DebSills Posted July 30, 2021 Share Posted July 30, 2021 My tank has been running for about a month and I need more plants to help fight off some algae issues...and to fill out the tank too. Below is a picture from a couple of weeks ago to show you what I have...the foreground plants are starting to look a little bigger and the chain sword has sent out its first runner and the runner now has about 4-5 leaves on it 🙂 (not a huge deal, but still...I am just excited that something is actually growing) the anubias (in the dragon stone), water sprite, amazon sword and rotala in the back/side are also looking decent, but the sprite and rotala seem to "gather" a bit more algae than the "flat" leaf stuff (which are being helped by my Otos) So - what should I add? I am willing to try almost anything to fight off the algae and also because I really like how the tank is looking so far - PS...the only real non-green I have is the rotala which now that it is growing is getting a nice pink/red on the top which is pretty cool...I do have a dwarf lily, but not sure if its really doing very well, but I'm just going to leave it be and see what happens... Thanks for any suggestions! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guppysnail Posted July 30, 2021 Share Posted July 30, 2021 Hornwort grows rapidly sucks nutrients like crazy and releases a chemical/hormone type thing that deters algae growth.  It’s a defense mechanism so it can obtain enough nutrients for itself. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FrozenFins Posted July 30, 2021 Share Posted July 30, 2021 (edited) Yes, hornwort grows like crazzy! I have had it for not even a week and its probably doubled in quantity in my betta tank! I haven't waterchanged that tank in probably like 3 weeks. as of today my water parameters read as follows: Nitrates: 0 Nitrites: 0 Amonia: 0.25 I did a waterchange anyways even though I didnt necesarilly have to. I wanted to plant some dwarf sag and thought doing a waterchange would make this easier. I beleive the reason why my water parameters were so in check was because of the hornwort. Pogostemon Stellatus Ocotpus is another fast grower! I've had it in my tank for about a month now. It didn't grow lots the first two weeks. But lately its been growing like CRAZZZY! It started taking over my entire tank I had to remove some before it started choking nutrients out from the other plants. I have a specimen container full of it. Not entirely sure what to do with it, possibly put it in more tanks. The dwarf aquarium lilly may take a few weeks to take off. But once it does, it grows fast! You'll start seeing little sprouts, within weeks after it'll grow to the top of the aquarium surface. Water Sprite (what you said you have) I have heard is another fast grower, you may just wanna stick with that and wait a few weeks before it takes off. Floating plants like Frogbit, Salvania, Duckweed are all great growers as well. IMO every tank needs floating plants, they are simply amazing! by the way, your tank is gourgoues! Love how green the plants are! Edited July 30, 2021 by James Black 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patrick_G Posted July 30, 2021 Share Posted July 30, 2021 Some of my favorites are Mayaca, Ludwigia,  Bacopa of various varieties and Red Tiger Lotus. The Mayaca has a similar look to hornwort but is a bit easier to keep trimmed. I’m experimenting with Micro Sword and so far it’s doing well. It has a nice grass like look and reproduces by runners like your chain sword. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jungle Fan Posted July 30, 2021 Share Posted July 30, 2021 You could add some Staurogyne repens, or dwarf baby tears to your foreground to carpet, or Java fern, Anubiias nana petite, or Anubias nana to your rocks and wood, or add some Cryptocoryne Pink Flamingo to your mid-ground, then again you could do all of the above. Just a few ideas. All of those are available on the Aquarium Co-Op web site: https://www.aquariumcoop.com/collections/live-plants Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Posted August 1, 2021 Share Posted August 1, 2021 Pogo Stellatus Octopus is a good background plant. I really like Rosette Sword for the midground in my tank. Crypts are always easy and good to use for mid-foreground. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom H Posted August 1, 2021 Share Posted August 1, 2021 Crypts! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DebSills Posted August 1, 2021 Author Share Posted August 1, 2021 Went to my LFS yesterday and picked up some Crypt Spiralis, an anubias nana narrow leaf (I know neither is super fast growing, but liked the look) and I did manage to grab some Pogo Stellatus Octopus, so I'm hoping that the PSO and Water Sprite will help suck up some nutrients and start to take off...still on the lookout for some floating plants, but may try to get some off of Amazon and roll the dice on whether it makes it ok 🙂 I still need to attach my anubias to my driftwood, I'll let everything settle in and then send an updated picture - I also did move my dwarf lily bulb up towards the front and gave it a root tab, so I'm hoping that it starts to take off...it has one small (quarter size) leaf so far, so I guess I'll just wait and see thanks everyone for the suggestions! On 8/1/2021 at 1:45 AM, Tom H said: Crypts! YES - I want to do a whole tank filled with crypts next...I have three different ones in my tank now and love them!! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mmiller2001 Posted August 1, 2021 Share Posted August 1, 2021 (edited) Pearl Weed Marsilea Hirsuta, cool clover plant that will stay small Bacopa, any kind Hygrophila Polysperma Corymbosa Compacta Pennywort Ludwigia Repens All these grow well without CO2 Edited August 1, 2021 by Mmiller2001 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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