MyFish Posted January 1, 2022 Share Posted January 1, 2022 Hello and Happy New Year! I just discovered this forum and could not be happier! I’m getting back into freshwater aquariums w/plants from a 12 year absence. just purchased a used 55gal and metal stand. Plan on building a community tank with Cory’s, Tetras, and a few angels. substrate I purchased, Fluval Stratum and caribsea sand (ph neutral). Stratum will be on sides and back, sand in center for the Cory’s to play in. haven’t decided on my plants yet? Any thoughts folks? -MyFish 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xXInkedPhoenixX Posted January 1, 2022 Share Posted January 1, 2022 Hi there, welcome to the forum. I'm low tech and love a good easy plant. My favorites of these are Anubias (of any kind) as they can just be glued to wood and rocks and look real nice- easily moved when you want to rearrange. I also love Java- Windelov, Narrow Leaf etc, another plant that's glued to things and propogates easily. I don't use fancy lights or fertilizer and all of these do really well in my tanks- even better if you do do those things. I'm a fan of a few stem plants too, Red Needle Leaf, Ludwigia Super Red, and Bacopa. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MyFish Posted January 1, 2022 Author Share Posted January 1, 2022 On 1/1/2022 at 3:34 AM, xXInkedPhoenixX said: Hi there, welcome to the forum. I'm low tech and love a good easy plant. My favorites of these are Anubias (of any kind) as they can just be glued to wood and rocks and look real nice- easily moved when you want to rearrange. I also love Java- Windelov, Narrow Leaf etc, another plant that's glued to things and propogates easily. I don't use fancy lights or fertilizer and all of these do really well in my tanks- even better if you do do those things. I'm a fan of a few stem plants too, Red Needle Leaf, Ludwigia Super Red, and Bacopa. Thank you for your ideas. I love Anubis and I have always planted mine in the substrate. They grow slow but flourish. I woujj lol d like some tall grassy plants for the back and some carpet ones for the sides. I do plan on putting horn wort in there also. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xXInkedPhoenixX Posted January 1, 2022 Share Posted January 1, 2022 You could try Vallisneria for the tall grassy plant, it's really pretty but I've never grown it myself. Never been successful with carpeting plants myself due to my low tech status, trying Monte Carlo for the first time, going ok so far. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atitagain Posted January 1, 2022 Share Posted January 1, 2022 Welcome to the forum, and back to freshwater. I’m a big fan of Anubias as well. Vallisneria is such a great plant and will definitely give you a tall grassy look. Jungle vallisneria probably my favorite long thick-ish leafs. Slow to get started but once it starts sending runners it will fill the back of a 55G very nicely. Couple stem plants I like Bacopa Caroliniana, Pogostemon Stellatus Octopus, and Scarlet Temple. Sorry can’t suggest anything for carpeting I haven’t had any luck in my tanks due to low level lights. Love the look of Monty Carlo tho. Good luck mate Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Levi_Aquatics Posted January 2, 2022 Share Posted January 2, 2022 Welcome to the forum! I love crypt wendtii red for 55 gallon aquariums. I have a large one in mine and it looks great! I also like anubius, java moss and fern, and val. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CalmedByFish Posted January 2, 2022 Share Posted January 2, 2022 On 1/1/2022 at 3:22 AM, MyFish said: I love Anubis and I have always planted mine in the substrate. They grow slow but flourish. I woujj lol d like some tall grassy plants for the back and some carpet ones for the sides. I do plan on putting horn wort in there also. This is exactly what I was going to suggest. Anubias because they're so easy, hornwort because it's so good at sucking out nitrates, and valisneria because it's like grass. For me, val has a strong tendency to get yellow tips that lead to a melted leaf, but it also has a strong tendency to not die. 👍 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minanora Posted January 3, 2022 Share Posted January 3, 2022 Welcome! