Low maintenance cold water plants?

[DanMac]

Can anyone recommend any cold water plants that are short-medium sized(not Cabomba for example) that are easy to keep? I only have fine gravel as substrate and a single 24W T5 over my 54 litre tank.

I would consider liquid fertilizer if needed, I'm quite new to all of this and have created a budget iwagumi minus a carpet. I have a few mesh moss pads placed near the rocks to atleast have some plants/contrast but if i added any more they would look a bit random.

I'm looking for something that could go in the background to fill it out a touch.

Please list as many suitable plants as you can think of, Cheers!

 

[gmartins]

Valisneria nana
Mosses
Java ferns
Eleocharis (possibly all of them)
Staurogyne repens
...

Cold water, within a "normal" range is not that important plant wise. I've grown many plants at 14C. They just grow slightly slower. Just pick regular "low-tech" plants.

 

[Steve Smith]

You can get away with Anubias and Java ferns as well. Any reason for cold water?

 

[DanMac]

Cheers guys,erm not really but this is my first proper tank and I have only been into fishkeeping since christmas. oh actually I like the fact that i dont have to pay for my water and can get it straight out of the tap and add conditioner.

Argh your tempting me now!. I have upgraded everything and it's never ending lol.

How simple is it?, I have no idea about non coldwater setups.

 

[Steve Smith]

Tropical setups just require an appropriate heater to maintain the water temp. Your average tropical tank will run at around 25 - 27 degrees centigrade, but this will depend on the fish you keep. If you already have cold water fish (ie white cloud minnows, goldfish etc) then not really worth going down the tropical route unless you re-home them first.

 

[DanMac]

I would probably give them to the pet shop for free if I did make a switch.

I'm guessing you can't just use tap water and stick a heater in there?

 

[Henry]

You most certainly can use regular tap water in tropical setups. When changing water, it's a good idea to try to get the temperature of the new water around the same as the water currently in the tank (dip your finger in, no need to be exact).

The temperature display on most heaters tends to be somewhat inaccurate, so it's a must to buy a thermometer with the heater. The in tank glass type are your best bet, the stick on strips are obsolete.

With regards to plants, you have an enormous scope, even if you stick to cold water. Hermianthus micranthemoides (or Micranthemum micranthemoides) is a good plant to start out with, and tends to grow wild in the presence of any light and nitrate levels. Depending on how often you trim it, it can be used for foreground or background, and anything inbetween. Hygrophila species are always a good bet too (H. polysperma, difformis, corymbosa compacta etc) but I'm not sure these will suit the Iwagumi style. Another ideal species outside of the Iwagumi style is Cryptocoryne; there's a wide variety of these that will grow in your set-up.

 

[DanMac]

Right, I have decided im turning my tank to tropical lol. My dad has a saltwater tank and has to buy his water,for some reason i assumed it was the case with tropical as well.

 

[DanMac]

I have just bought a 100w heater.

What about the placement, Would it be possible to have an outlet pipe at the right back corner,intlet at right front and the heater also on the right side with the thermometer on the left?,

I dont really want a heater across the back or left side of the tank as it would be too visible I feel.