plants that take nutrients from water

[JHudson]

Hi,
Just wondering what plants don't need a rich substrate, but take everything
from the water.

--
Janine Hudson
Sure. Fine. Whatever. -Syzygy
I have. I did. It's done. -Fight the Future
Duct tape is like the Force, it has a dark side and a light side and it
holds the universe together.
I'm completely normal, just the rest of the world is nuts...
There are lies, damn lies and statistics!

[Dunter Powries]

JHudson > wrote in message
news:xrWUb.320$964.284@edtnps84...
> Hi,
> Just wondering what plants don't need a rich substrate, but take
everything
> from the water.

Hornwort (Ceratophyllum submersum) and riccia grass (Riccia flutans) - if
you're looking for floating plants to suck up macro-nutrients (?) under
moderate lighting, either would be terrific. Water sprite (Ceratopterus
thalictroides), although usually rooted, also makes a fine floating plant.

Most true aquatic 'stem' plants, although they will develope complete root
systems, take nutrients readily from the water column. There are hundreds
available commercially.

[JHudson]

I'm just wondering because I want to put a few plants in a tank without
mucking with substrate(it just has plain gravel) As of right now I put a
couple Java Ferns in. I'm trying to get rid of my plastic/silk plants, even
though the one tank they will have to stay because of the habits of the one
resident(crayfish).

--
Janine Hudson
Sure. Fine. Whatever. -Syzygy
I have. I did. It's done. -Fight the Future
Duct tape is like the Force, it has a dark side and a light side and it
holds the universe together.
I'm completely normal, just the rest of the world is nuts...
There are lies, damn lies and statistics!

"Dunter Powries" <fech.redcap@spedlin> wrote in message
...
> JHudson > wrote in message
> news:xrWUb.320$964.284@edtnps84...
> > Hi,
> > Just wondering what plants don't need a rich substrate, but take
> everything
> > from the water.
>
> Hornwort (Ceratophyllum submersum) and riccia grass (Riccia flutans) - if
> you're looking for floating plants to suck up macro-nutrients (?) under
> moderate lighting, either would be terrific. Water sprite (Ceratopterus
> thalictroides), although usually rooted, also makes a fine floating plant.
>
> Most true aquatic 'stem' plants, although they will develope complete root
> systems, take nutrients readily from the water column. There are hundreds
> available commercially.
>
>
>
>

[Dunter Powries]

JHudson > wrote in message
news:ZNyVb.12260$Qa3.2856@edtnps89...
> I'm just wondering because I want to put a few plants in a tank without
> mucking with substrate(it just has plain gravel) As of right now I put a
> couple Java Ferns in. I'm trying to get rid of my plastic/silk plants,
even
> though the one tank they will have to stay because of the habits of the
one
> resident(crayfish).

I've been growing aquarium plants for over thirty years, almost entirely in
plain or coated gravel. The only common plants you might have trouble with
(just because of a gravel substrate) are the cryptocorynes.

The more critical limiting factor you'll encounter in making the move to
live plants will be lighting. Be sure to visit the Krib...
http://www.thekrib.com/Plants/


> "Dunter Powries" <fech.redcap@spedlin> wrote in message
> ...
> > JHudson > wrote in message
> > news:xrWUb.320$964.284@edtnps84...
> > > Hi,
> > > Just wondering what plants don't need a rich substrate, but take
> > everything
> > > from the water.
> >
> > Hornwort (Ceratophyllum submersum) and riccia grass (Riccia flutans) -
if
> > you're looking for floating plants to suck up macro-nutrients (?) under
> > moderate lighting, either would be terrific. Water sprite (Ceratopterus
> > thalictroides), although usually rooted, also makes a fine floating
plant.
> >
> > Most true aquatic 'stem' plants, although they will develope complete
root
> > systems, take nutrients readily from the water column. There are
hundreds
> > available commercially.
> >
> >
> >
> >
>
>

[JHudson]

"Dunter Powries" <fech.redcap@spedlin> wrote in message
...
> JHudson > wrote in message
> news:ZNyVb.12260$Qa3.2856@edtnps89...
> > I'm just wondering because I want to put a few plants in a tank without
> > mucking with substrate(it just has plain gravel) As of right now I put
a
> > couple Java Ferns in. I'm trying to get rid of my plastic/silk plants,
> even
> > though the one tank they will have to stay because of the habits of the
> one
> > resident(crayfish).
>
> I've been growing aquarium plants for over thirty years, almost entirely
in
> plain or coated gravel. The only common plants you might have trouble
with
> (just because of a gravel substrate) are the cryptocorynes.
>
> The more critical limiting factor you'll encounter in making the move to
> live plants will be lighting. Be sure to visit the Krib...
> http://www.thekrib.com/Plants/
>
The 33 gallon tank I have I converted from plastic to real plants, but I did
add flourite to that setup. Its doing really well considering it is a lower
light tank(two 36" flourescent I really don't want to muck with flourite
right now for the Eclipse 6 which I have put a few Java Ferns in. I wish I
could plant real plants in the 20 gallon(crayfish tank), but he stripped off
the leaves of the plastic plants and we had to put silk plants in, he hasn't
wrecked them yet. The Krib is a wonderful site, and I learned a lot there.
Janine Hudson

[Eric Schreiber]

"JHudson" > wrote:

>I'm just wondering because I want to put a few plants in a tank without
>mucking with substrate(it just has plain gravel)

Strictly speaking, you don't *have* to use fancy substrates for a
planted tank. They help, of course, but if you've got a rich load of
mulm in your gravel (and most established tanks do), you should be
able to grow most plants, assuming good lighting levels.

--
www.ericschreiber.com