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MyFish Posted January 8, 2022 Author Share Posted January 8, 2022 On 1/1/2022 at 3:19 AM, MyFish said: Hello and Happy New Year! I just discovered this forum and could not be happier! I’m getting back into freshwater aquariums w/plants from a 12 year absence. just purchased a used 55gal and metal stand. Plan on building a community tank with Cory’s, Tetras, and a few angels. substrate I purchased, Fluval Stratum and caribsea sand (ph neutral). Stratum will be on sides and back, sand in center for the Cory’s to play in. haven’t decided on my plants yet? Any thoughts folks? -MyFish Aquarium and aqua scape lovers: I wanted to update you on my progress, attached is a picture of my work in progress. -55 gallon w/75 gallon stand, Fluval substrate & Caribsea Super Naturals (Moonlight sand). Plants: Eleocharis parvula, Cypress Helferi, CARDINALAS (Alternanthera reineckii var. ‘roseafolia’), Staurogyne repens, Cryptocoryne undulata ‘red’ (it’s behind the fake log-grows 4-10” hoping it’s over takes the center back), Bacopa caroliniana, African water fern (bolbitis heudelotii difformis and Hornwart! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guppysnail Posted January 9, 2022 Share Posted January 9, 2022 Welcome to the forum. For plants I highly recommend if you like it try it. Ignore the it won’t grow unless info. Many plants that should thrive for me in low tech no co2 no fertz die and many must have co2 and fertz thrive. Pick what you like and HAVE FUN with them do it your own way and don’t beat yourself up over the ones that don’t thrive. If plants don’t like me I move on and find ones that do. Best of luck post pics along the way. I’m retired and kinda childlike and enjoy picture books 🤣 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scott the fishman Posted January 9, 2022 Share Posted January 9, 2022 welcome and welcome back to this great hobby. very excited for you. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BETTA999 Posted January 9, 2022 Share Posted January 9, 2022 welcome to the forum!!! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MyFish Posted January 10, 2022 Author Share Posted January 10, 2022 (edited) Thank you all! I’m excited to be back also. uodate #2 below. Added some rocks, an air stone for water movement till I put my canister filter together for cycle. Illuminating via an aqueon LED light. Really impressed with the light. So hard for me to wait before I stock it with my tetra community. 🙂 Edited January 10, 2022 by MyFish Added info 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MyFish Posted January 18, 2022 Author Share Posted January 18, 2022 Here is my update. Still cycling the tank, can’t get the ammonia to spike. Began to add a pinch of food daily after 3-4 days nothing. Maybe need to add a 1/4 teaspoon of liquid ammonia though. The nitrate measures 20ppm as if yesterday. am losing patience; would like to add fish soon. One other thought I have two snails 🐌 in my 5gal Fluval, which I use for plants to grow my hornwart. I could add those two guys; but I don’t want my SA cichlids to eat them when I introduce the fish. thoughts? Yes I thought of buying Frits liquid ammonia as well, but it will take a week to arrive so I decided to wait… Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xXInkedPhoenixX Posted January 23, 2022 Share Posted January 23, 2022 Hmmm, measurable Nitrates is usually a sign of a cycled tank. Did you use any fertilizer (apologies if you mentioned this prior) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GameCzar Posted January 23, 2022 Share Posted January 23, 2022 Welcome! Check out Irene's great vids about cycling ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MyFish Posted January 24, 2022 Author Share Posted January 24, 2022 Yes, I have used Ed Fluval fertilizer plus a few times. I gave the tank some Frits ammonia and I’ll see what happens after 24hours…. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BETTA999 Posted January 24, 2022 Share Posted January 24, 2022 cycling with snails is good but the bad thing is when you want to eliminate them Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MyFish Posted January 24, 2022 Author Share Posted January 24, 2022 I have 2 mystery snails in my 5 gal with plants; I don’t really wish to move them, because of the lower PH (6.5) wouldn’t be good for them from what I read. I would like to move them though. If I do that I’ll have to keep putting pH up buffers because I have Fluval Stratum which naturally lower pH to 6.5. Ammonia today is low heading towards nonexistent reading. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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