Plant Selection.

[sid_zie]

Hi.
I've been doing some reading on here, trying to do my research. I've made a list of plants which I think would probably be ok in my tank. Could anyone point out any 'bad choices' or suggest anything I could use as well. And does this seem a balanced selection in terms of back ground, mid and foreground plants?

First my tank, it's about a 16" cube, 15 US gallons. It has 2* 18W tubes, so about 2.4 W/G. I have ordered eco complete (which shour arrive soon). And there's no CO2 atm, although I'm planning on adding some later (but that will take a few months probably)

ok, here's the plants i was thinking of getting.

Amazon swords
Water Wisteria
Java fern
Straight Vallis
Anubias coffeefolica
Anubias Nana (which i'll tie to bogwood)
Dwarf Sag
Java Moss (tied to slate)

Would these all be ok in the conditions above and with no CO2 to start with? Are there enough mid and foreground plants in there or will everything be swamped from the back? Any suggestions welcome. Thanks

Sid

 

[Themuleous]

Plant list looks good to me, you might be lacking in the mid ground a bit, have a look at the cryptocoryne species, they make excellent mid ground species and are relatively easy to look after. You might also want to add a few faster grows like ludwigia, hygrophilia and egeria, to help with the early algae issues.

I know you've not necessarily got a high light tank at 2.4WPG on a 15g but I would be hesitant about not having any CO2 in there, esp as several of those species you list are quite slow growing. If possible I'd want to get some sort of Co2 in there, which can be done very easily with a 2lt coke bottle and some yeast. But that's not to say its essential. (check out me sitting on the fence! )

Sam

 

[lljdma06]

You are right at the cusp for lighting in a smaller tank. I would at least have a DIY mix to avoid beginning algae issues, and I'd up the fast-growers. You only have one species that's a weed. I'd add a few more. R. rotundifolia is a nice weed, egeria densa, etc. You've got some options with your lighting. Avoid the really fine-leafed varieties for now.

He he Sam, said what you said in less words!

 

[sid_zie]

Thank you both. I'll get more fast growers in that case. And i'll have a look for a DIY CO2 link now.

 

[Themuleous]

There is a DIY link I'm my sig, its a bit complicated and greatly over works the problem, but it gives you an idea. Put simply, just get a 2lt coke bottle push some co2 tubing through the top, seal it with silicone and bingo a co2 chamber. Then just use the pinned nutrafin recipe.

Sam