monkeytreey

so i want to add some plants to a tank that i have the prob is that i have an inert substrate. so i don't want to go out buy plants and then just kill them so what kind of ferts can i use to grow a few Anubis nana, and maybe another plant. would root tabs work, in my other tank i use API leaf zone would that work. thanks
p.s. i have a 10g with some neon tetras and for now fake plants

huaidan

Hornwort (ceratophyllum), java fern, and elodea come to mind. While generally not recommended, I've never had a problem rooting sword plants into gravel and they've always done very well. Java fern's supposed to go on wood or stone, but I placed some of mine onto the gravel and it's rooted in after a couple of weeks and starting to creep along the gravel surface.Just don't bury it, its roots should be exposed to the open water.

In fact, call me a renegade, but I think it must be possible to grow just about any aquatic plant in gravel. Considering hydroponics depends on growing terrestrial plants in inert media and weak fertilizer, then the same should be feasible for aquatic plants. Consider something I've just read about, portable farming, which utilizes fish waste as the sole means for sustaining a hydroponics system.

Then again, you didn't mention anything about fish. If you have no fish, in particular dirty fish, then never mind what I say because my experience depends on their presence.

ddavila06

when i was first starting i had some crypt wendtii green and some anubias and they always did great for me with a root tab in beetween the leaves. i also had red ludwigias (ludwigia rapens) and was a pretty fast grower! if you can, you could do the 10 gallon with eco complete and give it a try and see if you like it...the 10 gl is small enough that you only probably just need one bag. and try some heavier root feeders..have fun

Gibby

I have only gravel in my tank. As long as you put in enough root tabs and fertilize correctly you will have no problems. Oh and don't clean up too much mulm (fish poop).

I've got 3 echinodorus bleheri, water wisteria and valissineria which are all performing well. So well that one sword has got a flower spike and I'm about to harvest another set of plantlets from it.

monkeytreey

thanks for the replys

tiffc

I just have gravel and am growing various java ferns, anubias, Naja, java moss, Egeria Densa (anacharis). I'm thinking about trying Vals too. I dose liquid ferts once a week.

You'll enjoy having a planted tank! Everything just looks lush with live plants!