# Advice for Choosing Background Plant?



## Sherri W (May 8, 2006)

I’m looking for a plant to fill in the back corner of my low light/low tech tank. I’ve done some shopping around online sites. It seems that cryptocoryne spiralis and balansae seem to be the most common tall crypts for the background. I am having a hard time making a choice. I can’t really tell much from the descriptions and the few pictures I’ve found look pretty similar. Can anyone help with more info on the size, color and growth pattern of these two? Any other crypts you’d recommend?

The tank is a 20g “high” with 2.25 wpg and no C02. I do dose Excel daily. Thanks in advance for any advice.


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## Xema (Mar 24, 2004)

C. spiralis seems a nice choice, it´s rather easy to grow without CO2.










See you


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## Sherri W (May 8, 2006)

Thanks so much for including the picture. It think that is by far the best picture I've seen.


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## Kai Witte (Jan 30, 2006)

Hi Sherri,

How many inches of water above the soil do we speak of? What pH and other water parameters?

Some cordata (the northern forms often sold as blassii or siamensis) may also fit your bill and tolerate less light (usually far less available in the corners compared to the tank's average) than the crypts you're thinking of. There are also pretty tall affinis which can grow with candle light... 

A smaller (i.e. non-giant) usteriana would have broader bullated leaves while crispatula var. flaccidifolia has very narrow leaves. Both have similar light requirements as spiralis and crispatula var. balansae.


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## Sherri W (May 8, 2006)

Thanks for the suggestions.

In the back, there are about 13.5 inches from the top of the substrate to the water line. The ph stays between 6.9 and 7.0.


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## Kai Witte (Jan 30, 2006)

> In the back, there are about 13.5 inches from the top of the substrate to the water line.


That's not that much - do you want the leaves to (partially) float along the surface? You'll likely see more of the leaves when using more medium-sized crypts like some cordata, affinis, pontederiifolia, and hudoroi.



> The ph stays between 6.9 and 7.0.


Well, no need to control it that tightly... 

The widely available cordata strains easily tolerate slightly alkaline conditions and all the other suggested crypts even prefer this.


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