Central Illinois Tropical Aquarium Club
Would you like to react to this message? Create an account in a few clicks or log in to continue.

Plant Identification Help and Care

4 posters

Go down

Plant Identification Help and Care Empty Plant Identification Help and Care

Post  Cuttlethefish Fri Jan 08, 2016 12:10 am

Hello! I've recently aquired many freshwater plants from someone who didn't want them anymore. I am very new to planted tanks as I've never had much luck with plants in general, on land or in the water. I was wondering if I posted some pictures of the different plants if anyone could help me ID them and give me tips on how to take care of them? Also, I'm planning on redoing the substrate in most of my tanks and switching from gravel to something else. What is the best substrate for aquatic plants to grow in? Thanks! Very Happy
Cuttlethefish
Cuttlethefish

Posts : 17
Join date : 2016-01-06

Back to top Go down

Plant Identification Help and Care Empty Re: Plant Identification Help and Care

Post  Katnapper Sat Jan 09, 2016 3:17 am

I think jikin junkie might be able to help with the plant ID's. It can't hurt to post pics and see.

I've only had gravel as substrate, but others have experience with sand that I'm sure they'd share.

Hmmm..... I wasn't really much help here, was I? Neutral
Katnapper
Katnapper

Posts : 444
Join date : 2013-02-01
Age : 57
Location : Bloomington, IL

Back to top Go down

Plant Identification Help and Care Empty Re: Plant Identification Help and Care

Post  Siebiscuit Sun Jan 10, 2016 1:42 pm

In my experience, if you have fine sand, it is harder for some of the nutrients to get the roots if adding chemically (like I do). Some require more CO2 than others. Some plants require a bubbling system whereas others just need a small water additive from time to time.

Siebiscuit

Posts : 36
Join date : 2015-09-12

Back to top Go down

Plant Identification Help and Care Empty Re: Plant Identification Help and Care

Post  Cuttlethefish Mon Jan 18, 2016 12:48 am

Thank you to both of you! I've done my best for now with the plants and they all seem to be doing well but only time will tell. I'll see what I can use to help!
Cuttlethefish
Cuttlethefish

Posts : 17
Join date : 2016-01-06

Back to top Go down

Plant Identification Help and Care Empty light, water, gravel

Post  jikin junkie Mon Jan 18, 2016 4:42 pm

Plants need light, pretty simple. If someone gave you aquatic plants, I'm doubtful they gave you the high end,high tech requirement, kinds of aquatic plants. Also I hope it's not the other end of that, the crud sold at chain petstores as aquatic which are usually dracaena species, spathiphyllum, or something grown emergent. Stick with the substrate you have. Stay away from extremes...like fine sand, or giant sized painted junk gravel. Stay away from extreme heat or cold, most won't tolerate temps in the 80's and fair poorly with temps in the 60's. If you have good light, you really shouldn't need fertilizers. Rule of thumb is 2 watts per gallon to grow most things, that will cover your low light to medium light plants. Size and depth of tank matters. A ten gallon, you can get away with a single florescent hood and grow most things. For a 55, I use a double shop light with two florescent bulbs and I can grow everything. And lastly, don't keep plants with fish that eat them. Silver dollars are basically plant piranhas. They mow down everything. African cichlids dig up everything. Goldies will eat the ones with soft leaves and dig up rooted plants. Certain snail species of pomacea will eat plants. It think that's the basics. Easy. Razz
jikin junkie
jikin junkie

Posts : 463
Join date : 2012-01-01

Back to top Go down

Plant Identification Help and Care Empty Re: Plant Identification Help and Care

Post  Cuttlethefish Tue Jan 19, 2016 12:39 am

Thanks for all of that info! The fish really shouldn't mess with the plants too much, all I have in the tank with the most plants are some female bettas and a few peacock gudgeons. I put one plant in a tank with corys and a longfin bristlenose pleco but they shouldn't bother it too much as it's anchored to some mopani wood. I think that one is java fern. I now for sure that one of the plants is java moss so I just tossed that stuff in and it's growing like crazy. I know that these are fully aquatic plants. Basically I went to their house to pick up some corys that the breeder couldn't care for anymore and I took some of the plants too. I do have some pothos sticking up out of my tanks but I did that a while ago fully knowing that they aren't fully submersible.
Cuttlethefish
Cuttlethefish

Posts : 17
Join date : 2016-01-06

Back to top Go down

Plant Identification Help and Care Empty Re: Plant Identification Help and Care

Post  Sponsored content


Sponsored content


Back to top Go down

Back to top

- Similar topics

 
Permissions in this forum:
You cannot reply to topics in this forum