reynes Posted February 7, 2011 Report Share Posted February 7, 2011 Hey everyone, I am looking for some info in regards to getting a planted tank set up, I have a 55 gal with 80 watts of light, a CO2 set up and substrat. Can anyone give me some pointer on great starter plants, low and high light, do's and don'ts that you have experienced, Any and ALL information would be greatly appreciated. As well any one selling plants or recommendation of where to get these plants from in Edmonton. Thanks again for all your input :-) CHEERS! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jvision Posted February 7, 2011 Report Share Posted February 7, 2011 Keep an eye on the Buy/Sell forum for good deals on plants. There's some great reads in the planted forum on plant-care, or just ask specific questions there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rayfong Posted February 7, 2011 Report Share Posted February 7, 2011 The Aquarium Club auction is also a great place to pick up plants. Out next auction will be on March 20th. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reynes Posted February 8, 2011 Author Report Share Posted February 8, 2011 Yup, am patiently waiting for the auction, what are some easy growing, low maintenance plants to buy?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BettaFishMommy Posted February 8, 2011 Report Share Posted February 8, 2011 java fern, anubias, cryptocoryne (spelling? lol), vallisneria, amazon swords, onion plant, crinums..... those are just a few off the top of my head that are doing well in my very low tech, low light (40 watts T8 over 55 gallons) tank. and you gotta have balls! marimo that is, lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reynes Posted February 8, 2011 Author Report Share Posted February 8, 2011 What are the "Marima Balls" for, where do they go, where does one get them from?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heff Posted February 8, 2011 Report Share Posted February 8, 2011 (edited) Marimo moss balls are a type of algae that grows in the shape of a ball. PJs has them from time to time at $10 a ball or so. Some people have talked about the cladophora algae spreading to their tank (I'm not sure if they are in fact cladophora, but I do know they're algae), but I haven't seen any spreading in my tank. They do best where there is some current to toss them around so light gets to all sides. You can also shake them out from time to time when doing water changes to remove any detritus that may accumulate on top of it. I've had one for a couple months now and it's a fantastic centre piece in my 10 gallon. Relatively low light (1.4wpg), diy CO2 and it seems happy enough. They grow slowly: ~1cm a year I've been told. Edited February 8, 2011 by heff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reynes Posted February 8, 2011 Author Report Share Posted February 8, 2011 Thanks, thats awesome info, I will keep my eye open for that!! :-) Do you have a recomended substrat that is best to use, or are they all the same?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BettaFishMommy Posted February 8, 2011 Report Share Posted February 8, 2011 (edited) yep, marimos are algae. they are not clado though. excerpt from wikipedia: They were first discovered in the 1820s by Dr. Anton E. Sauter in Lake Zeller, Austria. The genus Aegagropila was established by Kützing (1843) with A. linnaei as the type species based on its formation of spherical aggregations, but all the Aegagropila species were transferred to subgenus Aegagropila of genus Cladophora later by the same author (Kützing 1849). Subsequently, A. linnaei has been accommodated in the genus Cladophora in the Cladophorales and has been renamed Cladophora aegagropila (L.) Rabenhorst and Cl. sauteri (Nees ex Kütz.) Kütz. Extensive DNA research in 2002 returned the name to Aegagropila linnaei. The presence of chitin in the cell walls makes it distinct from the genus Cladophora. i have a few in my planted 55, and one in my planted 2.5. I have read that they help to keep other algaes at bay due to the marimo's ability to use up excess nutrients that would otherwise be available for other algaes, and i do believe that - i have no algae at all in my 55 or 2.5. i've been 'balling' lol, for a couple years now and i've seen mine grow some, but i wouldn't say they've gained much more than half their original size. IMO i'd order them from a reputable plant dealer online or from somebody on here instead of picking them up in a local big box store. you'll get a better price online or here on AA and they will most likely be healthier. substrate is irrelevant with marimo's, since they don't root at all but just sit on top of the substrate. just give them a gentle squeeze when doing a water change to get the detritus out of them. if you notice the underside going brown then turn them a bit. i personally don't turn mine, the current from my filters does that a bit for me. Edited February 8, 2011 by BettaFishMommy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reynes Posted February 8, 2011 Author Report Share Posted February 8, 2011 AWESOME!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gBOYsc2 Posted February 8, 2011 Report Share Posted February 8, 2011 and you gotta have balls! marimo that is, lol. LOL too funny! I would suggest some cryptocorynes, java ferns, mosses, anubias and some swords(particularly echinodorus quadricostatus)these are all fairly easy slow growing low maintenance plants that should do well in most any setup. Oh ya Water sprite too! In my very first planted tank I had a couple swords, cryptocoryne wendtii's, java moss and water sprite in a low light no CO2 setup. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BettaFishMommy Posted February 8, 2011 Report Share Posted February 8, 2011 wisteria is also a great easy plant. forgot i had a sprig or two of that in my 2.5. it grows really well with no co2, sand substrate, and a little bit of Flourish now and then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reynes Posted February 8, 2011 Author Report Share Posted February 8, 2011 Well I am now on a mission to find some of these plants, I am sure they will look great and can't wait to find them and get them in my 55 Gal. Thank you again for all the suggestions!! CHEERS! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.