Plant ideas & lighting?

[JenTheDroid]

I have a 55 gallon. 20 inches tall. I switched from sand to gravel because I hated the sand. My Val isn’t growing as well as it did with the sand. I hate the gravel color. It was the cheapest kind I could find at Walmart. Not sure if I need to get a better gravel first. Cory mentioned rounded gravel in one of his videos and I’ve looked for specific rounded gravel but wasn’t sure if that was just gravel like Caribsea or if I’m not understanding. 

Anyway, I’ve kinda decided I want to switch to Amazon Swords because I liked them better. I want to put one on each end. I have these two towers though and I was thinking about adding Anubias Nana to these towers. Would they be alright or is it too close to the light? My light is on around 40% intensity and I was gonna raise to maybe 60% when I added Amazon Sword. I also need another plant for the middle. I could just do 2 more Amazon Swords. Would that be enough space? I truthfully really love Amazons. So I’m just looking for advice. 

Edited July 22, 2022 by JenTheDroid
Repeated pictures

[CKetchum]

I like the idea of the Amazon swords, the gravel is not that bad. Substrate is ridiculously expensive! I think less symmetry would look better then all things perfectly square and symmetric. Some texture would go a long ways too. maybe a "sword" tank but mix it up. I really like my melon sword (easy plant) it is in gravel with some root tabs and happy. I really like the block tower things too. I have an 18inch tall tank with a Finnex Stingray, my Anbuis nana was not liking being attached to drift about 4 inches from the top of the water. I had to move it. What about some moss or subwassertang for the towers or maybe nana closer to the bottom? Its gonna be a great tank though. 

[Fish Folk]

Swords all the way! I actually like your gravel -- the color works for me at least. IF you get enough green in there, you'll be happy. I think you've got "rounded" stones there. If you use some root tabs, your swords should do well. You'll have to figure out your balance with the lighting.

Here's a couple photos of my 55 gal. I like Swords and Valisneria, but also some smaller plants . . . Hygrophillia polysperma, Ludwigia, Moneywort, Tiger Lotus, floating Water Lettuce, etc...

[bryanisag]

Dang both those tanks look so clean!!! I grew a sword in my 37 gallon tank that eventually grew out of the water and was touching all 4 sides of the tank. It was glorious and beautiful!! 

[bryanisag]

Here are some pics of it when it wasn't that big but still pretty big

 

[Jennifer V]

Love swords! I have Amazon, Red Melon and Red Flame in one of my tanks. I just recently realized there are tons of other varieties as well, some that grow shorter than others. You could put together a really cool tank with just sword varieties! 

I agree that asymmetry creates visual appeal, but every tank is different. You could maybe try putting one of those blocks on it's side so it's lower to the substrate and attach some nana petite to it. That might be cool! 

No matter what, you've got a great start to a very cool tank. 

[nabokovfan87]

On 7/22/2022 at 2:12 PM, JenTheDroid said:

Cory mentioned rounded gravel in one of his videos and I’ve looked for specific rounded gravel but wasn’t sure if that was just gravel like Caribsea or if I’m not understanding. 

They have pea gravel, stuff like that in the garden section too!

 

On 7/22/2022 at 2:12 PM, JenTheDroid said:

Would they be alright or is it too close to the light? My light is on around 40% intensity and I was gonna raise to maybe 60% when I added Amazon Sword.

If you attach it to the sides of the tower, something like anubias nana or nana petite it will be something you can eventually wrap it around and it'll look pretty awesome.  I wouldn't put it on the top of the tower.  Something like Hygrophilia pinnatifida might be a good one to try to find and put on the towers also.  It would be able to handle the light as well.  I would encourage you to find a tissue culture of that plant to make sure is responsibly sourced. 

 

On 7/22/2022 at 2:12 PM, JenTheDroid said:

I also need another plant for the middle. I could just do 2 more Amazon Swords. Would that be enough space? I truthfully really love Amazons. So I’m just looking for advice. 

Hm.... a feature plant for the middle or just a feature plant in general.  Because of the background it has me wanting to encourage something that would stay low.  Maybe micro sword carpeting across the middle of the tank, out and around the towers? I would have 3 or so swords on either side of the tank.  I don't know how fast they grow as I have not kept them, but having 1-2 varieties and making them a very unique feature plant as you have planned will look really cool.  Maybe even something like a buce with a slight difference in texture / color as a foreground plant would contrast well with the swords!