Good Beginner Plants For Freshwater Tropical Aquariums?
by Aquaboy on Thursday, August 12th, 2010 | 3 Comments
I have an 8 gallon biocube that has pebbles (natural looking ones) about the size of a wooden pencil eraser, maybe a little bigger.
But I want something that is easy to care for (beginner level), something that you don’t have to have substrate because I already have pebbles in the aquarium, that just grows in the water, that doesn’t need anything else. Please, are there any recommendations and tell me how to care for them and plant them in my aquarium.
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Hornwort and Duckweed are great floaters, low light too. Careful though, they can get out of hand.
Edit: Forgot one: Mariamo balls! You literally just drop them in the tank and they look great. You will have to periodically turn them ro prevent browning/keep the shape.
These three plants need nothing except okay lighting and nitrates (nitrifying bactera make this)
No rocks, no driftwood, etc.
well 2 that are great that you don’t need subtrate for are
Java fern
Java moss.
Tie their roots on some driftwood, lay the driftwood on the bottom of the tank. It should do good. =] And they’re not only for beginners but also the most experienced. Because they are really good plants. And most livebearers love them.
I agree with her. ^
Java ferns and java moss is awesome!
Also, java ferns come in different kinds (straight leaf, lacy leaf, ect.). You can also tie it to rocks or let it float, or just put the ‘roots’ (not the rhizome!) under some of your gravel pebbles to hold it down.
The moss, can be tied, free floating or you could make a moss wall, or if you have a tall ornament (dowel or something) you can tie it around it and have a pole of moss!
I’ve read some great things about Christmas moss and fire moss as well, but I have not kept them personally, yet.
(www.aquariacentral.com
and http://www.aquaticmagic.com
are some of the stores I like to use.)
Rinse the plants off well when you get them before putting them in your tank.
Also, the adult leaves that are already on the java fern that you get (assuming you do) they will ‘melt’ off due to having different water conditions than they were grown in, but new baby leaves will grow from the rhizome (and sometimes from the old leaves too! so don’t throw them out unless they get all black and icky).
I’ve had some luck with apogeton bulbs and dwarf water lily bulbs ( you can get these at walmart and petsmart), but it’s kinda hit and miss with these as they don’t always grow and sometimes rot instead, you have to keep a close eye on them.
Good luck!