# best foreground plant



## plantdude (Apr 13, 2004)

got a 45 gallon going and would like some suggestions on a foreground plant...no riccia or gloss. been there...done that. want to do something new, although i got a lot of spare clippings... :wink:


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## locus (Dec 7, 2004)

A few that spring to mind:

Echinodorus tennellus (make sure you get the smallest variety)
Marsilea sp. (can work okay with less light than glosso)
Elatine triandra
Hemianthus callitrichoides


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## plantdude (Apr 13, 2004)

there are more than one size of Echinodorus tennellus??? how do we know if it is the smallest version if ordering of the internet??? i seen some of this plant used in Amano's book and was kinda favoring this one. is it a fast grower??? i need something tohelp establish my tank...a little too much algae


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## Raul-7 (Feb 4, 2004)

There are two different species, E. tennellus var. 'micro' and E. tennellus, both get a nice red tint under bright light and their growth is fast and compact. You can get the micro version from Marc at aquatic-store.com, while to combat the algae try adding more C02.

Others that locus didn't mention-
-Eleocharis acicularis 
-Blyxa japonica 
-Hydrocotyle verticellata 
-Ranalisma rostrata, which is a shorter version of E. tennellus 'micro' and doesn't turn red
-Vesicularia dubyana


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## Navarro (Feb 12, 2004)

Plantdude before you decide what plant to use for your foreground I will advise to think about the layout as a whole. What are you planning? are you going heavy on stem plants? Have consider mixing different species to achieve a more natural look?
Aquascaping with foreground plants is not hard if you know what you want.
Please let us know what is the plan!
Luis Navarro


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## plantdude (Apr 13, 2004)

my 45 gallon tank is almost evclusively stem plants. some of the plants i am using

mayaca
crypto costata
potamogeton gayi 
rotalla macranda
bacoppa moneri
green cabomba
rotalla indica
ludwigia repens
red tiger lotus
eusteralis stellata
echinodorus 'rose'
lobelia cardinalis
red cabomba
micranthemum micranthemoides
giant sagittaria
java fern

i want to add a small clump of nesaea crassicaulis when i can find some.

i got a jalli light with 4 55 watt 7100k blubs and a pressurized co2 system with approximately 1 1/2 bubble per second. i never tested the water for its ph or anything. i got around 80 tiny neon tetras in the tank. (i know i should have waited to add fish in later but it was a GOOD deal...couldnt pass it up). 

if you look in amanno's first book, page 88-89 named 'young leaves' that is somewhat the image that im going for. i know that hes using e. tennellus in that set up, but i was wondering if there was other options that would work. i like the look for that tank, but i dont want to just copy something i seen before. i will submit pictures later when i figure how to download it. :? 

thanks to everyone who replied.


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## Raul-7 (Feb 4, 2004)

Plantdude isn't that a lot of plants?! I mean not to mention half of them are red. I know plants are "eye-candy", but you'll achieve a great effect if you chose 7-8 species and use more stems of the same species.

Do you find the 7100K to be too blue?


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## freshreef (May 14, 2004)

blyxa japonica 
hemiantus callitrichoides


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## ShaneSmith (Feb 15, 2004)

I think he is probably talking about the azoo Lights, they can come in 7100k. It is similar to the 6500k. There is an actinic bulb that is called 7100k, but it is a msitake that was never fixed due to the popularity.


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## plantdude (Apr 13, 2004)

i know its a lot of plants but i like the effect it produces. i have a smaller tank with only a few plants in it. to me, having a few smaller groups of different types of plants makes the tank look larger than it really is. if you have a 45 tank with only 5 types of plants, the tank could look like a 10 gallon. with all these plants in my tank, everyone that has seen it questions me that it is a 45 gallon. they always says it looks bigger. i originally wanted a 125 gallon but the size limitations restricted me...so im making my 45 look like a bigger tank.

i realize that i have a lot of red plants but the overall look of the tank is mostly green with a splattering of red to highlight areas. 

the 7100k bulbs that i have produces a very white light, unlike my 6000 and 10,000k bulb that i have in my smaller tank.


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## Navarro (Feb 12, 2004)

I am whit you when it comes to colors but so much can be distracting but if you just happen to like it is after all your tank  .
I am also wondering how much space you have to plant the foreground? If you have plenty of room try the cobra grass Lilaopsis spp. is one that you don't see very often.
Best regards,
Luis Navarro


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## plantdude (Apr 13, 2004)

i have a 3 X 36 inch area for my foreground. ill look up that cobra grass. thanks for all the help everyone


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