# low tech plants for newbie



## jeremy66 (Feb 18, 2008)

hey guys im thinking of setting up my first live plant tank. it will be a 40 gal breeder with a single rbp. my question is are there any kinds of plants that i can use that do not require co2 or fertilizers. i just want something that is very low tech but still have the natural look of the live plants. i would prefer to just throw in the plants with possibly a special kind of substrate for the live plants. give me your thoughts on if i can do this and if so what kinds of plants should i be looking at.

thanks guys


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## maknwar (Jul 16, 2007)

crypts, any hygrophilia species, anubias, java fern, java moss would work in a low light tank with out ferts and co2.

http://www.plantgeek.net/plantguide_list.p...amp;filter_by=2


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## superbee (Sep 15, 2008)

maknwar said:


> crypts, any hygrophilia species, anubias, java fern, java moss would work in a low light tank with out ferts and co2.
> 
> http://www.plantgeek.net/plantguide_list.p...amp;filter_by=2


Good info...


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## jeremy66 (Feb 18, 2008)

thanks for the info guys, what kind of substrate should i be looking at or does it matter?
thanks


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## lo4life (Aug 12, 2008)

Gravel if you dont want to dose ferts. Gravel the water can move through. Fertilizers are actually pretty cheap. I have a PMDD (poor mans daily dose) from aquariumfertilizer.com and it works pretty good. I also dose some excel. If you want to go with sand you will need some fertilizer tabs to put by the roots of the plants. Once the sand packs down the roots cant absorb any nutrients. I thought the samething when i was in your shoes about plants. Im gonna go low tech and no ferts. Now i dose ferts daily and have a Co2 setup and soon to be upgrading my lighting. Its addicting in the quest for a nice planted tank. Expecially after looking at some of them on here.


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## jeremy66 (Feb 18, 2008)

so then since i dont want to use ferts then its ok to just use reg gravel? just wantin to make sure before i go buy the stuff and screw myslelf over.


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## lo4life (Aug 12, 2008)

Sweetaquatics.com does not use any ferts at all. They use regular pea gravel I believe. From what they said all of the nutirents that the pea gravel has is what the plants need.


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## Piranha Guru (Nov 24, 2005)

I would get a substrate like EcoComplete or Fluorite if you don't want to dose. Stick with a low light fixture and low light plants like cryptocorynes, java fern, and anubias.


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## lo4life (Aug 12, 2008)

^ that would be your best bet.


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