"low Tech" Plant Stocking For Moderate Current In Hard(Ish) Al

[N0body Of The Goat]

Before finally 3/4 filling my Rio 240 with Southampton tank water (~pH 8.2, gH 16... will take my own readings with Nutrafin master test kit in next 24-48 hours) today, I have already added a thin (~1cm) layer of "Deponitmix" underneath 2.5-5cm of "Congo sand." I was pleasantly surprised at how uncloudy the water was, given the omount of dust that came off the sand during rinsing!

I have three moderately sized bits of pre-soaked bogwood in the tank, which may well drop the PH a little. However, as I am planning to stock small Rainbowfish (definitely Neon Dwarfs and Celebes, possibly Forktail Blue Eyes too) and work around them, I hope to lower the pH and gH a little by adding some RO, but not much. As this fish enjoy current, I plan to buy and fit an additional powerhead, as the 1000 Juwel pump does not create that much flow (barely brushed some sand off bodwood 12" away from the pump's outflow tube).

I am not "green-fingered" in the slightest but would like to try and keep things real for the sake of my scaled friends

Could anyone give me some pointers towards hardy low-tech plants that would be happy with floing water in the ballpark of pH 7.4-8.0 and upto ~gH 12, please?

In theory, I'm looking at something like
An area ~12"x6" for plants <10cm high
An area ~12"x6" for plants 10-20cm high
An area ~12"x6" for plants 20-50cm high
Some suitable small-medium plants that can be fixed to bogwood measuring ~30"x4" surface area

 

[lljdma06]

Cryptocorynes - come in all three size ranges depending on the species.
Amazon swords - again come in all three size ranges
java fern - attached to rocks and wood
java moss - attached to rocks and wood
Vallisneria species - these tend to get tall, but will appreciate your harder water.
Sagitteria - species are available for all three size ranges
anubias - attached to rocks and wood

 

[N0body Of The Goat]

Thanks for the reply, it has opened up my options somewhat if I stick to pure Southampton tap water!

Without having added Aqua Safe de-chlorinator or beginning the cycling (ended up buying some fish food as I could not find pure ammonia anywhere), my first set of test results last night were
pH 7.8 to 8.0 (shade closer to lower figure)
GH took 13 drops and KH 20 drops to get positive result... "very hard" (260mg/l) and 200mg/l respectively
Nitrites 0.1
Ammonia 0

 

[lljdma06]

Thanks for the reply, it has opened up my options somewhat if I stick to pure Southampton tap water!

Without having added Aqua Safe de-chlorinator or beginning the cycling (ended up buying some fish food as I could not find pure ammonia anywhere), my first set of test results last night were
pH 7.8 to 8.0 (shade closer to lower figure)
GH took 13 drops and KH 20 drops to get positive result... "very hard" (260mg/l) and 200mg/l respectively
Nitrites 0.1
Ammonia 0

Listen, if you plant densly from the onset, you will not need to cycle your aquarium. Here is an article from PARC

Why we should not Fishless Cycle Planted Tanks

The article mostly discusses CO2 systems, but the method is easily adapted for non CO2 systems. I have unconsciously used this method for years and as a result, haven't a cycled a tank in a very long time.

Use the fish food for the fish.

 

[N0body Of The Goat]

Well, its my "floating day off" from my postal round today and I might just be tempted to go and buy something alive for my tank...

No, don't panic, I'm talking vegetables here!

I shall use the advanced search at http/www.tropica.com/default.asp to look up more info on these plant species you kindly posted and then go and buy a few.

Would anyone like to comment on my thing for the plant arrangement I currently have in mind, please?...


LLLLxMMMMMMM <-------Filter/heater chamber in this corner
LLLxxxxMMMxxxS
LLxxxxxxMSxxSS
LLxxxMSSSSSxSS (copyright Goat productions )

L= Tall plant
M= Medium height plant
S= Small plant
x= Bogwood coverage to attach suitable plants