[RAZmonkey]

I'm looking for some suggestions for more plants. I didn't originally plan on having a bunch of plants, but the more I look at my tank the more bare it seems.

Basic stats:
75 gallon with sump/trickle filtration mag 7 pump
two T8 lights 6500K 12 hour photo period
substrate is mix of Eco-complete and Tahitian moon sand
maxijet 900 powerhead

Current flora:
Cryptocoryne undulata
maybe a Ludwigia (?)
Myriophyllum aquaticum (I think)
Amazon sword plant
probable Mondo grass (non-aquatic)

Current fauna:
15 neon tetras
5 flame tetras
4 rummynose tetras
2 angel fish

Latest test results:
0 ammonia
0 nitrite
5 nitrate
7.2 pH
4 KH
1 phosphate
11 calcium (may be less, I dropped a few at a time)

Last week:

Today:

 

[RAZmonkey]

I was thinking of some type of moss on the rocks on the left. And I definitely need more height in the plants in the back right.

I don't have a fertilizing regime. If I need to use some, then I'm going to want something simple, like add 5mL of this twice a week or something like that. I will not be mixing up a custom routine. I am NOT interested in starting CO2.

Money isn't as much of an issue as time. I can give about an hour once a week to maintenance like trimming and water changes....but daily I can basically just add food.

My local fish stores are chains and I don't like their selections...so I'm going to order the plants online. If you think I need to pull some of the ones I have or rearrange them, let me know. The rocks and fake ship are not moving. It was kind of a pain to get them where they are.

 

[Elliot]

Why aren't you interested in using co2? A nice pressurized is really easy to deal with. I out together my own and I love it. Co2 will also give you a wider range of plants to pick from.

 

[RAZmonkey]

The two main reasons that I don't want to do CO2 are that I don't want to have more to learn about and it gives me a good "stopping point." As in, oh good I can rule that out bc I don't have CO2. Otherwise I can see myself becoming obsessed and going way overboard and "needing" 10 more tanks.

 

[wespastor]

...

Otherwise I can see myself becoming obsessed and going way overboard and "needing" 10 more tanks.

I read this and broke out in laughter almost fell out of my wheelchair.

Dude, if it grows and you don't just want to dispose of what you trim, you're going to need 10 more tanks ... it is an obsession. :icon_wink

MTS ... Multiple Tank Syndrome ... an incurable tank obsession. :icon_wink

Best wishes,
Wes

 

[RAZmonkey]

I hope you didn't hurt yourself!

But if I want to stick with low growth and therefore less trimming, I've decided to stay away from CO2. I may post back in a year saying "must have CO2 - help!". But for now I'm going to make it my arbitrary stopping point.

So if I keep my low lighting and minimal to no fertilization plan, any plant recommendations? Ones that you all just think are neat or would look cool with the rocks?