Growing Live Plants in African Tanks?

[328iGuy]

Hey

Just wondering how hard it is to grow live plants?

I am currently running 55 gallon and 20 gallon african tanks and was considering adding live plants to them.

Do they just grow in the sand/gravel? Are they a lot of work?

Easy to get started growing after buying from LFS?

Thanks

 

[Cichlid-Man]

Moderate i'd say, if you have the right equipment. (lighting, CO2 if needed or wanted.)

It can be difficult to grow live plants in African Cichlid tanks because of the Martha Stuart in them, they like to pull them up and move them around (bad for the roots)

I've seen Java Ferns and Anubias Nana in African tanks. Anyone else?

 

[levia7han]

ya. anything fast growing would work...I have sand and my rusties dont dig all that much at all. So If you can find some africans that dont dig much....

Or I have heard about potting the plants and not putting them into the substrate... But thats is a little detremental to the plant. But some Im sure some would handle it fine

Lev

 

[TaffyFish]

Best chance of success would be anubias nana, java fern or java moss, bolbitus heudelotii (?) - plants which don't root into the substrate but can be grown on the rockwork. Don't use planted bogwood as this will soften your water.
Alternatively some vallis gigantea planted in pots containing laterite and gravel would look great when the pots are plunged into the substrate or hidden behind rockwork.

The further the plant is from a cave the better its chances.

 

[Cichlid-Man]

Just wedge them between rocks (where they can still root), tie them onto rocks, or tie them to driftwood and you should be fine.

Anubias Nana, and Java Ferns are easy growers and don't have to have a lot of light.

 

[levia7han]

and as far as java moss is concerned. I dont think you can kill it. Eat it all ya. But has anyone ever had it die on them


Lev

 

[wayne]

Vallis grows like crazy in african tanks. I used lead weights to keep it down till it had rooted properly.