Gideyon Posted February 23 Share Posted February 23 I'm considering replacing my fake plant with a couple of real ones. But I need it to be low light, no co2, and if all it had were ambient light, it'd be okay. And a root feeder - I don't want to glue it to anything. It's for a Marineland portrait 5 so I only have about a foot of height to work with (no val or swords). Does that exist? And no snail eggs... Not even the possibility. I've seen these tissue cultures, but I have no idea what that is or what to do with it. It seems like an expert level thing. Tube plants are my only option? I was thinking of wisteria for the background (or does it get too tall?), dwarf sag, and maybe a crypt. But I can't find them where they aren't kept with snails. I'm plant ignorant. So any help would suffice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tlindsey Posted February 23 Share Posted February 23 On 2/23/2024 at 5:39 AM, Gideyon said: I'm considering replacing my fake plant with a couple of real ones. But I need it to be low light, no co2, and if all it had were ambient light, it'd be okay. And a root feeder - I don't want to glue it to anything. It's for a Marineland portrait 5 so I only have about a foot of height to work with (no val or swords). Does that exist? And no snail eggs... Not even the possibility. I've seen these tissue cultures, but I have no idea what that is or what to do with it. It seems like an expert level thing. Tube plants are my only option? I was thinking of wisteria for the background (or does it get too tall?), dwarf sag, and maybe a crypt. But I can't find them where they aren't kept with snails. I'm plant ignorant. So any help would suffice. @Gideyon Are you ok with attaching the plant to wood or a rock with sewing thread? If so Anubius or Java Fern will do ok in low light. You can purchase Anubius in plastic containers Petsmart or maybe Petco. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gideyon Posted February 23 Author Share Posted February 23 I've heard mixed thoughts on Java fern. Some say low maintenence, others say it takes some work in the beginning. Don't ask me why (because I don't know) but I have an aversion to having to attach plants. Maybe it's a visual thing. I like them coming from the ground. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tlindsey Posted February 23 Share Posted February 23 On 2/23/2024 at 5:53 AM, Tlindsey said: @Gideyon Are you ok with attaching the plant to wood or a rock with sewing thread? If so Anubius or Java Fern will do ok in low light. You can purchase Anubius in plastic containers Petsmart or maybe Petco. The reason for attaching these plants because rhizome can't be buried in the substrate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony s Posted February 23 Share Posted February 23 Tissue culture is the process of grabbing cells from the plant and propagating in a culture medium. Much faster than waiting for the plant itself to reproduce. You can get most plants that way. Including anubias. Grabbing cells has the distinct advantage. Absolutely no snail eggs 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tlindsey Posted February 23 Share Posted February 23 On 2/23/2024 at 6:11 AM, Gideyon said: I've heard mixed thoughts on Java fern. Some say low maintenence, others say it takes some work in the beginning. Don't ask me why (because I don't know) but I have an aversion to having to attach plants. Maybe it's a visual thing. I like them coming from the ground. You can place the plant on the ground as long rhizome not covered by substrate. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tlindsey Posted February 23 Share Posted February 23 On 2/23/2024 at 6:14 AM, Tlindsey said: You can place the plant on the ground as long rhizome not covered by substrate. A pic of 1of my Anubius Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony s Posted February 23 Share Posted February 23 You can get both dwarf sag and crypts through tissue cultures as well. Not an expert thing. Very easy. The culture is done in a lab. You treat the plant as normal Anubias doesn’t technically have to be glued down. If you’re careful you can just bury the roots and leave the rhizome above the surface Tissue cultures will be labeled as such. Slightly more expensive. But worth it if you want no possibility of snails 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnebuns Posted February 23 Share Posted February 23 On 2/23/2024 at 4:39 AM, Gideyon said: I'm considering replacing my fake plant with a couple of real ones. But I need it to be low light, no co2, and if all it had were ambient light, it'd be okay. And a root feeder - I don't want to glue it to anything. It's for a Marineland portrait 5 so I only have about a foot of height to work with (no val or swords). Does that exist? And no snail eggs... Not even the possibility. I've seen these tissue cultures, but I have no idea what that is or what to do with it. It seems like an expert level thing. Tube plants are my only option? I was thinking of wisteria for the background (or does it get too tall?), dwarf sag, and maybe a crypt. But I can't find them where they aren't kept with snails. I'm plant ignorant. So any help would suffice. You can treat any plant with reverse respiration and make them snail free. 2 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylee Posted February 23 Share Posted February 23 What kind of substrate and light do you have? Aquarium Co-op recently released a new tissue culture plant called Helanthium Bolivianum 'Quadricostatus', its supposed to be pretty short, works well in low light, and is a root feeder, that could possibly be an option. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gideyon Posted February 23 Author Share Posted February 23 Gravel. And it's not a bright light. Not meant for growing plants. Whatever came with the Marineland Portrait 5. