Recommendations

[lilacamy931]

Hello
I've had a look through the stickies but could do with some recommendations.

Based in UK - will be going planted at least in the background - preferable on the low/easy spectrum.

LEDs weren't a thing or widely distributed when kept fish last time and thinking they would be good and easy to maintain. Any specific brands or places to buy to fit a 4-5ft tank?

PLanning going playsand or black sand subtrate with fertiliser sticks and dosing water. Would like tall long plants along the back wall and thinking moss java balls at the front. Seen rustic ancient statues such as buddhas etc to have as some decoration mid ground.

 

[BIG-G]

I would recommend that you don't start out adding fertilizers and dosing the water. If you add too many nutrients too soon you can have the perfect recipe for all kinds of algae.
If you use low light and easy to grow plants like java fern or anubias there should be no need to dose anyway.

 

[lilacamy931]

BIG-G - oh lovely without would be best for certain. Preferably wishing to go for plants in the substrate then needing to be attached to wood or ornaments so will have to look around

 

[BIG-G]

lilacamy931 What sorts of plants did you have in mind?
Swords, crypts,? both of those could need root fertilizers.

 

[lilacamy931]

Swords were tempting me but was thinking straight vallis as main background plant?

Have seen some pre-attached java ferns for foreground

 

[Cichlas]

These are a couple of decent sites for plants. You can browse by placement, difficulty etc.

https://www.aquaessentials.co.uk/aquarium-plants-c-255.html

https://java-plants.com/

 

[Mighty Wizard]

If you're just starting out with plants, I'd recommend any of the "stem plants" usually considered weeds. Cabomba is a personal favourite of mine. They're beautiful, almost impossible to kill, and grows like hell in the right conditions. They're great as a "base" while the tank matures. The Java Ferns mentioned are also a seriously safe bet. They will tolerate almost anything you throw at them, although they grow slow. Anubias are also great, but they will sometimes melt and die if introduced to an immature setup. Best bet would be to add Anubias a couple of weeks after introducing the other plants. Pretty much all species of Crypt are also easy to care for and look great. Most crypts will even develop nice reddish colours on the stems and undersides of leaves, in moderate to high light, adding a nice contrast to all the green.

 

[lilacamy931]

Mighty Wizard thank you so much for the recommendations really appreciated