# What Plants for a new set up?



## Tirral (Mar 2, 2007)

I am in the process of setting up my 40g tank. I am taking my old styro background out and doing a slate background.
I have had verry little luck in keeping LIVE plants in my tank.
I seem to be able to keep fake plants pretty well! LOL.

My Question is what plants are easy to keep, fast growing and reasonably cheep?

Thanks in advence.


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## D-007 (Jan 3, 2008)

Tirral said:


> .....My Question is what plants are easy to keep, fast growing and reasonably cheep?
> 
> Thanks in advence.


Ones that immediately come to mind are Watersprite, Ambulia and Anacharis.

Regards,
D


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## 5-O Cummins (Sep 4, 2008)

I have very little experience with plants and in my current tank I have many for the first time. So far no problems and very good growth. Anubius and java fern, give it a try.


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## Tirral (Mar 2, 2007)

I was just wonderin...

with my bad luck with plants, is there anyone in these forums that would be willing to send me some plants. 

Prefferably easy to grow plants.

sounds cheaky but would realy appriciate it.

Let me know.

Thanks


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## HiImSean (Apr 5, 2007)

for some reason i always have bad luck with java fern. i've got two tanks full of it and one is doing good.

try swords, they are big and add a hiding structure for fish. i also like java moss attached to driftwood. its very easy and grows like crazy


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## D-007 (Jan 3, 2008)

The thing about Java Fern and Anubias is that they are slow growing plants that can be overgrown with algae. The ones I suggested grow faster. They also don't cost that much and are quite easy to keep in that they don't need really high lighting or CO2 etc.

What kind of lighting do you have over the 40g?

As for helping you out with plants, hopefully someone on that side of the pond will PM you to help out.


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## alicem (Jul 26, 2007)

Also, keep in mind, if your bulbs are over a year old, they won't grow plants very well and needs to be replaced.
Eventho it still illuminates, after 9 mo. to 1 yr. the bulbs loose the color spectrum that plants need.
hth
Alicem


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## Britnick (Apr 18, 2008)

Vallis is another option, with spiral or straight and even giant if you are feeling brave. Microsorum Windelov, Cryptocoryne wendtii (and other crypts), Hygrophila Rosanervis and Ceratopteris thalicroides are all â€˜easyâ€™ to keep. I would suggest that for plants that are rooted in the substrate you use a tablet fertilizer pushed into the substrate. This gives them a real growth spurt. Also check out how to cut the roots back in the right way to encourage growth.

Most the plants Iâ€™ve mentioned will grow without a plant specific light, but as alicem said you need to make sure you have a new tube.

A good liquid fertilizer is always helpful, but divide the dosage down so that you put some into the tank every day. This helps keep algae growth down and the plants appear to like it better than the feast and famine approach.


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## kornphlake (Feb 12, 2004)

Floating plants, while not always visually appealing, are usually very easy to grow. Duckweed, Frogbit, Water Lettuce, Watersprite (unrooted), etc. all absorb huge amounts of nitrate and grow with little effort. I realize not everyone wants floating plants, but for those who are after live plants only for the water purifying benefits floating plants are a lot easier to care for.


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