good beginner background plant

[DazzleDiscus]

I'm pretty new with the plant stuff...
Does anyone know of a good beginner background plant?

I just want something to cover up the background so that it looks good.
I've seen some pictures of tall grass-looking stuff that looks cool, sort of like corkscrew val - but with out the corkscrew look... sorry, I have no clue what it's called!

I have a very low-tech, low-light 30gal setup.
I think the light is 2 watts/gal, no CO2 injection, no fertilization.
The pH stays pretty much nuetral. slightly soft water

[lEddyl]

java fern would be easy

[StanChung]

You'd be looking at vallis nana.

[DazzleDiscus]

I have some java ferns, but they don't grow very high. I'll look into the "vallis nana"

[DazzleDiscus]

um... I've read somewhere that Cabomba is a good space-filler, but the book didn't say how to take care of it. I plan to keep the tank around 75*F.

sorry, I just realized that this thread should be in the Beginner's Corner.

[juggler]

Cabomba is not difficult. But sometimes need to acclimatise to your tank conditions before it thrives.

Hygrophila difformis is also a good background plant. Nice leaf shape. Bushy and easy.

[DazzleDiscus]

Thank you!

[DazzleDiscus]

Hygrophila difformis is also a good background plant. Nice leaf shape. Bushy and easy.

will it do well in low light?

[yeoyl87]

Your 2w/gal is more than enough. I am also having about 2w/gal but i have co2 and nutrients injected. My Hygrophila difformis grows like 10% more in mass per day and in fact it grows so fast that i need to cut it once per week before it start blocking out light to my other plants. Hygrophila difformis is a good beginner plant cause of its low demand and fast growth.

[StanChung]

It's weedy! and will take over the tank!

[DazzleDiscus]

Well, so far I havn't found Hygrophila difformis in the local petstores.
Have any of you had any experience with a plant called Vallisneria spiralis ''Tiger''? I've read that it is easy to grow, but I havn't heard of light requirements... I really like the way it looks.

[ronald_t80]

It's weedy! and will take over the tank!

Totally agreed.....then you have to keep maintaining them by trimming it every week....

[anaconda]

Have you decided you wanted a planted blackground plant or one thats tied on wood?

[Desmond]

Cabomba is not difficult. But sometimes need to acclimatise to your tank conditions before it thrives.

Hygrophila difformis is also a good background plant. Nice leaf shape. Bushy and easy.

I had both in my tank!!! I was changing my scape and decided to do away with the beginner plants. They became fertilizers for my potted plants as i didn't know what to do with it.

[DazzleDiscus]

Have you decided you wanted a planted blackground plant or one thats tied on wood?

I'm thinking just a planted background plant. I like driftwood more in the midground, not so much in the background.

[DazzleDiscus]

what do you know about Vallisneria gigantea or Vallisneria natans? Do you think that they would get too tall? (tank is about 40cm) If so, then I think I'm leaning toward Vallisnera spiralis "tiger"; it doesn't get as tall and would create a nice 'curtain' effect.
I did find some Hygrophila difformis at an out-of-the-way petshop, but as I'm still looking around, I didn't get any.

[AquaObsession]

vallisneria gigantea will get to about 60 cm and more in your tank and will start to cover the top easily, and if your water is too low (due to evaporation) it will start to dry up etc. Go for vallisneria nana, they are thinner, although they can grow to more than 30+ -40+ cm. But it is much thinner than the gigantea species.

[medicineman]

Don't pick vallisneria americana/gigantea if you do not have a tall/big tank or ready for the maintence/effect. These giants can grow up to 7-8 feet long and send out lots of runners if the condition is right, taking over your tank over time (if selling out is what you like, go ahead).


I harvest these out of my tank
The leaves are cut to double newspaper size to accomodate easy handling.

It will just bend over and tangle a mass of leaves at the surface, no matter if your tank is 80cm tall.

[DazzleDiscus]

Wow! ok, that's out of question! Vallisneria nana does seem alot better. Thank you for all your help, and I'll be sure NOT to get any vallisneria americana/gigantea plants!