Plant recommendation.

[Native Keeper]

Hi everyone!

Recently I've have been dealing with high ammonia in my 75 coldwater goldfish tank, and someone recommended plants.

So, my question is, what plants would plants would yall recommend? I'd prefer something that doesn't need to be planted in the substrate, since the goldfish sift through it a lot.

[anewbie]

Plants won't fix your problem with ammonia; it sounds like the tank is not cycled. How high is high? How long has the tank been setup and what do you use for filtration ?

[Guppy Guy]

If you have high ammonia, plants won’t help with that. How long has your tank been set up? If it is new, it hasn’t fully cycled. I would do a 30% water change immediately, and add some kind of bacteria supplement. I like Dr. Tims one and only, it is a little pricey, but it fully cycles a tank in 48 hours. The one I linked is rated for tanks up to 120 gallons, but you can’t overdose it. 

If you still want plants, I find it hard to kill pennywort, duckweed(a very good one for filtering water, though be careful since goldfish will eat it), and water wisteria. 

Edited January 7, 2022 by Guppy Guy

[Taco Playz]

Anubias is always a great hardy plant!

[GameCzar]

Plants will definitely help keep nitrates down.

If you want something free floating, cheap, and easy...its hard to beat hornwort. 

Edited January 7, 2022 by GameCzar

[Kiefer]

Anubias and Java Fern have the best chance of surviving a goldfish, another option is putting a cage in there to protect softer stem plants from goldfish, I think you can find purpose built plant cages on the internet or just make one out of chicken wire or something. For floating plants you can use a breeder box with mesh sides/bottoms to protect them.

[Native Keeper]

@anewbie, the tank is over a year old. ammonia level is .27 ppm.

@Guppy Guy, according to some other people on the forum it will. I've done water changes, it's an old tank. I can't do floating plants due to water movement.

@Taco Playz, I've definitely considered it, thank you!

@GameCzar, I've tried Hornwort before in the tank, but I couldn't keep up with its shedding, so I've taken it out.

@Kiefer, I will likely do both Anubias and Java Fern. There are some rocks I can glue them too. I think the whole mesh idea would ruin the look of the tank, tho it is a smart idea, I'll try to remember it!

[anewbie]

What kind of filter do you have and did you clean it recently or make other changes ? Ammonia can happen if you harm the cycle or something large is decaying but it is not common. Some people have said it can appear in tap but i've never had that problem.

[lefty o]

cant go wrong with plants in aquarium. they are natures aquarium filters. id opt for an anubia with goldfish. im sure others would work, but anubia can be attached to objects, and the leaves are fairly tough.

[Guppysnail]

This may help. @dasaltemelosguy speaks of how red and blue lights help emergent plants take up ammonia and nitrite as well as nitrate since goldfish are a bit hard on in tank plants it might help.