# Couldn't stand it any longer, got plants and driftwood



## rglens (Aug 14, 2009)

I just had to have something alive in my tank....so I got some low light plants, a nice piece of driftwood (some kind of hard wood at a good LFS). The plants are anubias (small short leaves, not sure what kind) and some java ferns. Also some Bacopa australis and some grassy looking kind. Hope this is right. 

I have the wood in a brand new trash can and am boiling water and soaking it now.

I also got some fert tabs, followed the directions and put them.

The LFS was out of some of the other more common types but will get a shipment in next week.

Any suggestions are most welcome!

P.S. I am such a noob, don't know what I have and just go with what the sales guy suggested.


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## obscbyclouds (Apr 6, 2009)

Cool!

Most of the anubias I've seen in LFS are either Bateri or Nana. I don't have any experience with Bacopa australis, maybe someone else can help you there. 

Your "grass" stuff is probably either dwarf hair grass (Eleocharis parvula) or Microsword (Lilaeopsis brasiliensis). Both like higher light, but may grow, albeit slower, in low light conditions. Pictures could help!


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## susankat (Nov 15, 2008)

Cool, post some pics so we can see the progress.


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## rglens (Aug 14, 2009)

Trying this out for the first time.

Here is my tank as it is now:


This is the driftwood I got and after soaking now in the tank:


And this is the plants in the right corner:


If anyone can suggest more, I am definitly open for suggestions. 

P.S. I still have two plastic plants in there to hide the filter intakes. Once the plants grow taller (hopefully they will grow) I will remove them.


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## susankat (Nov 15, 2008)

Try some e. tennelus (sp) and dwarf sag. Looks good so far. The dwarf sag I would put across the back and it will look a lot like vals but smaller.


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## rglens (Aug 14, 2009)

Thanks Susan! Those two are now at the top of my list.


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## James0816 (Jun 19, 2009)

check your lighting for the sag though.... ;o)

another good hint...if you want to use plants to hide your intakes...use a prefilter over the intakes. This will reduce the draw and not pull the plants into it.


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## rglens (Aug 14, 2009)

Thanks James! Any suggestions on what would make a good prefilter?


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## susankat (Nov 15, 2008)

James with the light that he's using it will be sufficient to grow sags. I'm growing it under the same light.

A prefilter is just a sponge put over the intake of your filter. It would depend on how much water flow you have as to whether you need one or not. In my tanks the only ones that I use prefilters for is the breeder tanks to keep fry from being sucked into the filter. Also on shrimp tanks as I use them to help filter the tank.


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