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New Member
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 12/31/2011 11:26:13 PM
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I have a ten gallon with 2 guppies. I have 1.5 wpg. My substrate is ornamental gravel about 1.5 icnhes deep. Temp is low 80s. I've had my eyes on some small, low light foreground plants like small anubias's or petite nanas. Would these be widely available? Do I need to change my substrate? I've heard Petsmart has flourite substrates. Don't know about my lfs. Any nutrients? I'm completely new at this, so I need all the info I can get. Oh, my water parameters are: GH:180, KH:240, PH-8.0, NO2-0, NO3-about 80. I also want plants to reduce my nitrates. I'm doing 50% water changes every 2-3 days to reduce this level. My tap water is really hard. Any info would be great!!!! Thanks!!!!!!
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Fish Moderator
Group: Moderators
Last Login: Today @ 5:43:59 PM
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You won't have to change your substrate for anything in the Anubias genus. They all like to attach to things with their roots, keeping the rhizome out in the water. I have some attached to both driftwood and craft mesh and have kept them with the roots buried in regular gravel too. As long as the rhizome is not buried, they really don't care. They are also tough and don't need anything extra in terms of light or water - your setup would be perfect. They do, however, grow rather slowly, so they won't make as much of a dent in your nitrates as you'd like, unless you absolutely stuff the tank with them.
Something you can add though, is hornwort - it grows fast, also doesn't need anything you dont' already have in your tank and doesn't really have roots, although it will lodge itself in your gravel if you put it there. You'll have to be careful with it in that temperature - some people grow it just fine, I've never been able to get it to grow in my tanks past about 72*. Anacharis would work well too.
I recommend working with easy plants that don't need you to change anything in your tank as a first foray into planted tanks. You get some firsthand experience while you're learning, and you can always grow the same plants if you decide to upgrade to fertilizers or a different substrate - they'll just grow faster.
55 gallon
Little Bean - lionhead
Baby - lionhead/ryukin cross
Westie - lionhead/ryukin cross
Speedy Rodriguez - oranda
planted 29 gallon
6 red eye tetras
6 cherry barbs
2 cardinal tetras
4 neon tetras
8 albino cories
3 male guppies
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New Member
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 12/31/2011 11:26:13 PM
Posts: 33,
Visits: 34
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| Thanks a lot! I'll be sure to look at my lfs and online.
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