# My first tank with real plants.



## Cobra (Sep 25, 2004)

Im really happy this is my first tank with real plants. Its a 29gal with standard eclipse brand daylight fluorescent tube, sorry I dont know the wattage. Substrate is geosystem natural black beach gravel. I have an ac200 running for filtration but will soon upgrade to an ac500. One of the plants is a javafern and the others are cryptos or something. I told the lfs guy to give me the easiest plants to care for. Here are pics of the plants and set up.
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I have a few newbie questins if u guys dont mind...

1-Can anyone ID these plants?

2-Do I need some CO2 machine? Caus I want to keep it simple with no CO2 and no fertilizers and stuff. If there are too many plants in there for that then let me know please.

3- I keep the tank light on while I sleep like 8-9 hours each night and turn it off in the morning. Is that OK?

4- Do plants mess with water parameters and ph?

Please help Im new to all this, any tips are welcome. Thanks.


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## akamakaveli (May 4, 2005)

If you plan on keeping the lighting then you probably don't need c02. A rule for c02 is it is required if you have 2.5 watts per gallon or more.

For ferts you may want to add some florapride or similar supplement with water changes to give your plants some nutrients.

They might change some parameters as they eat up nitrates, potassium, iron, and phosphates but ive never heard of plants affecting pH.

8-9 hours of light is fine. Most planted tanks are kept at 8-12 hours of lighting a day.


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## DiPpY eGgS (Mar 6, 2005)

Hi

You shouldn't need anything but fertilizer for those plants.

The Java fern in the center of your tank should be tied to a rock or something, the rhizome can, and will ROT under the gravel.

the Cryptocoryne retrospiralis on the right will be ok, but I'm not too sure about what the plant on the left is.. some sort of Vallisneria or Sagitaria. if so, it may need more light.. Not sure.

Stick to anubias, crypts, java fern, java moss, amazon swords, stuff like that and u _should_ be fine, except you need to feed them with ferts every water change. (1ce a week)


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## jodi_24 (Jul 3, 2005)

what time best kind of plants to use in a aquaerium with red bellys? and where do i find then , and how do u take care of them ?


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