# Live plants in a 10 gallon?



## aquaninja (Sep 6, 2011)

I have a 10 gallon tank with gravel, some plastic plants, and a fake rock formation. This tank is home to three guppies. What I was wondering is, are there any live plants that could live in gravel? I have a moss ball, but that's not really the same thing... 



Also with water changes, do I just use aquasafe on the water and pour it in, or do I do something else?:fish10::fish5:


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## Kehy (Apr 19, 2011)

There's a lot of plants that would work well in just gravel, it's what I'm using right now. Light is really the important part, and what/if you use ferts (root tabs, hint hint)

Right now I've got a dwarf lilly, dwarf sagittaria, willow hygro and christmas moss, and everything's doing fine. You could get away with not using dwarf plants though, since you've got a bigger tank. Small sword plants always look nice, and crypts are great too


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## holly12 (Apr 21, 2011)

Kehy is exactly right!

I had a 10g with just gravel a year ago and I also grew Amazon Swords, Dwarf Hygro (aka hygro polysperma), Giant Hygro, java ferns (anchored to rocks), and also had some floating plants like Dwarf Water Lettuce.

As for lighting, make sure the bulb is for growing aquatic plants. The light that came with my tank was just for fish. I ended up getting a Life Glo light that is specifically for growing aquatic plants and is also fine for fish. If you use an unsuitable light, the plants don't really do too well. The bulb was the same cost as the regular one.


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

In gravel Wisteria, Anacharis, Crypts, Vals, will do fne in gravel. Some swords wil work for your setup, but would stay away from the ones that get really large like Amazons.

For the water changes....I'd say do it the best way it works for you. For smaller setups it usually is easier to add to the water before you put it in the tank. But, if adding it to the tank first works for larger setups, it will certainly work for you. Just go with what way works for you. The important part is that it is added and not so much how. I think we worry way too much about that.


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## aquaninja (Sep 6, 2011)

Ok, so I have 2 zoo med highlights under my tank's hood. Does anyone know if plants will work under these? I went to their website but it doesn't say.


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## Gizmo (Dec 6, 2010)

Are they fluorescent tube lights? If so, do you know if they are T8's (as i suspect?) Also, look at the bulb and see what the Kelvin rating is. If it's 10,000K or less it should suffice for plants


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## aquaninja (Sep 6, 2011)

Sorry gizmo, but I am a noob and have absolutely no idea what you are talking about. It is a 15 watt incandescent tubular lamp. I have 2. It also says on the bulb that it is 120v. I'm guessing that means volts.


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

aquaninja said:


> Sorry gizmo, but I am a noob and have absolutely no idea what you are talking about. It is a 15 watt incandescent tubular lamp. I have 2. It also says on the bulb that it is 120v. I'm guessing that means volts.


Screw in type, right? Get two spiral CFLs from Lowes/HD in the 6500K spectrum. 2-13W should be fine.


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## beaslbob (May 29, 2009)

jrman83 said:


> Screw in type, right? Get two spiral CFLs
> 
> +1
> 
> ...


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## aquaninja (Sep 6, 2011)

jrman83 said:


> Screw in type, right? Get two spiral CFLs from Lowes/HD in the 6500K spectrum. 2-13W should be fine.


So I need new lights?


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## beaslbob (May 29, 2009)

aquaninja said:


> So I need new lights?


IMHO replacing your 15 or 25w incandescent long tube lights with 2 13w-15w flourescent 6500k spiral tubes is a very very good idea.

If for nothing else, your tank will look awesome.

the spiral watts gives off about 3-4 times the amount of light as incandescent. Which is why the spiral replacement also have a incandescent equilivant watts of 60 to 90 or so. It is the light equilivant of 60 or 90w incandescent even though they are actually only using the 13w.

Additionally the 6500k is a crisp white light vrs the warm reddish/orange incandescent light.

my .02


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## aquaninja (Sep 6, 2011)

Sounds like a good idea. One question though. Where would I get all this? All that's near me is Petsmart. Would they carry it?


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## beaslbob (May 29, 2009)

aquaninja said:


> Sounds like a good idea. One question though. Where would I get all this? All that's near me is Petsmart. Would they carry it?


Check out your local building supply stores and department stores in the lighting section.

wall Mart carries a "GE" spiral bulb(s) in packaged that have "6500" vertically down the bubble package. They cost about $5 for 2 bulbs and just screw into the incandescent socket. You do have to make sure you get the slimmer ones but at these wattages even that should not be a problem.


my .02


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