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plants for low light tank.?

Nick16

Member
Joined
13 Aug 2008
Messages
1,759
Location
Surrey, UK
hi i have a 38l tank (fry tank with some shrimp in) and i have half of it covered in gravel. there is jbl aquabasis on the bottom, a layer of akadama and then black gravel capping it all. it is 10 US gallons and has a 18 ich 15w T8 bulb. the tank is about 25cm deep so light can pierce through. i will post a pic of the tank later when my camera is charged!!!! :lol:

anyway, my question is, what plants can i put in there, that tolerate low light levels. i want to steer away from java moss etc. i have diy co2 and dose a tiny bit of easy carbo daily and TPN. (soon to be TPN+) but i would like something that will make good use of the substrate ferts like a crypt, but it all depends on my lighting i guess. so some help is needed. cheers.
 
There's quite a bit of choice for you, seeing as you inject CO2 aswell.

Anubias
Moss
Crypts
Ferns
Most stems
Most Echinodorus (Amazon Swords)
Hairgrass
Vallis
 
crypts and swords sounds good. any particular crypts? i have a nevelli in my other tank and its great (called something else now)
 
Yeah, I think all Crypts are fine in low light. I've never seen one that isn't. If in doubt, just Google any plants you're unsure of.
 
the pictures. FTS and the gravel section. sorry i didnt clean the glass. :oops:

IMGP4094.jpg


IMGP4093.jpg
 
will i be able to grow Marsilea Crenata Dwarf Four Leaf clover? or any other foreground plant? i have no other way of adding lighting i fear.
 
I don't know about that one - Google it. There are two 'foreground' plants that would be okay for you - Crypt Parva and Eleocharis Parvula. They're not as low as things like Glosso and HC but do stay quite low - enough to be a foreground plant.
 
Nick16 said:
will i be able to grow Marsilea Crenata Dwarf Four Leaf clover? or any other foreground plant? i have no other way of adding lighting i fear.

It should be fine, like Tom say, eleocharis sp might survive, if it grows a little slow, it can be trimme right down to substrate level to give a nice lawn effect
 
for the Eleocharis Parvula, from plants alive, should i get 5 or 25? i dont know how big the clumps are or anything. it needs to fill an area or about 15x8cm
 
thanks for the help. i am going to order
5x E.Parvulus
2x Echinodorus Amazonicus (E.Brevipedicellatus)
1x C.Beketti.

does that sound good?
 
will do, i will try these plants out becuase i am trying to set up a 240l so its nice to try the plants first. i dont know if i will use E.parvulus,marselia crenata or blxya japonica for the foreground once it is set up. im still looking at my options. as much as i would love a carpet i have had endless trouble in the past!
 
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