Easy plants?

[Zzsharks]

I am an experienced fish keeper and have a lot of fish tanks. I have a fuval flex 15 and was wondering about plants. I have never had plants in  fish tank before. Have any ideas?

[The Arthritic Aquarist]

Plants like Anubias and Java Fern tend to be easy.  They shouldn't be planted in the substrate, but attached to rock or wood.  They absorb their nutrients through the water column.

Other choices would include Amazon Swords and Vallisneria.  Crypts are also pretty easy, though they can experience melting.

I've also found Dwarf Sag to be rather easy.

Java moss is said to be easy, but I've not tended to have any luck with it.

 

Edited November 24, 2022 by The Arthritic Aquarist
Fixed typo

[Zzsharks]

could I have java fern in the substrate?

 

 

i think I am going to get some java fern,amazon sword,and some vallisneria.

[Theplatymaster]

On 11/24/2022 at 11:22 AM, Zzsharks said:

could I have java fern in the substrate?

 

 

i think I am going to get some java fern,amazon sword,and some vallisneria.

java fern does better glue to things like rocks and wood, with Super Glue, i believe @Cory did a video in it. My favourates are Anubias Barteri and Java Fern Windelov

[Zzsharks]

ok I have some rock I can glue it too. The other plants and be planted, right?

[Zzsharks]

What glue do you use that is fish safe?

 

[The Arthritic Aquarist]

@Zzsharks  Super glue gel (Cyanoacrylate) is what I use. 

As for Java Fern, and other epiphytes, the rhizome needs to be above the substrate, otherwise the plant will not do well.

Also, Amazon Swords get quite large.  So if you have a smallish tank, it will eventually take over.

[The Arthritic Aquarist]

There are some smaller species of Sword plants I believe, though I haven't had any experience with them.  There's also Dwarf Chain Sword (which I've also never tried).

[Zzsharks]

do I need co2 for these plants?

[Expectorating_Aubergine]

Subwassertang isn't just super easy, it doesn't need high light at all. You can grow it in the dark practically...

[TOtrees]

Aquatic gardening is just like regular garden gardening. Some plants will work for you and some won't. In my (teeny tiny) garden, I might have 5 or 10 plants that I come back to each spring (eg annuals) because they have always done well for me. Easy, reliable, robust. But another person might have terrible luck with the same plants. It could be soil, it could be the light, it could be the care/watering, who knows. Even with a single plant species, it might do well in one tank, and not in another. It could be substrate differences, potted vs planted, etc. My point is that you need to do some trial and error to see what works for you and what doesn't. So the recommendations above will be good starting points, but don't sweat it if they don't work. If you put in the hours, you can get anything to grow, but if you want to just see what will work in the system(s) you have without making too many changes, you'll need to do that trial and error. You could get lucky and have success with the first thing you try. Wouldn't' that be nice? 🙂

My advice is to aim low. Start with the bomb-proof plants. Things that grow fast and many people consider to be weeds. Floating stem plants like hornwort, guppy grass and water wisteria are good for this. 

You say you don't have any plants, but you have lots of fish/experience. Are you keeping cichlids or larger fish, that are likely to either eat or relocate anything you plant? 

For ease of use, you can't beat the AC easy planter. 

[The Arthritic Aquarist]

On 11/24/2022 at 2:02 PM, Zzsharks said:

do I need co2 for these plants?

No, the plants I mentioned do not require CO2.  I've kept these species many times throughout the years, in different communities (so different water parameters) and with other different elements (substrates, lighting, etc.).  They've always done well.  They are widely considered to be easy plants, but it's not an exhaustive list. I also used liquid ferts and root tabs as appropriate. 

[The Arthritic Aquarist]

Just to add that these are low to medium light level plants.  As I mentioned in my first post, your mileage may vary (I've had little luck with Java Moss as noted, which is considered easy --though I have a bit of it left, so who knows?).  I think the Co-op has a section on easy plants (which I think is what they mostly sell).  A lot of vendors tend to list them in easy-intermediate-advanced categories.

[Jennifer V]

You might find this article helpful:

 

https://www.aquariumcoop.com/blogs/aquarium/easy-aquarium-plants

As @TOtreesmentioned, you'll have to do some trial and error. Try not to get frustrated. I've tried a bunch of "easy" plants and failed miserably but I've also had a lot of luck with a few. Mostly epiphytes like anubias, bucephalandra and java fern as well as some susswassertang and Christmas moss. 

 

Edited November 25, 2022 by Jennifer V