Tell me what I should do for optimal plant growth AND shrimp safety!

[Sssnakemom31]

I have a new set-up - it's about 5.5 gallons, with Estes sand as the substrate, and distilled water in the tank. The light is a 10K Coralife Mini-Aqualight, 9w, and the depth of the tank is about 10". I have various shrimp in it, including CRS.


I have never done anything with a planted tank before, really ... just had a few plants in a guppy tank as a kid, but they died off, and I'd get more. Please tell me if I need to do something to make them grow and thrive, within the perameters of my small system.

Thanks for the help!!
Kathy

[Jacks0nxD]

I always have some Vallisneria in my aquarium, grows very hard and doesn't require much (here it doesn't, 18W TL and 24°C water, nothing special)

And yesterday I've ordered some new plants, maybe there's something you like:
*Vallisneria asiatica (http://www.google.com/images?um=1&hl=nl&tbs=isch%3A1&sa=1&q=Vallisneria%20asiatica&biw=1584&bih=778)
*Pogostemon Helferi (http://www.google.com/images?um=1&hl=nl&biw=1584&bih=778&tbs=isch%3A1&sa=1&q=Pogostemon+Helferi&aq=f&aqi=g1&aql=&oq=&gs_rfai=)
*Cryptocoryne nevilii (http://www.google.com/images?um=1&hl=nl&biw=1584&bih=778&tbs=isch%3A1&sa=1&q=Cryptocoryne+nevilii&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&oq=&gs_rfai=)
*Micranthemum micranthemoides (Hemianthus micranthemoides) (http://www.google.com/images?um=1&hl=nl&biw=1584&bih=778&tbs=isch%3A1&sa=1&q=Micranthemum+micranthemoides&aq=f&aqi=g1&aql=&oq=&gs_rfai=)
*Lilaeopsis Novea-Zealandiae (http://www.google.com/images?um=1&hl=nl&biw=1584&bih=778&tbs=isch%3A1&sa=1&q=Lilaeopsis+Novea-Zealandiae&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&oq=&gs_rfai=)
*Vesicularia dubyana (http://www.google.com/images?um=1&hl=nl&biw=1584&bih=778&tbs=isch%3A1&sa=1&q=Vesicularia+dubyana&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&oq=&gs_rfai=)
All Google Images links ;)

[Robert]

Hi,
your light source is not the best choice for good plant growth. A light color between 5000K and 7000K would be much better. Your plants need also a source of carbon, e.g. carbon dioxide (CO2) and some nutrients. For slow growing plants like small Cryptocoryne species, Anubias barteri var. nana, Pogostemon helferi, some small Valisneria species, mosses, liverworts etc. you don't need extra CO2. But extra fertilizer will be necessary, especially if you use distilled water. Get a special liquid fertilizer for water plants (free of nitrogen and potassium) and dose half of the recommended amount every other week. That should be enough and normally it doesn't harm your shrimps and snails at all.

BTW, you chose the larges variety of the javafern. This one becomes too huge for your tank. Get the Microsorum sp. 'needle leaf' which stays much smaller and would look better. The 'Windelov' variety is also quite pretty and very hardy. Expect that the other plants, except for the moss, won't last that long. They are not the best choice for your equipment. With the above mentioned plants you would probably have more success.

Best regards,
Robert

[Sssnakemom31]

Robert, you mean the plants you mentioned not needing extra CO2 would be good choices (I would like to keep the light I have, so I need plants that would work with this light) for me with just a bit of fertilization? I am new to plant types by name ... is there a resource you can reccomend that has photos with the names?