The Puffer Forum

I need a quick crash course of what I could try to plant in a light brackish tank (SG 1.005).

I would probably be using an AC 50, and the tank, as I am doing in my 20 long, will be dedicated to the health of the fish over the plants (i.e. larger WC and higher filtration than high-tech set-ups).

I thought I read a few months ago java moss and java fern were ok in brackish, along with marimo balls, but I don't quite remember.

What would really be helpful would be a little list of plants that anyone on here has successfully raised in a brackish environment.

This is just an idea at the moment, and I won't be doing it until my F8 and his tankmates inherit the 35ish gallon tank, which will probably have sand b/c of my freshwater sole.

Let me know what you think or if my question is to broad, I'm typing this on my way out the door!

Vallisneria americana does well for me...
water sprite makes an ok floating plant for light BW
Jungle Fern and moss of course work and you may be able to get sagitaria (sp?) to grow as a grassy cover it seems to do ok in aragonite sand in my tank.

good luck YMMV

I have done Val americana (aka Jungle Val) in light BW with good results, but IME it is not at all suitable for a 20-long unless you like the effect of a green cloud at the surface and little below that. It needs a tallwer and bigger tank for me.

Thanks for the help guys.

Ok, so far it's:

Vallisneria americana, water sprite, Jungle Fern & moss.

Sorry if I wasn't clear, I am not going to do this in my 20 long, I was just trying to establish I already have a low-tech 20 long FW planted tank "dedicated to the health of the fish over the plants (i.e. larger WC and higher filtration than high-tech set-ups)." I am going to do frequent waterchanges in this brackish planted 35 gallon and I'm probably not going to mess with CO2 injection either.

I know what you mean about the green cloud, RTR, because in my 20 I do have a couple plants that are like sticks until they hit the surface and then they have leaves right at the top... lol.

I have some other questions: would plants root themselves into a sand substrate? Would sand be a nono, because I know it has to be stirred to prevent anaerobic bacteria pockets and I think the plants would not do well being uprooted regularly for this. Is there some other fine substrate that I could try that my Freshwater Sole could still burrow in?

IME only Java Fern has survived in my tank.