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20g Long need help with plants that will grow in silica sand

Discussion in 'Aquatic Plants & Planted Tanks' started by FiReR@T, Jul 8, 2008.

  1. FiReR@T

    FiReR@T Thread Starter New Member

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    plant newbie!
    Ok, I know nothing about live plants! I have a 20 long that has been my fry tank, that is about to become empty! I was thinking of doing a planted tank.
    I have silica sand in it, what plants are easy to grow and what will grow in silica? And I'll will also need to think what kind of fish im going to put in there.
     
    FiReR@T, Jul 8, 2008
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  2. Anthony

    Anthony Active Member

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    What type of lighting do you have for the tank ?
     
    Anthony, Jul 9, 2008
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  3. eeyipes

    eeyipes New Member

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    Some low tech, low light plants I'm trying are java fern, peacock moss, anubias barteri, anubias nana, aponogeton bulbs, and guppy grass (najas guadalupensis). I dose Flourish Excel every other day and Flourish once a week. Plants are doing well, although growing slowly. I only spent about $30 to upgrade the standard hood lighting to a pair of t5's. These are easy plants to start with that ship well if you can't get them locally. Just grown in gravel or attached to rocks.

    Congrats on the 220 gallon, will you plant that as well? I'd love to see a photo diary on that one!
     
    eeyipes, Jul 9, 2008
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  4. FiReR@T

    FiReR@T Thread Starter New Member

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    No the 220 will be for my Kapampa Fronts. I have just regular flourescent lighting with a plant bulb in it for my 20 long. I was thinking of doing something easy till I get the hang of it. I just wasn't sure what to get or what would grow in silica sand.
     
    FiReR@T, Jul 10, 2008
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  5. Anthony

    Anthony Active Member

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    Java Moss and Java Fern will be fine. The moss doesn't actually grow in the sand but you can anchor it any way you like. The Java Fern won't mind the sand, they don't need to be in substrate to grow.
     
    Anthony, Jul 10, 2008
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  6. eeyipes

    eeyipes New Member

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    Just be careful of rhizome plants like the anubias and java fern if you plant them in the substrate - the rhizome has to stay on top and not be covered or it will rot - just dig in the loose roots - it's just like planting iris bulbs in the garden, if you've ever done that.
     
    eeyipes, Jul 10, 2008
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  7. FiReR@T

    FiReR@T Thread Starter New Member

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    Wow! ok you guys lost me lol! so I can get some moss and fern, where would I get these plants? I haven't really seen any LFS selling them?
     
    FiReR@T, Jul 10, 2008
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  8. Anthony

    Anthony Active Member

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    If you can't find them at the LFS try Aquabid. I don't have my tanks down here yet so I can't help :confused:
     
    Anthony, Jul 10, 2008
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  9. eeyipes

    eeyipes New Member

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    My peacock moss is doing very well right now, in a week or two I might have some extras to share. When I do I'll post it on the trading board.
     
    eeyipes, Jul 10, 2008
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  10. noshow discus

    noshow discus New Member

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    believe it or not Ebay does have a good selection on plants for the aquarium....id just soak em in a quick cure for 30 mins before i'd put em in any of my tanks....i dont need any more snails :x
     
    noshow discus, Jul 10, 2008
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  11. YellowCichlid

    YellowCichlid New Member

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    Yep ebay surpriningly has a lot of fish/plants.
     
    YellowCichlid, Jul 12, 2008
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