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Live Freshwater Aquatic Plants

PostPosted: Mon Feb 04, 2008 8:50 pm
by jtjordan
What do i need to setup ^^^^^^^^^^?? All I have are medium-sized rocks at the bottom of my tank. :?:

PostPosted: Mon Feb 04, 2008 10:25 pm
by flyjawn
depends on your lighting, what plants you're planning on and if you're planning on putting them in a tank with a turtle. (cuz he'll destroy them!)

PostPosted: Mon Feb 04, 2008 10:32 pm
by jtjordan
what is the easiest plant

PostPosted: Mon Feb 04, 2008 10:37 pm
by megcornell
If you would like to keep plants long term your best bet is to have a separate plant growing tank. Then you can just cut shoots off of the rooted plants to feed to your turtle.
I don't think there is a very successful method for keeping plants in with turtles. They will eat them.

PostPosted: Mon Feb 04, 2008 11:15 pm
by FLhaven4strays
What meg said ^^ They'll be eaten / destroyed sooner or later. Just plan on replacing whatever you put in there.

Personally I prefer floating plants - anacharis, water hyacinth, water lettuce. They're easier to maintain, turts love to eat them and easier to scoop out when they need replaced. They grow great outside, so I just scoop more from my pond when I need to switch 'em out.

PostPosted: Mon Feb 04, 2008 11:47 pm
by jtjordan
do they need anything like correct temp -or- lol "SPECIAL WATER"

PostPosted: Tue Feb 05, 2008 1:46 am
by Chrisbarnett
nope, They just need gravel or rocks so that the roots can take hold and grow. cut off bottom stalks will grow roots if given the opportunity.

I set up a 2 gallon hexagonal tank with some earth colored gravel in it with a few bunches of anacharis in it. Anacharis is said to be the easiest plant to keep and grow.

They like Tapwater(aka hard water) and heat is not necessary. Put the tank where it can get some sunlight during the day or possibly set it up with a UVA/UVB bulb to mimic the sunlight.

PostPosted: Tue Feb 05, 2008 1:54 am
by jtjordan
Thanks man I'll try it if I have time

PostPosted: Tue Feb 05, 2008 12:16 pm
by marisa
I think anachris is the easiest plant to put in a tank, followed by duckweed. Neither needs any real special care.

PostPosted: Tue Feb 05, 2008 3:34 pm
by Sally's Mom
Just a question on duckweed. Do you folks on this forum use it? Will it kill the filter if the intake is left uncovered? I tried putting pantyhose on the intake screen but the filter spurted and got wierd. I had purchased a large amount of it several weeks ago but when the pantyhose idea didn't work, I just let it hang out in my anacharis tank. I'd love to know if others use it and consider it okay for the filter or if it's mostly considered a pesky plant.

PostPosted: Tue Feb 05, 2008 9:46 pm
by Terryo
I only use it in the outdoor pond. Never in a tank. They turts love it though.

PostPosted: Wed Feb 06, 2008 2:48 pm
by marisa
I use it both outdoors and indoors (I have some that I saved from last summer in a stock tank). For me, it doesn't like bright direct sun and doesn't last that long outside. Inside, it stays quite nicely, and disappears only when it's eaten. Since it floats, I've never had a problem with it getting in the filter intake. It does move with the current, however, and what isn't eaten eventually collects under the corkbark (basking area) and occasionally has to be moved out from under it. Duckweed is one of the more nutritious aquatic plants in terms of calcium/phosphorus ratio.

PostPosted: Wed Feb 06, 2008 2:51 pm
by Sally's Mom
Thanks; I'm going to give it a shot...as it does indeed float! Never looked at it that way.

PostPosted: Wed Feb 06, 2008 7:43 pm
by flyjawn
i have a fish tank that i grow plants in - it's harder than it seems to keep them all healthy. i had too much light/not enough CO2 and now i've got low lighting which means not alot of growth.

but i still manage to have enough to feed the turtle. i have a spare 15Gallon tank that i might try to use specifically for growing... if the tank gets sunlight though, you'll end up with an algae problem no?