Native Plants

Tropical Haven · Joined: 16 Aug 2007 Posts: 3

I would like to try growing plants while I had been exclusively a fish
aquarist. I life in Central Florida, and I was wondering what might
some of the risks be of trying some of the native "water weeds". I have
three tanks (80 gal hex, two 10 gal), and right now I only have 1 goldie
in a 10 gal. I don't particularly want to keep goldies anymore, but
I've had this one for over 2 years, so I don't want to part with it.

I would like to try mixing the plants and fish, but right now finances
are tight. However, I don't want to hurt either of them, so if I know
something won't work, I won't try it.

Any comments or suggestions appreciated.

TH

Archived from group: rec>aquaria>freshwater>plants

spiral_72 · Joined: 16 Aug 2007 Posts: 18

Stay cheap. Forget injected CO2 and intense lights. In my limited
experience, Java Fern, Ambulia and Amazon Swords will grow slow but
steady in a low light tank. I can't imagine plants doing anything but
benefit your tank. They improve water quality by absorbing fish waste,
ect. Expect to dose some kind of fertilizer at you water changes
though. Generally, a tank left alone does not provide sufficient
nutrient levels for plant growth. The Ambulia grows quite rapidly in a
10gallon tank with 15W of light as long as nutrients are present. They
stay dormant if not and I've never killed one.

http://www.geocities.com/spiral_72/Spirals_page.html

Gail Futoran · Joined: 16 Aug 2007 Posts: 50

"spiral_72" wrote in message @g43g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
> Stay cheap. Forget injected CO2 and intense lights. In my limited
> experience, Java Fern, Ambulia and Amazon Swords will grow slow but
> steady in a low light tank. I can't imagine plants doing anything but
> benefit your tank. They improve water quality by absorbing fish waste,
> ect. Expect to dose some kind of fertilizer at you water changes
> though. Generally, a tank left alone does not provide sufficient
> nutrient levels for plant growth. The Ambulia grows quite rapidly in a
> 10gallon tank with 15W of light as long as nutrients are present. They
> stay dormant if not and I've never killed one.
>
> http://www.geocities.com/spiral_72/Spirals_page.html

I would like to agree with this post. Smile

It describes
my set-ups rather well. I don't CO2 inject, I don't
add fertilizer (fish food functions for that), and my
easy care plants are doing quite nicely a year or more
after establishment.

A proper substrate helps, I believe. I'm using
Schultz Aquatic Soil with gravel over. Crypt
wendtii can do ok in plain gravel (one tank hasn't
been converted yet) but it seems to do better
with the aquatic soil substrate.

Gail

Tropical Haven · Joined: 16 Aug 2007 Posts: 3

Gail Futoran wrote:

>"spiral_72" wrote in message
>@g43g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
>
>
>>Stay cheap. Forget injected CO2 and intense lights. In my limited
>>experience, Java Fern, Ambulia and Amazon Swords will grow slow but
>>steady in a low light tank. I can't imagine plants doing anything but
>>benefit your tank. They improve water quality by absorbing fish waste,
>>ect. Expect to dose some kind of fertilizer at you water changes
>>though. Generally, a tank left alone does not provide sufficient
>>nutrient levels for plant growth. The Ambulia grows quite rapidly in a
>>10gallon tank with 15W of light as long as nutrients are present. They
>>stay dormant if not and I've never killed one.
>>
>>http://www.geocities.com/spiral_72/Spirals_page.html
>>
>>
>
>I would like to agree with this post. Smile

It describes
>my set-ups rather well. I don't CO2 inject, I don't
>add fertilizer (fish food functions for that), and my
>easy care plants are doing quite nicely a year or more
>after establishment.
>
>A proper substrate helps, I believe. I'm using
>Schultz Aquatic Soil with gravel over. Crypt
>wendtii can do ok in plain gravel (one tank hasn't
>been converted yet) but it seems to do better
>with the aquatic soil substrate.
>
>Gail
>
>

Okay, that sounds good. The 80 gallon I was going to keep outside
inside my screened in patio, and I figured that climate wouldn't be a
huge liability to the tank like it would in places further north. I was
thinking maybe guppies or something to start with, and some plants from
local water areas, and maybe moving up going along. There's not a lot
of direct sunlight into the patio, but there are fibreglass twilight
windows that would provide light. I have lots of decorative artificial
plants, but I think real plants would be better.

Thanks for the advice.

TH

Tropical Haven · Joined: 16 Aug 2007 Posts: 3

doug wrote:

>"Tropical Haven" wrote in message
>$TR.2525@lakeread08...
>
>
>>I would like to try growing plants while I had been exclusively a fish
>>aquarist. I life in Central Florida, and I was wondering what might some
>>of the risks be of trying some of the native "water weeds".
>>
>>
>
>I live in Central fl too, and some of the local plants that are readily
>found
>are sagittaria, cabomba,hornwort, bacopa, ludwigia, salvinia, duck weed and
>a few others.
>Also readily found are the invasives: Hygrophilla and
>water sprite (c thalicteroides),water luttuce, water hyancith and others.
>There are definitely others, invasives and natives, that are here but either
>I
>cant remember them or they are harder to find (riccia, milfoil, stargrass
>etc)
>
>these would all do great in your "Porch tank"
>
>Doug
>
>
>
>
You don't have to answer if you don't want to, but what part of Florida
do you live in? I'm located in Gainesville.

TH

doug · Joined: 16 Aug 2007 Posts: 5

"Tropical Haven" wrote in message $TR.2525@lakeread08...
>I would like to try growing plants while I had been exclusively a fish
>aquarist. I life in Central Florida, and I was wondering what might some
>of the risks be of trying some of the native "water weeds".

I live in Central fl too, and some of the local plants that are readily
found
are sagittaria, cabomba,hornwort, bacopa, ludwigia, salvinia, duck weed and
a few others.
Also readily found are the invasives: Hygrophilla and
water sprite (c thalicteroides),water luttuce, water hyancith and others.
There are definitely others, invasives and natives, that are here but either
I
cant remember them or they are harder to find (riccia, milfoil, stargrass
etc)

these would all do great in your "Porch tank"

Doug