# Are there any aquatic plants that do fine in an otherwise fake-plant aquarium?



## Avocado Man (Mar 6, 2010)

First of all, hats off to all of you with the beautiful fully-planted tanks - they look amazing. That being said, I have a hard time keeping regular house plants alive, much less aquatic plants. I am not interested in investing any money in fancy substrate, lighting, or CO2. (OK - might consider low-cost lighting modification.)

Could I plant one or two EASY-level plants without adding anything else? I have a 20 gallon tank (normal, not long), with 13 fish: 5 platys, 6 danios, and 2 ottos. Hang on filter is for a 30-gallon tank. Decorations are all plastic, and I have some bubble wands. My lighting is a one fluorescent bulb (T8 I think) - whatever came standard in those cheap hood/canopy combos.

What species of plant, if any, would do well? Hoping to make a trip to a new LFS next weekend to buy one or two plants if I get the green light from the community...http://www.aquariumforum.com/images/smilies/feedback.gif


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## Regenesis (Apr 25, 2011)

Try looking at Anubias, Java Fern, Mosses, and Crytocorynes. Most of all of them are able to go with the stock/ tank lighting currently on the tank. Maybe once the real plants are in, take the Fake ones out. Also, once real plants are in, there is no need to gravel vacuum anymore, just a regular water change.


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

Anacharis, Wisteria, java moss.....


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## BBradbury (Apr 22, 2011)

Good morning Regenesis. You've gotten good advice. I'd like to suggest some fast growing stem plants, because they'll grow up to the light and actually do very well. Water Sprite, Rotala and Ludwigia are tall plants that would work with the artifical ones.

If you want your live plants to grow, you'll need to keep your airstone, bubblers, etc. to a minimum. Live plants won't do well in a high oxygen environment.

Also, spend a little money on a good liquid fert. I use Yamato Green, it has a good balance of nutrients. You'll also need a carbon source. SeaChem's Flourish Excel is a good one, though a little pricey. I dose the ferts two to three times per week. Just mix the ferts in a small pitcher of your water change water and pour the mixture into the tank when you need to replace the evaporated water. 

BBradbury


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## beaslbob (May 29, 2009)

^+1

I use anacharis/vals with some small potted types and (for a 10g) a single amazon sword.

forget your house plant experience. None of that applies.

In an aquarium you have the light, nutrients, and carbon dioxide all there just by the presence of the fish.

You will find true aquatic plants much easier to maintain then any house plant.

my .02


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## danilykins (Dec 22, 2010)

Wisteria would be my recommendation. You can go to petco/petsmart or wherever and get a flora glow light for like 15 bucks and that will help grow the wisteria. Wisteria is awesome because it grows fast and you can snip it in half and plant the snipped off part and grow a new plant


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## WhiteGloveAquatics (Sep 3, 2009)

Any low light plant will work, Its not like the live plants are having any competition or anything with the fake ones in there.

You can do a low tech low light tank cheaper then you could planting it with fake plants. Ive had some low light plants grow in no light conditions like crazy, especially anubias and mosses.

Good Luck.


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## stasia8756 (Jun 10, 2009)

All those plants previously mentioned do well in my low light tanks. Only two of my five planted tanks have the more expensive higher wattage lighting setups. It helps that there are enough fish to create the bioload necessary to feed the plants. I don't use commercial plant food except every now and then put in a capful of flourish. In fact, I have had to remove some of the very thick java fern growth from a couple of the tanks so the fish would have room to swim!


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## Avocado Man (Mar 6, 2010)

Wow! Thanks for such great feedback everyone. I am going to look into the species you all mentioned. There is a lot of good advice in your collective posts, so apologies for a blanket/generic thank you to all, but I appreciate the help.*w3


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## holly12 (Apr 21, 2011)

I had the same question a few weeks back (before I found this forum) and the LFS people recommended a Hygro plant. I've got a giant hygro plant and a dwarf hygro. The giant one is doing fine, the dwarf looks a bit yellow. The LFS girl said some of their suppliers grow the plants hydroponically and so when they are in water the first leaves will turn yellow and fall off but the new growth will be green. I've seen some baby leaves and they do look green, so we'll see if it makes it. If it dies I want to go with some java fern or maybe even a moss ball. (Also, the LFS ppl said the giant hygro can be pruned back when it gets too big and some of the clippings can be planted and will start a whole new plant). 

I've got just a 14 watt bulb in my tank, plain gravel and no CO2 system. I even have a small corner filter with some Nitra-zorb in it for my high nitrates, and it has an air stone/bubbler on it.... so far the plants seem ok. (We did turn the bubbler down though because on the regular setting it was waaaaay too vigorous!) That with the hang on back filter makes for oxygenated water, and we're good to go thus far.


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