manually remove the melted leaves to prevent spiking ammonia/nitrates from it decomposing.


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## catsie (May 7, 2015)

@sereya @Russell, ty! the ebay seller seems like a much better idea than going to petco where things are a bit more.... harder to predict. 

@Aqua, first, if those are your tanks.. omg they are gorgeous. and secondly, thank you for the mass of information. I am a little confused on burying Rhizomes part.. but basically.. dont bury the roots into substrate and i guess hold it down by something like.. string wrapped somewhat loosely around it?


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## Aqua Aurora (Oct 4, 2013)

catsie said:


> @sereya @Russell, ty! the ebay seller seems like a much better idea than going to petco where things are a bit more.... harder to predict.
> 
> @Aqua, first, if those are your tanks.. omg they are gorgeous. and secondly, thank you for the mass of information. I am a little confused on burying Rhizomes part.. but basically.. dont bury the roots into substrate and i guess hold it down by something like.. string wrapped somewhat loosely around it?


Yep those two tanks are on my desk (either side of my monitor) right now ^^
anubias Rhizome (in blue box) :









and java fern rhizome (too big to post photo, click link)
http://i.ytimg.com/vi/ge80jZwgO10/maxresdefault.jpg

DO NOT bury rhizome. It is ok to bury roots if they are long, but not rhizome.

You can use string or fishing line to tie down rhizome plants. Clear low poundage fishing line (sport store and baitshops) or 100% acrylic thread (craft store? I've not bought any yet) will last forever. Nylon and cotton threads will break down and may require re-tieing it roots have not anchored to a decor item/wood/rock or substrate.


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## catsie (May 7, 2015)

Aqua Aurora said:


> Yep those two tanks are on my desk (either side of my monitor) right now ^^
> anubias Rhizome (in blue box) :
> 
> 
> ...


oh!! the picture helped alot! i get it now. xD I didnt realize that the rhizome was like... a stem like thing. 
thanks aqua!


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

JDAquatics has an ad in the Marketplace section of this forum. You can also send a PM asking what plants work with your parameters and tank size and he'll make excellent suggestions.


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## Elleth (Feb 23, 2015)

Just wanted to say that this is an awesome thread! Really helpful to me, as I'm beginning to set up my first two planted tanks.


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## ao (Feb 29, 2012)

Funny, I can grow anything except for anubias and buce - both rhizome plants... go figure!


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## Aqua Aurora (Oct 4, 2013)

ao said:


> Funny, I can grow anything except for anubias and buce - both rhizome plants... go figure!


Is your water very soft and low pH? I know it does well in high pH and hard water, not sure about the other end of the water parameter 'spectrum'.
Also anubias can be subject to rhizome rot so if you got yours from a bad source that may be why it died. I've not searched it it occurs in buce but as another rhizome plant I'd suspect it could. Can you tell me if the rhizome turned brown and soft then fell apart? or did the leaves show sighs of very rapid nitrate deficiency (turn yellow then brown then dissolve) often there is a brown spot/soft spot on the stem of a leaf that does this. These are some sighs of rhizome rot disease.



Incidentally for anyone who gets anubias-if you get from multiple sources (say petstore and 1 or more online shops) keep the anubias in separate tanks from each other (keep all from 1 petstore together, all from online shop 1 together, and all from online shop 2 together-but each grouping separate from the other) for at last 1 month to look for signs of rhizome rot, it can spread in the water column so you don't want to put everything together and risk all getting infected. After a month is the symptoms mentioned above do not occur, it should be safe/disease free. Russel will attest that JDAquatics and I think bamaplants is *safe *for anubias (I've not bought from them yet), not sure about other sellers.. I've run into infected plants twice (*not *from above mentioned sellers) and lost over $500 in plants (had a decent collection).. not fun..


