# new to plants



## Guest (May 19, 2007)

I have no experience with live plants for aquariums. I have lots for out door plants tho if thet makes any difference. I was wondering if there are any easy to grow plants that are native to the amazon. I have roughly 1 wpg. it is a 20 gallon and the light is the one that came with the hood. any help is appricated. thanks,

Andrew


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## Damon (Jan 18, 2005)

Growing terrestrial plants has no bearing on aquatic plants...........
Most S.A. plants require more light than 1wpg.
I would double your lighting if you want to grow even the most basic S.A. plants.


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## MyraVan (Jan 19, 2005)

Amazon plants to me means Echinodorous species, and yes I agree with Damon that doubling your light would be a good start. Also, they are heavy root feeders, so unless you've got your ferts just right you'll need a better substrate than plain gravel or sand. Damon says that if you have a really good fertilizing regimen the plants will absorb all they need from the water, and since he's spent so much time studying aquatic plants I trust his advice. However, if you have a nutritious substrate (I use soil under my gravel to provide nutrient) you won't need ferts at all to grow them.


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## Damon (Jan 18, 2005)

A nutrient rich substrate is always a bonus. Don't get me wrong. Just remember when the nutrients in the substrate run out, where else does the plant feed? A good substrate with a high CEC will draw in nutrients from the water column to a point of saturation and equilibrium and release them when the column is low.


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## Anonymous (Jan 15, 2005)

What is CEC???


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## Pareeeee (Jan 22, 2005)

Aren't Vallisneria gigantea from the amazon also? I'm sure I've seen nature shows about the Amazon and there's Giant val growing in the water. (those are kool shows, seeing aquarium fish in their actual habitat)

BUT....in a 20 gallon you may not want Giant Val, depends on how often you cut back your plants....I've had five foot leaves on Giant Vals before...


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## Damon (Jan 18, 2005)

Vals are widely distributed all over the globe. I'm not sure where they originated.
CEC is Cation Exchange Capacity. In short the ability of a substance to absorb surrounding elements and ions to saturation and release them to maintain equilibrium in the surrounding area. (Draw excess nutrients in and release them when the water column is depleted of them). Similar to ion exchange.


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## Pareeeee (Jan 22, 2005)

Yes, but I was talking about a specific variety, Vallisneria gigantea. I thought they were from SA. Not 100% on that...


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## Damon (Jan 18, 2005)

Austraila................


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## thebrick (Dec 20, 2006)

what is an example of good substrate? 

like brand wise? I want sand in particular will this be ok?


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## Pareeeee (Jan 22, 2005)

here's an article on substrate, thebrick. http://animal-world.com/encyclo/fresh/plants/PlantSubstrates.htm


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## Pareeeee (Jan 22, 2005)

AH - not South America. Guess I was wrong.

Damon, every website I go to says that Vallisneria gigantea is from Asia and the Phillipines...
here's one:
http://fish.mongabay.com/plants/Vallisneria_gigantea.htm


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## Damon (Jan 18, 2005)

No, thats the range of where its located. Not its origins.
http://www.hear.org/gcw/html/autogend/species/19886.HTM


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