Plant help

[Zoom]

Hey all,

You have all convinced me to go and get started with aquarium plants, which I dutifully went and purchased this morning. (Along with a pair of Cory catifish's)

I bought something called Ambula and something the LPS called "Long Water Grass". Anyone got any idea what the "technical term" of these plants are so I can see care instuctions?

These plants came in a plastic slotted basket... do I need to take the plants out the baskets and plant them into my substrate, or is it ok to plant them still in their basket?

Ash

[Zafgak]

Hi Ash

Keep them in the basket - If your substrate is nice and thick > 5cm then you can take them out the basket..

If the tall one is a number of long single thin leaves then it could be Vallisneria
(I would check the spelling my knowledge of plant names is not great )

[Zoom]

Thanks Zafgak- that's it!

Found it on Wikipedia... your spelling was perfect too.

What is the care I need to do?

[Zafgak]

Veegal and myself have our "FOOLPROOF" method of caring for the plants -
Chuck them in the substrate - and let the fish poop provide food for them - cut them back when they get too big ......:bigsmile:

Other than that we do bugger all for the plants:p

[Zoom]

Gee wiz... that sounds too easy to be true...

I thought there was so much more to looking after plants than that...

[Zafgak]

There are plant fertilisers you can add to the water - Used them once and it made no difference :blink1:

Some people use C02 injection systems - way too much effort required :rolleyes:

Essentially if your fish are pooping and some food is getting to the bottom of the tank then you have ammonia - This is converted by nitrobacter ( bacteria that gobble ammonia and produce nitrite) - This is converted by nitribacter to produce nitrate !! ( If you look at your lawn and garden plant fertilizer it will be nitrate based ) This nitrate is what the plants chew on and convert to their energy source etc.. and they dont need much.

So - enough fish poop and vrot food and hey presto - good plants..... :bigsmile:

The trick is to let your system settle and create it's own natural balance.

BTW - we still do our weekly siphon, clean and water change. Dont let that poop and vrot stuff ( They call it MULM ) build up.:noworry: