Live Plants vs Fake Plants

[Phoxly]

I'm running a divided tank right now for my bettas and I just can't seem to win, my scarlet ludwigia are not doing so well, when I bought them they didn't have much rootage, which I thought was weird, and one of my Java fern is trimmed all the way back. I'm wondering if I should just ditch the live plant idea and go for fake plants especially in a simple divided betta tank. (If it was a community tank I'd probably tough it out). I'm trying to go low maintenance but its not working out very well. I just don't know if my betta will enjoy the fake plants like he does the real ones. (Swims in and out of them, sleeps on the java fern).

I was told live plants help keep the toxins in check, and are easier to maintain, but right now I have more plant debri than I do fish debri in my tank. >__<


The divided tank is currently divided into 2 right now, and I am considering dividing into 3. (Only have one betta for the moment.)

[dr2b]

What kind of lighting is in your tank? Also, how many watts is it and what size is the tank? What plant fertilizer are you using and how often? I think if you got some cryptocoryne wendtii you'd do well. It is impossible to kill. They require low light and they are low maintenance. I have a feeling the plants you have are dying due to nutrient deficiencies or lighting issues.

[Phoxly]

Live plants are so complicated o___o I have an 18" 18w florescent light, so thats 1.8wpg.

I have no Co2 tabs, or fertilizer... no one can give me a straight answer on what to do for it at the pet stores, petsmart has never even heard of plant nutrient stuff, petco had some in bottles and they had co2 fizz tabs? There's a million different ways to do it I swear lol.

I have sand substrate. I am adding more sand tonigh cause its barely an inch deep.

[dr2b]

Well I don't think root tabs would do Ludwigia any good. I don't think it's a heavy root feeder as sword species are. Plants need fertilizer to grow. I personally use Nutrafin Plant Gro. I use it once a week. I think that is probably the #1 problem then... lack of nutrients.

[Phoxly]

They didn't have alot of root action going on when I got them, but the petsmart lady said they should be fine in low light conditions. I'll be hitting up petco this afternoon so I'll see what I can find.

Do you think the Ferns and Ludwigias are giving off enough oxygen for ghost shrimp/oto's to live in the tank?

[Arzela]

What color temperature is your light? That may also be a factor. Most plants like the 5000-6700k range. Should be on the side of the tube what it is. (Sunlight, natural daylight, etc...) The two plants you have aren't root feeders, so you should get a liquid fertilizer.

[Phoxly]

See the petsmart girl said all florescent lights were the same, regardless of the wattage to my plants. >__> I asked her what the 1700k, 2700k, 10,000k was and she said she didn't know, but to go with the "flora" light which was the 2700k light. I told her I'd probably get it this week after some research.

I still have the default light that came with my eclipse hood. There is a Flora-Glo 2700k light, a Life-Glo 5600k light, and a Pro-Glo 7000k light, and a Max-Glow 10000k light.

I should get Life-Glo?

[Phoxly]

Also since Ludwigia isn't a root feeder should I not have it in the substrate... made that mistake with my java ferns at first....

[dr2b]

Just because something isn't a root feeder doesn't mean it shouldn't be in the substrate. I personally don't think there is enough nutrients or co2 present in the tank.

[Phoxly]

I bought some Kent Pro Nutrient food for them, I add it 3 times weekly (1tsp) is that enough...?