Who Gives A Fish Forums

I've had a surprisingly good run with a few plants despite my inexperience. I've found hornwort to be pretty hardy, and duckweed's been growing like crazy - maybe a bit too much, to be honest. Zorchzon swords and micro swords have also done well for me, as have corkscrew Vallisneria and various types of Crypts. On the other hand, I've had no luck at all with Elodea, which always seems to struggle in my care.

I've got to warn you though, duckweed can be a bit of a handful - it's like it's taking over or something. Still, I love the way it looks, it's really something. I'm with everyone else on this, my tank's got swords, anubias, and java fern, and I've gotta say, they're all doing great. I've also got anarcharis - I think that's what elodea is, right? Anyway, I'm a big fan of that stuff for some reason. One thing I like about it is how easy it is to propagate - just cut off a few inches from a tall piece and stick it in the substrate, and before you know it, you've got a little forest going on.

Just a huge thank you to everyone who's contributed to this thread, it's been a massive help. With all your advice, this complete newbie has now gone and planted up his tank with Java fern, anubias, Java moss, jungle Val, moneywort and Zorchzon swords - fingers crossed I can keep them alive.

I think the above suggestions are spot on when it comes to hardy plants.
 
However, I'd like to add that water type and hardness/softness can play a significant role in how your plants grow. I've noticed that people with soft water have had success with plants like cabomba and water wisteria, but struggle with vallis plants. On the other hand, I have hard water and my vallis plants are thriving, but I've had trouble growing cabomba and water wisteria.
 
Another thing to consider is the level of nitrates in your tank or tap water. Plants consume nitrates and ammonia, so it's worth keeping an eye on these levels.
 
Adding fertiliser can also make a big difference in keeping your plants healthy and long-lasting.
 
Growing aquatic plants can be more complex than you might think, but with a little knowledge and experience, it can also be relatively simple.