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I just turned a 10 gallon into a plant tank and have only few plants in there --- two different type of swords. Anyway, my goal is to get it going, learn from it and turn my 90 gallon into a fully planted tank (ambitious project since I've got the wrong filter and nothing but pea gravel covering the filter plates). Anyway, can someone recommend some of the faster growing plants?

Thx --- Rae

Hornwort, Dwarf ambulia, Ludwigia repens, Sagitaria subulata, american valisneria are all some low light plant species that grow quickly.

I just ran off the low light and easy plants since you didn't give me the conditions of your tank (ammount of light, substrate type, ferts, CO2) that would aid plant growth and expand your options.

If you respond with your tank conditions, I'd gladly add to that list anything else that would grow quickly in your tank conditions.

matt

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Critical Fertilator: The Micromanager of Macronutrients

Hmmmm --- lets see, currently there's no filter because we just set it up and the old filter broke. Correcting that this weekend and it will hang over the edge.

pH is about 6.5; ammonia zero, nitrates low, something like 0.5 I think. Not sure on the subtrate. What my LFS recommended was take some potting soil, get it wet and compress it into the bottom of the tank, about half an inch deep. Then add gravel which I did. This tank hood uses a plain old 25 watt bulb and the LFS said that limits me to low light plants. I might change it one day but for now this is an experiement for me.

We added a few decorations because the ultimate goal is to keep it a plant tank but add some small schooling fish. My daughter thinks a small school of neons would be perfect while I'm thinking something I've never done before like barbs. I'll have to do some research on that though to get a good fish for a small tank.

Anyway, if this is a success, then I get to face the daunting task of turning my 90 gallon into a planted tank. Might not be possible without breaking it down though because there is no substrate in the tank, just undergravel filter plates and two inches or so of pea gravel. I am not inclined to take the tank apart. Might be an excuse to get a new bigger tank though and plant it! And I sit here wondering where the money goes......

Thx -- Rae

Rae,

Look for cryptocoryne plants at your lfs. There are many varieties and some like low light conditions. Anubias, microsorum, vallisneria also come to mind.

Go to http://www.tropica.com. In the upper right corner of the page will be an Advanced Search button. Click on it and then choose "low light" plants for a complete list of possible plants for your tank. You can refine your selection by selecting your tank temperature, water hardness or desired height. Each plant name can be clicked on to see a picture of the plant and its preferred water parameters.

Last edited by bob wesolowski at 27-Jan-2005 11:53

__________
"To steal ideas from one person is plagiarism; to steal from many is research."
researched from Steven Wright

Just an FYI about your 90.

Your gonna want to loose the Under Gravel Filter. Live rooting plants do not like them. The current disturbs the root system and plants such as crypts will no tolerate it very well.

Yeah I knew I'll have to do that. I've always used the undergravel filters and when I got my 90 gallon, I didn't give it a second thought -- got what I knew. But I decided I wanted to try live plants and set up everything the way I knew how, put the plants into the gravel and I was off and running. But one after another they died with the exception of one! I have one that has not "grown" but has not died. Started reading and learning and discovered my filter was at least partially to blame. Several people said just disconnect it, remove the tubes and I should be able to plant just fine. However, the more I read the less I believe that's the case. Which is going to bite because I really don't want to take it apart to do some kind of soil for the plants.

I have a plan though --- get the bigger tank I want, get it set up so I can do plants, relocate the fish and then redo the 90 gallon. Only problem is I have absolutely no room for a new tank. And if I get a new one, I'm going bigger --- thinking 150 gallon maybe!

Rae

another FYI about which fish to choose... I have barbs and they love to eat my plants. They tug at the leaves until the plant pulls free, then eat the roots. I've found gold barbs and rosy barbs definitely do this, but I think others do too.