Hi all, iv got some elodea as a start but wondering what else would be good for me as a newbie to plants ? Iv no idea so any info is welcome n I will order ASAP as the fake plants don't suit anymore. Water is good but going through buy some ferts as in previous post.
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Novice plants info needed
- Thread starter Guppy10
- Start date
Do you have a light on the tank?
Most aquarium plants like a bit of light and if you only have the light on for a couple of hours a day, they struggle. If the light doesn't have a high enough wattage they also struggle. Try having the tank lights on for 10-12 hours a day.
If you get lots of green algae then reduce the light by an hour a day and monitor the algae over the next 2 weeks.
If you don't get any green algae on the glass then increase the lighting period by an hour and monitor it.
If you get a small amount of algae then the lighting time is about right.
Some plants will close their leaves up when they have had sufficient light. Ambulia, Hygrophilas and a few others close their top set of leaves first, then the next set and so on down the stem. When you see this happening, wait an hour after the leaves have closed up against the stem and then turn lights off.
Some good plants to try include Ambulia, Hygrophila polysperma, H. ruba/ rubra, Elodia (during summer, but don't buy it in winter because it falls apart), Hydrilla, common Amazon sword plant, narrow Vallis, Water Sprite (Ceratopteris thalictroides/ cornuta).
The Water Sprite normally floats on the surface but can also be planted in the substrate. The other plants should be planted in the gravel.
If you add an iron based aquarium plant fertiliser, it will help most aquarium plants do well. The liquid iron based fertilisers tend to be better than the tablet forms, although you can push the tablets under the roots of plants and that works well.
I use Sera Florena liquid plant fertiliser but there are other brands too.
Do not bother adding carbon fertiliser to the tank because they are not necessary.
Most aquarium plants like a bit of light and if you only have the light on for a couple of hours a day, they struggle. If the light doesn't have a high enough wattage they also struggle. Try having the tank lights on for 10-12 hours a day.
If you get lots of green algae then reduce the light by an hour a day and monitor the algae over the next 2 weeks.
If you don't get any green algae on the glass then increase the lighting period by an hour and monitor it.
If you get a small amount of algae then the lighting time is about right.
Some plants will close their leaves up when they have had sufficient light. Ambulia, Hygrophilas and a few others close their top set of leaves first, then the next set and so on down the stem. When you see this happening, wait an hour after the leaves have closed up against the stem and then turn lights off.
Some good plants to try include Ambulia, Hygrophila polysperma, H. ruba/ rubra, Elodia (during summer, but don't buy it in winter because it falls apart), Hydrilla, common Amazon sword plant, narrow Vallis, Water Sprite (Ceratopteris thalictroides/ cornuta).
The Water Sprite normally floats on the surface but can also be planted in the substrate. The other plants should be planted in the gravel.
If you add an iron based aquarium plant fertiliser, it will help most aquarium plants do well. The liquid iron based fertilisers tend to be better than the tablet forms, although you can push the tablets under the roots of plants and that works well.
I use Sera Florena liquid plant fertiliser but there are other brands too.
Do not bother adding carbon fertiliser to the tank because they are not necessary.
@Colin_T do all hygrophila species do this. My Costata seem to do this but not the corymbosa Siamensis.
Herpin Man
Fish Crazy
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You might try Vallisneria.
It grows fast and tall, and spreads out on the surface.
It grows fast and tall, and spreads out on the surface.
Try Anacharis. It’s super pretty and it grows fast. 
Retired Viking
Fish Connoisseur
I went to live plants over a year ago and got rid of all my plastic, so much better for water quality. Go with simple plants that are easy to care for like ferns, water spite and anacharis. As you gain experience and knowledge then think about the more harder to care for plants. @Colin_T is spot on. Good luck
I agree, live plants are much better than fake ones.I went to live plants over a year ago and got rid of all my plastic, so much better for water quality. Go with simple plants that are easy to care for like ferns, water spite and anacharis. As you gain experience and knowledge then think about the more harder to care for plants. @Colin_T is spot on. Good luck
Also depends on size of tank. Lets say its a 10 gallon and you put a mother sword in it, its going to over take your tank and fish.
Generally speaking though swords, crypts, java fern and anubius will grow in low to medium light assuming their other basic needs of macro nutrients and micro nutrients are being met and how they are delivered.
For instance lets assume you have an amazon sword in an inert substrate and are only fertilizing with a liquid fertilizer, swords get about 75% of their nutrients through their roots and the rest through the water. Contrastingly take a floating plant like water sprite or a rhizome plant like java fern or anubius that get 75% of nutrients from water. Root tab fertilizer isnt going to help those plants much.
Id suggest getting a mix of floating plants and rooted plants.
Then check your water for what nutrients it has and buy plants that will thrive in that water. Plants like ferns need more calcium in the water column, red plants need iron. Swords need lots of potassium, moss balls eat a ton of nitrates
Its a tricky balance do your research before and it will save you money good luck!
Generally speaking though swords, crypts, java fern and anubius will grow in low to medium light assuming their other basic needs of macro nutrients and micro nutrients are being met and how they are delivered.
For instance lets assume you have an amazon sword in an inert substrate and are only fertilizing with a liquid fertilizer, swords get about 75% of their nutrients through their roots and the rest through the water. Contrastingly take a floating plant like water sprite or a rhizome plant like java fern or anubius that get 75% of nutrients from water. Root tab fertilizer isnt going to help those plants much.
Id suggest getting a mix of floating plants and rooted plants.
Then check your water for what nutrients it has and buy plants that will thrive in that water. Plants like ferns need more calcium in the water column, red plants need iron. Swords need lots of potassium, moss balls eat a ton of nitrates
Its a tricky balance do your research before and it will save you money good luck!
Last edited:
I concur. Don’t get plants that will overtake your tank and do your research before getting anything alive.
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