Starter Plant Question

[Essjay]

He has just reached the end of the first stage of fishless cycling - that's where ammonia has dropped and nitrite has appeared. Now the nitrite 'eating' bacteria need to grow.

 

[777james777]

I’ve been looking online and found this website. Have you ever heard of them?
Iv chosen a few plants I like the look off too.

- are there any you would avoid from the list below?
- how many floating plants should I buy, I hear it grows very quick
- please remind me again how often I should feed my plants

@Essjay

 

[Essjay]

I have not used that website myself so I can't comment on how reliable they are.
The plants on the list are all by Tropica, and they are all in vitro. Look at Tropica's website for how to handle in vitro plants when they arrive.

The right aquarium plants: 1-2-Grow! - Tropica Aquarium Plants

The right aquarium plants

tropica.com

As for the plants themselves, I've not kept most of those plants.
Crypt nurii is classed as 'easy'. It is common for crypts to melt shortly after you plant them so if the leaves disappear don't worry, they should regrow.
Rotala indica 'bonsai' is classed as 'medium'. This means it is either more delicate than easy plants or it needs brighter light etc.
The alternanthera is also a 'medium' plant.
Salvinia is an 'easy' plant. I once had a Salvinia, it was labelled as S. minima. That grew well for me until one hot summer when it all turned brown and died, but I'd had it years before that happened.

 

[777james777]

I have had a look into them and took a gamble on the website. They are all “easy” plants.

 

[Essjay]

Staurogyne repens - carpeting plant.
Crypt - don't panic if the leaves melt. It's so well known it has the name "crypt melt"
Bucephalandra - a plant which is grown on decor. I have B. bilblis
Hygrophila - a stem plant which will try to grow out of the tank. Prune the top off when it does and plant the bit you cut off.
Anubias - another plant grown on decor.
Taiwan moss - again grown on decor. You'll need to tie this one down with lots of thread but it'll grow and cover the thread. If it's like my Java moss it will need a 'haircut' every so often to keep it from growing too big.
Salvinia and the crypt as before.

 

[777james777]

@Essjay

My ornaments have arrived, so they are going in shortly. Plants should be here Thursday/Friday ready for the water change, then its literally just fish.

Im going to test for ammonia nitrite and nitrate in 20 minutes. My guess is there wil be zero nitrite and ammonia. Shall I give it a little feed of 0.8ml ammonia? Or wait till wednesday?

 

[Essjay]

Leave it till Wednesday. All that really matters now is that there's zero ammonia & nitrite, nitrate at tap water levels, and no bicarb left in the water when the fish are put in. In other words, a big water change to get the levels the same as tap water