From: gdrew@cs.umd.edu (Greg Drew)
Newsgroups: rec.aquaria,alt.aquaria
Subject: Re: Okay, I'm really serious now!
Date: 17 Aug 92 19:07:52 GMT
Followup-To: rec.aquaria
Distribution: na
Organization: U of Maryland, Dept. of Computer Science, Coll. Pk., MD 20742

In article <1992Aug13.232415.12858@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu> lkern@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (Leesa J Kern) writes:
>Anyway, I've decided to chuck the bright red gravel and plastic plants for the 
>real thing ... natural brownish gravel and some real plants.  I realize 10 gal.
>is not good for plants, but any larger tank would not be good for my checking 
>account, so ....
>
>What kind of plants would work in a small freshwater tank?  I know this 
Well, I am not one of the net "plant people", and some of them may not agree
with me, but here goes.  I have 3 10g tanks with live plants and 1 5g tank also
with plants.  In all of them I have to cut back at least one of the species
weekly.  Here is what has worked for me:

Cambona (I think the pet shop lady called it "Water Millfoil":
	This is one of the ones that has to be cut often; my book says that
	in the wild it can get to be 2 feel long.  I have only has this one
	about 4 weeks, but it seems happy, and has put down roots even in the
	tank with the strong UGF.

Anacharis, Elodea Densa (2 names for the same plant):
	Very vigorous, and almost impossible to kill.  It is a bunch plant 
	which will put down roots from all along the stalk (and the roots
	will provide a nice root system if they hit a a part of the bottom
	rich in nutrients.  When you cut this back, try to cut off the older
	portions (which are not as bright green as the new growth) as these
	sometimes die off.

Java moss:
	Unkillable.  Forms a mossy clump, and it is very good for spawning
	fish and as a hiding place for fry.

Annubis Nana:
	Slow grower, but fairly steady.  Sometimes the older leaves die off, 
	but new ones take their place.

Valisenaira:
	Very good grower, with two restrictions.   First, it does not like to
	grow if the tank has an UGF.  Secondly, it does not seem to thrive 
	in a tank that has Annubis Nana.

Dwarf Amazon Swordplant:
	Low growing and hardy.  Mine would be doing great except that my clown
	loaches love it for a snack. (please, no flames about clown loaches
	in a 10g.  they are both 1.5" long and are being moved to the 20l in
	about a month , and then to the 55 around Christmas).

Duckweed:
	A floating plant reguarded by some as a pest.  Just a few plants can
	completely cover the top of a 10g tank in 2 weeks.  It provides some
	refuge for small fry, and can be food for "veggie eaters".  Watch out
	if it covers the tank, it will cut off most of the light to your
	other plants.

I also have a small potted variety of a Cryptocoryene, but it has never t
thrived for me, just stayed alive for about a year and a half.  It did not like
the UGF at all.

For lighting I use a single fluorescent tube, but I make sure it is a full
spectrum model.  I have had good luck with Vita-lites, Triton (expensive!),
and one of the bulbs from Penn Plax (I do not remember which model).  Duckweed
and Java Moss will even grow under an incandescent bulb.

I have found that pushing plugs of laterite (a clay containing iron) down near
the roots helps some of the plants.  I also try to add an iron supplement
when I do a water change and I occaisionally add a fertilizer with trace 
elements (I do not always remember to do either).  I stay away from fertilizers
with nitrogen - my fish add enough of that to the water as it is :)

I hope this helps.  I am also motiviated by a low budget; everthing I do is
inexpensive, except for the good light bulbs.  If you are adding plants to
new gravel, you might consider using a soil additive called (I think) 
"Initial D" from Tetra.  It has always worked well for me.  It will provide
immediate nutrients for the palnt's roots.

A good book on the subject is "A Fishkeepers Guide to Aquarium Plants"
by Tetra Press (The wording of the title might be off, I am at the office and
doing this from memory).

Oh, one last point.  Regular weekly water changes help the plants as well as
the fish.
					-- GDD
-- 
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Greg Drew                          | Watch for coming attractions 
gdrew@trellis.cs.umd.edu           |
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