# Tips on Owning Plants



## Tabby216 (Feb 20, 2013)

So I am thinking of having about two plants in my 5 gallon tank but I do not know anything about taking care of them. 

What type of plants are easy to take care of that only need low light I currently have a LED light. What types of food should I buy for it and how should I place it inside my tank?

Thanks!


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## Mashiro (Dec 2, 2012)

Here's a list of great articles, be sure to read them all!

http://www.plantedaquariumscentral.com/live_plant_Articles.html

That site is also one of the best places to order your live plants from. The guy almost always throws in extras.


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## ao (Feb 29, 2012)

mostly for easy plants you just need a 6500k lighting....


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## Tabby216 (Feb 20, 2013)

aokashi said:


> mostly for easy plants you just need a 6500k lighting....


Dang the lighting is what I'm scared of because the fish tank came with the LED lights and it says on the box that its 1 watt...I guess owning plants is out of the picture :/


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## copperarabian (Apr 27, 2011)

just get low light plants 

anubias, crypts, java fern.


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## ao (Feb 29, 2012)

wattage is different from the kelvin rating (color temperature) of a light. That said, 1 w is pretty low. even for leds


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## Bettafish (Apr 20, 2009)

Whats a good all around fertilizer that will NOT melt my plants leaves?


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## ao (Feb 29, 2012)

most fertilizers such as seachem flourish (or flourish comprehensive) will not melt plants....
excel by seachem is a Co2 additive and *will* melt some plants....


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## Bettafish (Apr 20, 2009)

Which seachem do u recommend?


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## ao (Feb 29, 2012)

just seachem flourish is good for a normal planted system ^__^


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## RiceFish (Feb 9, 2013)

Three important things.
1. Lighting 
2. Substrate 
3. Fertlizer 

1. You want at least 6500k lighting for a 5 gallon tank. LED lighting will probably only support low light plants unless you want to upgrade lights.

2. You can buy substrate just for plants like eco-complete, flourite, aquasoil, floramax, etc. Or you can go with regular gravel/sand but you will most likely need to use root tabs if you are planting heavy root feeders. 

3. As others have mentioned I would go with seachem flourish comprehensive and if you're doing low light co2 is not really needed. If in the future you decide to do co2 you can get seachem excel, pressurized co2 system or DIY co2. 

Some good low light plants are java moss, java fern, marimo balls, and banana plant


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