# LED Lighting - Floating Plants?



## kschill83 (Jun 30, 2015)

I have 2.5 gallon kits that both have built in LED lighting. I have marimo balls in these tanks, but I've been wanting to try out floating plants. 

Suggestions for easy to care for floating plants? I also have to travel with my tanks to college and back so that floaters would have to be okay to travel with (which is why I use silk plants - not sure how to travel with planted plants..)

Thanks in advance for you help! ^_^


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## AquaPlayz (Aug 14, 2015)

do you know what light you have exactly? 
salvania is a really good and looks cool, good for most lights, also frogbit but it has long roots that would quickly crowd a 2.5g
also how do you move with the tanks and how often do you do it?


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## kschill83 (Jun 30, 2015)

AquaPlayz said:


> do you know what light you have exactly?
> salvania is a really good and looks cool, good for most lights, also frogbit but it has long roots that would quickly crowd a 2.5g
> also how do you move with the tanks and how often do you do it?


I'm not exactly sure what kind of light it is. I believe it's some sort of LED light. I have a 2.5 Aqueon Mini Bow tank kit. I was thinking the Salvania would look pretty cool too, and I love how it has shorter roots than frogbit.

For moving my 2.5 gallon tanks, I transfer my bettas into their smaller containers then I have to basically empty their actual tanks entirely - except a little bit of water in the gravel. I bag them up multiple times - since they're acrylic. Then I re-set them up at college and wait at least 24 hours before placing my bettas into their tanks. I also make sure my heaters have raised their tank temps to the correct temp before they're added as well. I believe my tanks are too small to actually cycle.


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## AquaPlayz (Aug 14, 2015)

Ok, a better light will help though.
Ok, make sure to test water before adding them.


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## kschill83 (Jun 30, 2015)

What kind of lighting do you recommend? I just have an Anubias in two of my tanks. Besides salvinia/frogbit/duckweed, what other plants can be floated and not planted?


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## grumpyfish (Jul 17, 2015)

Hornwort is a great floater, and has no noticeable roots, as it grows via shootes  It's really easy to care for, and I have it in the same tank that you do  Also, my 2.5 tank is cycled, I think sometimes it can just be difficult to cycle that small of a tank. I used a sponge filter that was previously in a larger cycled tank, and that did the trick.


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## AquaPlayz (Aug 14, 2015)

Really depends on your budget, you can get a light that costs $200 but I really don't think anyone would want to.
I would get a finnex clip on planted plus led light, its pretty cheap and is great for plants, but you'll need a glass/plastic lid because it isn't a hood style light.
I would try hornwort and salvania first, they are both very hardy and if they do good I would try Java moss and aponogetons, all are very hardy and don't need to be planted.


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## Aqua Aurora (Oct 4, 2013)

Salvinia minima is great for lidded tanks, doesn't mind strong light (if proper kelvin of light-no all light spectrum can grow plants) and condensation dripping on it. Frogbit (and I think dwarf water lettuce) don't like water dripping from the hood onto their leaves, it can kill the leaves. Riccia is an easy prolific growing crystalwort that likes to float, but depending on filtration type can clog a filter (HOBs, and sump systems unless intake is covered by foam-recommended for beta tanks).


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## Watermelons (Jul 21, 2015)

I tried to recommend Anacharis on your other topic but it seems you've ignored that topic for this one.


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## kschill83 (Jun 30, 2015)

grumpyfish said:


> Hornwort is a great floater, and has no noticeable roots, as it grows via shootes  It's really easy to care for, and I have it in the same tank that you do  Also, my 2.5 tank is cycled, I think sometimes it can just be difficult to cycle that small of a tank. I used a sponge filter that was previously in a larger cycled tank, and that did the trick.


I'll have to look into Hornwort as well  Very difficult... how did you turn the 2.5 filter into a sponge filter? I have the filter pad that came with the tank. Silly question, but do I just put in a piece of sponge into the filter instead?


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## kschill83 (Jun 30, 2015)

AquaPlayz said:


> Really depends on your budget, you can get a light that costs $200 but I really don't think anyone would want to.
> I would get a finnex clip on planted plus led light, its pretty cheap and is great for plants, but you'll need a glass/plastic lid because it isn't a hood style light.
> I would try hornwort and salvania first, they are both very hardy and if they do good I would try Java moss and aponogetons, all are very hardy and don't need to be planted.


I'll have to look into that light  Right now I just have a small Anubias tied to my bettas decor since I've heard they're pretty easy to care for. But I think my next plants with be the salvania and hornwort  If they all do well, then I might look into those other two you mentioned.


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## AquaPlayz (Aug 14, 2015)

Cool, here's a link to the Light.
Finnex Planted+ Cliplight LED - LED Clip-on Light - Lighting - Products


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## grumpyfish (Jul 17, 2015)

kschill83 said:


> I'll have to look into Hornwort as well  Very difficult... how did you turn the 2.5 filter into a sponge filter? I have the filter pad that came with the tank. Silly question, but do I just put in a piece of sponge into the filter instead?


Actually I don't use the filter that came with it at all. Here's the filter I use and it works great: http://aquatop.com/aquatop-internal-sponge-filter-caf-10.html


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## kschill83 (Jun 30, 2015)

grumpyfish said:


> Actually I don't use the filter that came with it at all. Here's the filter I use and it works great: http://aquatop.com/aquatop-internal-sponge-filter-caf-10.html


I like the looks of that! How do you set something like that up? (what does it get attached to, etc). I don't think carbon filters are really needed for betta tanks, are they?


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## grumpyfish (Jul 17, 2015)

Nope, the sponge filters are much more economical, and they don't shred bettas delicate fins  you attach it to airline tubing and an air pump. You can add an adjustable valve to control the flow of the filter, I have them on all of mine


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