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony s Posted February 24 Share Posted February 24 (edited) everything I listed works well for kit lights except the pearlweed. and you could always get a plant light and glass lid. kinda expensive though. ya , never mind, I went and looked up your tank. maybe another style of clip on light Edited February 24 by Tony s Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnnyxxl Posted February 24 Share Posted February 24 On 2/23/2024 at 6:11 AM, Gideyon said: I've heard mixed thoughts on Java fern. Some say low maintenence, others say it takes some work in the beginning. Don't ask me why (because I don't know) but I have an aversion to having to attach plants. Maybe it's a visual thing. I like them coming from the ground. I had Java ferns in my last tank, all I had to do was add iron to my water it doubled in size and dropped tons of plantlets with a tube bulb 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pepere Posted February 24 Share Posted February 24 Just to add for your consideration,…. I wasn’t sure whether your dislike of the thought of glueing plants to a rock was over not wishing to potentially disfigure the rocks in your tank or not wanting to commit to a particular location.. Rocks need not be large. Just enough to keep the plant submerged. This small rock, thatI glued a Java fern plantlet to, can easily be located anywhere . The tank. And if you dont like the look of the rock, most of the rock can be buried under your substrate just leaving the rhyzome exposed. Just something to consider… 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gideyon Posted February 24 Author Share Posted February 24 On 2/23/2024 at 1:50 PM, Cinnebuns said: You can treat any plant with reverse respiration and make them snail free. I had to research this. This is new to me. The last time I researched it the alum dip seemed to be the best option, which was too much work for me just to have a plant. This method's namen sounds overwhelming. But after reading it, it's quite simple. Why can't they call it a seltzer dip? 🙂 I'll have to consider this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnebuns Posted February 24 Share Posted February 24 On 2/24/2024 at 10:01 AM, Gideyon said: I had to research this. This is new to me. The last time I researched it the alum dip seemed to be the best option, which was too much work for me just to have a plant. This method's namen sounds overwhelming. But after reading it, it's quite simple. Why can't they call it a seltzer dip? 🙂 I'll have to consider this. It's super easy. I just did it last night. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitecloud09 Posted February 24 Share Posted February 24 On 2/23/2024 at 5:39 AM, Gideyon said: I'm considering replacing my fake plant with a couple of real ones. But I need it to be low light, no co2, and if all it had were ambient light, it'd be okay. And a root feeder - I don't want to glue it to anything. It's for a Marineland portrait 5 so I only have about a foot of height to work with (no val or swords). Does that exist? And no snail eggs... Not even the possibility. I've seen these tissue cultures, but I have no idea what that is or what to do with it. It seems like an expert level thing. Tube plants are my only option? I was thinking of wisteria for the background (or does it get too tall?), dwarf sag, and maybe a crypt. But I can't find them where they aren't kept with snails. I'm plant ignorant. So any help would suffice. I would go for some anubias. The anubias nana as it is a small plant. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gideyon Posted February 28 Author Share Posted February 28 Is there a carpet like plant that doesn't grow too tall? I thought it would be dwarf sag, but I'm reading those can get up to 20 to 50cm tall. Low light no co2... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TMartins Posted February 28 Share Posted February 28 @Gideyon C. Lucens and C. Parva (both sold by the Co-Op) stay small around 2-3 inches and need low light and no CO2 and will carpet but will be slow so purchase multiple pots if you can. Lucens will grow faster then Parva… 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitecloud09 Posted February 28 Share Posted February 28 On 2/28/2024 at 7:05 AM, Gideyon said: Is there a carpet like plant that doesn't grow too tall? I thought it would be dwarf sag, but I'm reading those can get up to 20 to 50cm tall. Low light no co2... Micro sword is smaller and can be super small if trimmed regularly @Gideyon, I have it, and it is good! It can grow Without root tabs but u can still get those In low light idk…. I would google it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony s Posted February 28 Share Posted February 28 On 2/28/2024 at 7:05 AM, Gideyon said: Is there a carpet like plant that doesn't grow too tall? Several choices depending on lighting and co2 availability. Dwarf sag can be kept trimmed into a carpet like. Both crypts grow low but grow in clumps. Monte Carlo needs higher lighting and likes co2, not required. Pearlweed makes a good carpet with higher light. Hairgrass likes medium to higher lighting and co2 grows carpets better. lots of choices, depending on the look you want. I do the dwarf sag and keep it trimmed to 2 1/2 inches. Still a bit open at the bottom. The crypts are very open at the bottom. And slow…. Just now starting micro sword in 1 tank. Have done Monte Carlo in gravel, it has a hard time holding on there. Ended up being a floater. Which I liked the look of and grew like crazy. To the point of scooping large amounts out with a fishnet. Have not done Pearlweed or hair grass 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnnyxxl Posted February 29 Share Posted February 29 On 2/23/2024 at 6:11 AM, Gideyon said: I've heard mixed thoughts on Java fern. Some say low maintenence, others say it takes some work in the beginning. Don't ask me why (because I don't know) but I have an aversion to having to attach plants. Maybe it's a visual thing. I like them coming from the ground. I saw a video explaining what is going on with java fern the box stores are selling leaves with a bit of rizome is tied up in bunches so they struggle and die. Because nobody tells us the buyer about the threads holding them together. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gideyon Posted February 29 Author Share Posted February 29 On 2/29/2024 at 8:37 AM, johnnyxxl said: I saw a video explaining what is going on with java fern the box stores are selling leaves with a bit of rizome is tied up in bunches so they struggle and die. Because nobody tells us the buyer about the threads holding them together. Funny. I just saw that video last night. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gideyon Posted March 6 Author Share Posted March 6 I ended buying tissue cultures of microsword and rotala. It'll be my first ever plants. I have a gravel substrate. I think I need to add some more to give depth. I got some flourish tabs as well since I don't have fish to give natural nourishment. One tab should be enough? I don't want an algae explosion if one is even too much. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony s Posted March 7 Share Posted March 7 On 3/6/2024 at 5:21 PM, Gideyon said: One tab should be enough one near the plant center of each plant should be enough for now. until it gets more established. i just planted my first microsword 2 weeks ago in gravel. most of it is now floating. be extra careful getting it in. haven't done rotala yet. but i believe it's mostly a water column feeder and may not need or benefit from tabs 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now