Aquarium Plants and Hard Well Water

[Nicci Lu]

I'd really like to get some plants for my tank- not planning on an NPT, just a few to give my betta guy a nice environment. I've been scoping around to see what sort of plants I should get, but every plant I look at says that it prefers a pH of up to 7.5 and soft, slightly acidic water. My water is a pH of 8.2 and it's hard well water. It's so hard that if I don't put vinegar in my dishwasher, all my dishes come out coated in white film.

Does anyone have any experience growing aquarium plants under these conditions? Are there certain plants that will do better with hard, high pH water? I need super easy to take care of plants because I have the black thumb of death when it comes to plants. I would really like to get some frogbit and java fern- do you think these will be okay with my water conditions?

Also, I have read about QTing plants before adding them to the tank. I believe I read that the chloramine in tap water kills off any pathogens that might be on the plant. Since we have well water, we don't have chloramine. Is there something I should add to the QTed plant's water to get rid of any bad stuff that might have hitched a ride?

[carbonxxkidd]

I think a lot of plants can adapt. Sure, there are some that probably won't, but most of the hardy ones should. I have hard water (between 200-250 mg/L hardness) with a pH of 8.2 and the plants I have in my tanks for the most part seem to be doing well. Plants I have in my tanks: vallisneria spiralis, amazon sword, marimo, banana plant, anacharis, giant hygro, bacopa caroliniana, java fern, hornwort, cabomba, water wisteria. I also have some crypts but they are all melted right now, not sure if they are going to come back or not - they are the only ones that aren't doing well but I've been told that crypt melt is normal.

I am hoping to get some frogbit/duckweed for my tanks soon and from what I've heard both of them are really hardy and will multiply like crazy no matter what the conditions. I say go for it! Buy a variety of plants if you can find good deals on them and see what does well, that's what I did and like I said most of what I bought is growing for me. :)

[Nicci Lu]

Oh good! I was afraid that I'd have to forgo the plants because of my water. I heard that the frogbit multiplies like crazy, though not as bad as duckweed. I figure it should be hard for me kill that! And all the extra I'll have to take out will make good compost for my upcoming experiment in vegetable gardening.

Did you put all those plants in at once, or just a few at a time?

[carbonxxkidd]

I put them all in at once. I knew I wanted to start a heavily planted sorority tank so I just bought a bunch of plants online and as soon as I got them I planted. I just set up a NPT the other day and did the same thing, I bought a few plants at Petco and added a bunch of clippings from my other tank and just put them all in at once. I didn't quarantine anything :X So far so good, lol.