Vals, water sprite, both?

[sairving]

I can't decide what plant (or plants) I want to add in the background of my 10 gallon. The sword and crypt are new. My current goal is adding more plants mass to my tank for. Plus, with my hard water, what grows decently for me is limited. 

[TheSwissAquarist]

A Val forest does very well in hard water.

[anewbie]

No right answer. This is my low tech tank with italia val; it is a 29. Naturally one could keep them trimmed and thinned if that is an issue. I'll let someone else address water sprite. Also a bit might depend on your water as water that is too hard or too soft is not as friendly to some plant (depending on plant species).

 

[sairving]

On 11/26/2022 at 10:32 AM, anewbie said:

No right answer. This is my low tech tank with italia val; it is a 29. Naturally one could keep them trimmed and thinned if that is an issue. I'll let someone else address water sprite. Also a bit might depend on your water as water that is too hard or too soft is not as friendly to some plant (depending on plant species).

 

Yeah, I've learned the hard way that most "easy" plants do not do well in my water. I currently have a Java fern that has 5 small leaves. It's taken 6 months to get those leaves. I keep hoping one day it will go crazy and grow.  Maybe I'll go with vals again. 

Hard water is the reason I usually have only anubias and crypts. 

 

[sairving]

I've also found that bulb plants do amazingly well in my water. One time, I made the mistake of buying a red tiger lotus without asking how large it would get. It had explosive growth, completely taking over my 5 gallon tank in a month. That was an adventure lol.

 

Edited November 26, 2022 by sairving

[anewbie]

On 11/26/2022 at 10:44 AM, sairving said:

I've also found that bulb plants do amazingly well in my water. One time, I made the mistake of buying a red tiger lotus without asking how large it would get. It had explosive growth, completely taking over my 5 gallon tank in a month. That was an adventure lol.

 

First one must have a lot of patience with plants as a lot will melt and then regrow. This is my 10 gallon aquarium which has plants in it for the past year and you can see they are growing ok but very slowly ('cept the pearl weed which keeps on giving);

 

The problem with bulb plants is nearly all of them (lilies and apongeton will get way too large for a 10). I have an a. cripus right front corner and it will eventually out grow the tank and i'll have to remove it.

[Mmiller2001]

Fantastic tanks @anewbie. Well done, love that 10 gallon.

[sairving]

@anewbie your ten gallon looks fantastic! 

A big part of my problem was because I had a serious shoulder fracture in August. I did enough water changes to keep my fish alive but the rest of the tank was a hot mess.  I think I may try to get another val jungle going.  Could try some pearl weed too.  I haven't made an attempt to keep that alive yet lol.

Edited November 26, 2022 by sairving

[MattyM]

I have vals with some water sprite floating on top - it's a nice look, esp when the water sprite starts sending roots down. I also have hard water. 

[anewbie]

On 11/26/2022 at 10:36 AM, sairving said:

Yeah, I've learned the hard way that most "easy" plants do not do well in my water. I currently have a Java fern that has 5 small leaves. It's taken 6 months to get those leaves. I keep hoping one day it will go crazy and grow.  Maybe I'll go with vals again. 

Hard water is the reason I usually have only anubias and crypts. 

 

In low tech java fern always grow slow; as in order of years - in a hi-tech tank it can be a monster in 6 months (as in too large for a 40B).