Aquatic Plant for a 5gal

[LadyVictorian]

Alright, I have had tanks, community tanks, betta tanks, all kinds of tanks. However I have never had a live plant in a tank before so I really have no knowledge on them or their care but a friend of mine does have a planted tank, in fact all his tanks have been planted and he says they are very beneficial for the fish and better than plastic and silk plants. SO...what are good beginner plants for a 5.5gal tank? What do you do with plants when you change the water? Leave them in the tank? What is some basic plant care?

[starrlamia]

it all depends on your lighting, good low light easy plants: java fern, java moss, wisteria, cabomba, moneywort, crypt wendtii, marimo moss balls, anubias nana. There are others that Im sure someone will post :)

plant care for a low light plant is fairly easy, what is your substrate? If you dont have dirt or some other substrate that has nutrients (eco complete etc) then you will need to fertilize, rooted plants can use fertilizer tabs you put in the substrate and other plants can use fertilizers from the water column, you basically just add the amount in and voila. Trim dying/dead leaves and stems, provide light and fertilizer and you really dont need to do much else.

[LadyVictorian]

I have aqua rocks or pebbles if you will, fairly large so that the betta does not eat it or accidentally swallow it. I also have an LED light but it has three settings, sort of brightest, dim, and very dim for night time so it just barley glows enough to see shadows in the tank.I actually change the setting as the day goes by so it acts like a real rising and setting sun.

[starrlamia]

whats the model name of the light? not all LEDs will produce the proper wavelengths for plants.

[LadyVictorian]

I'm not sure I will have to dig up the papers. It came with the tank.

[starrlamia]

You will want to check par lux and kelvin rating if it is on there

[Perseusmom]

Floating plants sounds like a good idea for you, Anacharis can float at the bottom or stick just the tip in the gravel. Hornwort to float on the surface of the water is another good one, some people have trouble with the needle shedding so what I did was when I QT if I saved water from my water changes and soaked it on that and put it out on the porch so it could get some sunlight and its in my tank now and growing great. I did the same with my Anacharis and its also doing very well and growing new stems. These were and are my first plants.

I use the light that came from my tank its a 10 watt Fluorescent light .