# What plants have you had the best luck with in your tanks?



## Curator (Feb 18, 2009)

what plants have survived well with your african cichlids, and please use full names since I dont know much about plants, its very hard to find information about plants in which you only know half (or less than half in some cases) the name of...lol...


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## dspranger (Feb 17, 2009)

what lights do you have


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## Curator (Feb 18, 2009)

Currently None, as I havnt planted my tank yet, they do get about a good 10 hours of indirect sunlight a day though (and no, theres no algae) Im just looking for some ideas and information for right now, But when I do need lights I'll probably end up jerry rigging a set up using the giant shoplite setups they have at wal-mart for like $12 then buying some aquarium bulbs for them... Or I might try to grab an MH ballast off ebay for $10-$20 as they occasionally apear on there for, and then build my own set up with that, but even that, because of the cost of the bulbs, would be outside my budget for now... I think the shoplite will work good for now since at the moment Im using 5- 10 gallon tanks, and may be getting a 35, 55 and 75 gallon tanks for free/uber cheap soon... I could use a y splitter thing to change it to a 4 bulb shoplite, and put 4 aquarium bulbs in there, then use some corrugated aluminum stuff to make a larger reflector for it...should work good... and cost me only about $20-$25...


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## klumsyninja (Aug 14, 2008)

I have Java Fern and java Fern 'Windelov' as well as Anubias nana and Anubias nana 'Petite' in my Malawi tank with success. They are low light, hardy plants that can be tied to java rock etc and my cichlids love em.. Plants do fine in there.

I have a regular hood light on this tank and it's sufficient.

Every now and then I add a little 'Excell' in there for Carbon but other than that they're good to grow 

Most Hygrofilia Stems will grow okay in the light you described and maybe some Crypts too but I haven't tried them in my african tank as they're substrate planted plants and I just use inert sand in my with africans, and plants don't do too well in inert sand without added tabs etc which I personally find to be a royal PITA.

Speaking of which I don't plant my Java fern or Anubias I tiee them to wood or rock. If you decide to plant them, don't cover up their 'Rhizomes' or you'll kill em. (Rhizhome is thick green vein connecting all leaves and roots. Roots are stringy and brown usually, not green)


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## Curator (Feb 18, 2009)

Ah, thanks for the advice, I appreciate it, so *marks on list, must get some java fern* now, to find a store that doesnt charge me $7 for a plant that looks like its already dead...lol...


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## ArmeyGal (Mar 24, 2004)

If you havea local fish club, you can probably get some nice plants at monthly meetings or shows/swapmeets from members. Our club always has nice bunches for like 3 bucks. I mean its insanely cheap especially towards the end of the auctions. all the stuff that took too long to be brought up goes for a buck a bag and such just to get it sold..LOL :lol:


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## ArmeyGal (Mar 24, 2004)

Ohh and we made a canopy with a home made light for our 40 gallon planted tank. Its got those energy type bulbs, you know the ones that are spiral shaped. I have 4 of those fastened to the inside of the canopy and spliced the wiring so they are all running off one plug cord from a exstension cord. We just plug it into a aqua controller, but a timer would work the same. I do get some algae growth but if you keep it down to 7 hrs a day the plants grow like weeds and you don't have the algae. I have Angels and Discus in the planted tank. I am going to try some Jungle Vallisneria with my dolphins and see how they act. I will let you know if they eat it or not.. But they are also in a 135 gal. I had Amazon swords and Vallisneria before with mbunas in a 75 and they shredded it to peices and pulled it out of the sand. I am going to try to get some gravel and put it down over the plant roots and then put the sand over that and see if that helps keep the plants rooted. I put some regular Vallisneria in and let it float and they left it alone so it looks promising.


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## Curator (Feb 18, 2009)

cool! thanks! keep me updated!!! *I like to plan ahead, and I plan on having at least 2- 120 gallon tanks and a number of smaller tanks set up by this time next year...hopefully...*


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## ridley25 (Jan 5, 2008)

As far as plants that you plant in the substrate, I've had success with Cryptocoryne wendtii in a few different tanks. All without CO2 and all with less than 1.5 watts per gallon.


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## klumsyninja (Aug 14, 2008)

ridley25 said:


> As far as plants that you plant in the substrate, I've had success with Cryptocoryne wendtii in a few different tanks. All without CO2 and all with less than 1.5 watts per gallon.


One of my favorite low tech/light plants


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## squiggly (Mar 22, 2007)

For me....Fake ones :lol:

(sorry couldn't resist)


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