New Plants for New tank of African Ciclids

[maryanngmeyers]

New 55 Tank looks awesome--14 small Ciclids- Labs, Zebra blue and orange, golden===so just ordered and received  your plants Anubias Barteri,  and Windelov" Java Fern . and Vallisneria how it will change the water parameters.  From what  I see they need 20 nitrate in the water. Got root tabs, easy planters and easy green.  .was wondering what to expect--will  the put root tab in with the plant. and easy planter ...and i guess if nitrate gets too low then add easy green once a week---or till get 20 nitrate

 

[Irene]

Yup, that's pretty much how I started - feed Easy Green if nitrates get low and add new root tabs in the substrate every 1-3 months if the plant stops growing new leaves. Not sure how often you need to refresh root tabs for anubias and java fern in an Easy Planter.

[Kirsten]

A couple notes that vallisneria is the only one in that group that should be planted below the substrate and could use a root tab at the base. Java fern and anubias feed from the water column, though they'll probably find a way to use a root tab if you put one in an easy planter.

I wouldn't say any of these "need" high nitrates, and you don't want to be running an excess all the time, but they'll suck up a good amount of them. These are all very hardy aquarium plants and should do well in an established tank with low to medium light. Also important to note that Easy Green isn't really about nitrates, your biofilter provides plenty. It provides a lot of the minerals and micronutrients plants need to thrive that they don't normally get from aquarium waste. So I'd recommend dosing it at the low-light level for your aquarium regardless of your nitrates and keeping up with water changes if your nitrates get over 20ppm.

[maryanngmeyers]

plants healthy looking happy---