Scale is everything in aquascaping. A plant that looks perfectly proportioned in a 55-gallon tank will completely overpower a 5-gallon nano cube. Here is a guide to selecting the right plants for your tank size.
The 5-Gallon Nano Tank In tiny spaces, you need tiny leaves. Large plants will make the tank feel cramped.
- Anubias Nana Petite: The smallest variant of Anubias. Its tiny, dark green leaves are perfect for attaching to nano hardscapes.
- Bucephalandra: Slow-growing and compact, providing incredible metallic colors.
- Java Moss: Excellent for creating scale and hiding equipment in small spaces.
The 10-Gallon Tank You have more room to play with verticality here.
- Cryptocoryne wendtii: A fantastic midground plant that will bush out nicely without taking over the entire tank.
- Pearl Weed: Can be used as a carpet or a dense background bush that you can easily trim to size.
- Ludwigia Super Red: Provides a striking vertical splash of color without the massive leaf span of an Amazon Sword.
The 20-Gallon Tank Now you can introduce true background plants and larger centerpiece flora.
- Amazon Sword: A 20-gallon is the minimum size for this plant, as it will grow massive, broad leaves that create great cover.
- Vallisneria: Perfect for creating a tall, flowing curtain of green along the entire back glass.
- Water Sprite: A fast-growing, fern-like plant that will beautifully fill out the midground and background spaces.
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