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## ao (Feb 29, 2012)

I've gotten them all from different sources, but they never did well. I cant remember exactly how they kicked the bucket, it was a while back, lol. My water is usually soft. Ph should be a little above 7. Either way, experience tells me I shouldn't try again for a while, they are slow growing and expensive too!


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## catsie (May 7, 2015)

im really glad that other people can benefit from this as well  
Oh, im curious.. ive seen some glorious looking tanks that have this grass like plant at the bottom.. what are those?

also.. I think duck weed is kind of cute, but i heard its a nuisance?


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## JDAquatics (Jan 16, 2015)

It sounds like you are on the right track. Anubias, java anything and mosses would let you get a feel for live plants without making too many changes to your setup. And there are so many anubias to choose from, with different leaf shapes and shades of color. But aqua speaks well of the risk for rhizome rot....it is nasty. But a quality source of plants and not burying the rhizome will very greatly reduce the chances of rot.


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## ao (Feb 29, 2012)

There's a few, I have hair grass (eleocharis belem I believe) which grows really well in my low tech tank. 
there's also pearl weed (which also grows well in low tech and.... Pygmy chain swords, Microswords (L. brasiliensis), Marsilea (quadrifolia, hirusta, minuta).

There are also some others that will grow best in CO2 injected tanks


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

Tying the Anubias too tightly can also cause rot. I know this from experience. :-(


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## Sereya (Jun 15, 2015)

RussellTheShihTzu said:


> JDAquatics is a member here without the "13."  I agree, great plants sensible shipping costs and stands by his product. Right now probably 90% of my plants are from him.


OK that is just neat! I had no idea! 

Well I've now left them positive feedback on eBay and recommend them across several forums. As you can tell I'm a happy customer


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## Aqua Aurora (Oct 4, 2013)

catsie said:


> im really glad that other people can benefit from this as well
> Oh, im curious.. I've seen some glorious looking tanks that have this grass like plant at the bottom.. what are those?
> 
> also.. I think duck weed is kind of cute, but i heard its a nuisance?


There are a few 'grasses' in the aquarium plant world
ug (Utricularia graminifolia) not for beginners, its a high light must have co2 plant, does well in enriched substrates.


blyza japonica (short) and blyxa aubertii(tall) is actually a stem plant but you can't see teh stem when planted and grown in. Medium light and demand plant-does better in higher light with co2 but can go w/0co2. leaves get red tint with lot of iron dosing and high light. I've not had luck with this one
j.


a.









pygmy chair sword, medium light undemanding, sends out runners that can take over a tank.. does not stay very pygmy for long, this grows like crazy for me
12g long (right side):


2-3g bubble bowl:

mine is the narrow leaf variety

dhg (dwarf hair grass), most desirable is Belem (Eleocharis Belem), can grow in low light with no co2 but very slow growing, can be cut like hair/lawn and will still grow back.









non belem dhg (uncut):









There is also the val family but they all get huge, definitely a background plant. Prefer medium light but some manage in low light , does not tolerate Seachem excel.

marimo can be split and tied to rock or ss (stainless steel) mesh to get a short fluffy grass-ish look (takes many years of growth-extreamly slow growing does best in low light-excel kills this)





RussellTheShihTzu said:


> Tying the Anubias too tightly can also cause rot. I know this from experience. :-(


Yup its like tieing a tourniquet too tight on your amr and just leaving it there-no blood flow and eventually death and rot of the limb.


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## ao (Feb 29, 2012)

Just for the sake of it, the only true grass that goes in the aquarium is a floating plant called hygroryza aristata

edit:
My bad, there's a couple more aquatic poaceas, I've never seen anyone grow them though.


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## Aqua Aurora (Oct 4, 2013)

ao said:


> Just for the sake of it, the only true grass that goes in the aquarium is a floating plant called hygroryza aristata


hence me typing it as 'grasses'


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## ao (Feb 29, 2012)

Aqua Aurora said:


> hence me typing it as 'grasses'



I know  I just thought it would be a fun fact to know


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