Cichlid Geek trying Plants!

[Reed]

Just re did my 26 gallon and want to do a planted / tropical. I am clueless about plants and looking for suggesting. Here is the start. I put down 2.5 inches of Floral Maxx black, running a 405 and 2x 21 in compacts. Need you comments and plant suggestions

 

[Avatar]

No worries

If you remind me before the next meeting I will bring/give you a large bag of low-light nigh bulletproof plants (hornwort, water sprite, Java fern, Hygrophilia, and a couple others).

 

[halkentjr]

i highly recommend a book, Ecology of the Planted Aquarium, by Diana Walstad.

 

[b considine]

Or, swing by a GWAPA meeting. Main thing, from looking at your picture, is that you need a lot more plants for things to take off. The crypts will fill in over time, but you need something such as a hygrophila of some sort (angustifolia is great) to act as a nutrient hog so you don't end up with algae. Sam's bag o' trimmings would work great.

Blaise

 

[Reed]

yep need a bunch more plants, I want to make sure I select the right ones and over time I will learn what works. I know you need tall background plants, ground cover, something to attach to the wood but I have no clue which plants are for what. Need advice

 

[Jeff721]

You only need what plants make you happy. I would recommend going a little deeper on the substrate. Maybe burying the wood a little deeper on the left. Some type of moss would cover that wood really nicely.

Taller background plants would really help solidify the balance, and some lower plants inside of the "cove" of the wood would look nice too. The nice thing about stems is once they get tall, cut them into thirds and replant, it fills in pretty quick.

Your stocking is a little funky though, what quantities of fish do you have in there? I see an angel, a couple neon tetras, glowlight tetras, platys/guppies/mollies, two rainbow sharks (which get territorial), what looks like a cory and a bristlenose. To each there own, but your tetras would like a school of their own species.

I tried a little photoshopping to give you a visual idea of what I am talking about. A 26 isn't that hard to assault with plants.

 

[Avatar]

Personal preference

A 26 isn't that hard to assault with plants.
[/IMG]

I prefer a hammer for "assaulting" aquaria - much more immediately gratifying.

 

[Reed]

Jeff wow that is so cool how you photo shop it up. I like the design I have a bunch of mixed topical that were collected over the last couple of years. Everyone gets along fine. I have some more flora max is can put in. I'll be buying a few at the next pvas/cca meeting

Sent from my GT-P7510 using MonsterAquariaNetwork App

 

[tug]

Echinodorus tenellus is a Takashi Amano favorite and Cryptocoryne parva should provide good ground cover over time. Plants with a little more height might include Echinodorus parviflorus or some of the other sword plants for more height. Hygrophilia is also a good choice. For the right side of the tank were the flow seems to be the strongest, attached to the wood, you could add African Water Fern (Bolbitis heudelotii) if you can find it or Java fern (Microsorum pteropus) if not. Mosses could be added to fill in some areas - http://www.killies.com/Truthaboutmosses.htm

Planted tanks can be difficult but not impossible - read as much as you can find on the subject and good luck. The two main camps on growing plants under water would seem to be Diana Walstad's NPT method and Tom Barr's EI method. Read up on them both. NPT sounds easy, I tip my hat to those who can pull it off. It becomes more problematic in larger/deeper tanks. EI sounds difficult but is rather straightforward. IMHO, plants do better if you are willing to add fertilizer and CO2.

I prefer a hammer for "assaulting" aquaria - much more immediately gratifying.

No surprise there.