Aquarium updates and intended fish.

Did a water change, tested and lowered to 7.4. will do another water change and should lower it further

Today Java Fern and Water sprite arrived by post(all healthy!). Using water sprite as floating plant.

I am sooo loving this Java Fern

does the water sprite have roots?
the leaves should join a clump of roots.

Colin_T said:

does the water sprite have roots?
the leaves should join a clump of roots.

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some do. the others are cuttings I think.

water sprite doesnt normally grow from cuttings

I've researched, apparently it does and my water sprites leaves are growing.

Water Sprite, which is the common name for the species in the genus Ceratopteris, will not reproduce from cuttings. However, it is a fern, and adventitious plants (= daughter plants, baby plants, whatever you call them) will appear from spores on alternate fronds (= leaves, but being a fern, fronds is the correct term). If a leaf is separated, and it has spores on it, plants may well develop from that leaf.

I cannot tell from the photo what this plant is, as the roots are not visible (if there are any). If the fronds all grow out from the crown of the plant, and roots grow downward from the crown, then it is likely a Ceratopteris species. There are a few species, and C. cornuta is the best to grow floating. I think this is the case, the fronds do seem to come from a common source (the crown), but a clearer photo may help.

Sorry for the late reply. I looked more closely and the water sprite does have roots, but at the middle of the stem not the bottom where I expected. I placed it on the floor of the aquarium. Elodea Densa and Ludwigia arrived. This is what my aquarium looks like.

Water Sprite grows faster when floating on the surface. If you let it float, you should have more plants in a few weeks and you can plant some of those in the gravel.

You need to buy more plants. Like way more plants, about 30-50% of the tank needs to be planted. Plants are just as important as fish in an aquarium

itiwhetu said:

You need to buy more plants. Like way more plants, about 30-50% of the tank needs to be planted. Plants are just as important as fish in an aquarium

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Yes, I am also getting frogbit, Amazon Sword, Hornwort and Java moss

Colin_T said:

Water Sprite grows faster when floating on the surface. If you let it float, you should have more plants in a few weeks and you can plant some of those in the gravel.

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ok. I'll leave a few floating.

Animallover😍 said:

Yes, I am also getting frogbit, Amazon Sword, Hornwort and Java moss

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Try to find some stemmed plants. Hygrophila , Cabomba, and Ambulia

Remember that the more different species of plants, the more likely some of them will not thrive. High-tech method planted tanks that look like aquatic gardens are a very different thing from the low-tech or natural planted tank you are setting up here. Different plants require different intensity lighting--for example, stem plants in general need brighter light than do swords, Java Fern, mosses. Floating plants will further shade the lower plants which is good for the fish (both as shade, and because floating plants are incredible water purifiers) so Cabomba and such will struggle and likely not last more than a few weeks before they start falling apart. As your light is fixed--and duration does not really factor in, it is the intensity and spectrum of the light that maters--go with what grows for you and forget any plants that do not. There is no middle road that serves all plants.

Second thing is nutrients...are you using any liquid fertilizer yet? There are very, very few nutrients in a new tank without fish, but you need to get the plants growing.

Yes, I am using Fluval Gro + and root tabs