Will plants grow in a low tech temperate tank? (UK, 16C+)

[Surya]

Apologies if this is a daft question! I have had previous tanks with and without injected CO2 and grown a range of plants, but with a heater and the temperature always being 22-25C. I'm thinking of setting up a new tank but keeping it unheated. In my centrally-heated-for-part-of-the-day NW UK living room, this means the water temperature will be 15-16C at the coldest time of the day in winter, up to 18C in Autumn and Spring, and whatever the ambient temperature gets to in summer.

I would be looking to grow the "easy low tech" staples such as java fern, crypts, Echinodorus, limnophila sessiliflora, Brazilian pennywort.

Would this work...?

Not 100% sold on it, so if a heater would be better, I can get one. Just trying to keep running costs low.

 

[G H Nelson]

Hi
I didn't have a heater in this aquarium below till end of November!
You can, but the growth will be slower in some plants and stagnated in others, Red Root Floaters didn't appreciate the lower temperature.

Eclectic Mini Tank!

Hi Folks Set-up a little grow on tank with bits and pieces of equipment I had lying around the house. Inception: 10th March 2023 Tank Size: 30cm x 20cm x 17cm. Tank volume: 10 Litres. Substrate: DOOA Tropical River Soil. Water: RO/Tapwater.....90%/10%. Hardscape: Lignite 5 Small pieces sourced...

www.ukaps.org

 

[Tyko_N]

I'm trying some aquarium plants in my greenhouse pond every now and then; Limnophila sessiliflora and Hygrophila corymbosa handles cool conditions (around 10-15C) well, but can't take prolonged cold. Hydrocotyle leucocephala, Ludwigia palustris, Lobelia cardinalis, Sagittaria subulata, and Eleocharis acicularis on the other hand will be fine down to at least 4C, although they don't grow much at that temperature.

 

[Miniandy]

My scaped jar in the kitchen rarely gets too and never above 17degC at the moment and it's not seeing a lot of growth. It's not dieing, but also not thriving. Temperature is definitely playing a role

 

[Andy Pierce]

I have an ambient temperature low-tech tank and the two really successful ones for me are Alternanthera reineckii ‘Mini’ and Helanthium bolivianum ‘Quadricostatus’. I was super surprised by the AR Mini which is listed as 'medium' difficulty by Tropica where I thought no CO2, super-hard water and ambient temperature would be a three-strikes-you're-out situation, but not the case. That all being said I have this week picked up a small heater and I'm going to give it a go seeing whether there is a difference between UK indoor ambient and 22C. Mostly the extra warmth is for the shrimp, but plants could be affected as well - looking forward to seeing how it goes.

 

[Miniandy]

I have an ambient temperature low-tech tank and the two really successful ones for me are Alternanthera reineckii ‘Mini’ and Helanthium bolivianum ‘Quadricostatus’. I was super surprised by the AR Mini which is listed as 'medium' difficulty by Tropica where I thought no CO2, super-hard water and ambient temperature would be a three-strikes-you're-out situation, but not the case. That all being said I have this week picked up a small heater and I'm going to give it a go seeing whether there is a difference between UK indoor ambient and 22C. Mostly the extra warmth is for the shrimp, but plants could be affected as well - looking forward to seeing how it goes.

I'll be interested in how this goes, I've considered it myself but not taken the plunge

 

[The Miniaturist]

My tiny heaterless tank drops to around 17⁰C at night, creeping up to just under 20⁰C during the day as I work in that room along with the other heated tanks.
I stuffed all kinds of cuttings in the little tank last year & so far nothing has died & I've even had to trim some plants.
Hygrophila polysperma
Heteranthera zosterifolia
Unknown rotala but must be an easy one
Eleocharis acicularis
Nymphoides Taiwan
Didiplis diandra
Marsilea crenata
The marsilea is growing incredibly slowly but is still green & pushing out minute leaves, the plants had a fair few brown roots so weren't the best.
Lighting is a 5 led 1 watt job so hardly more than a candle!

 

[Surya]

Thank you all! Much appreciated.

 

[SteveM]

currently 18.4 in my house,
Rotala, elodea, dwarf sag, tenallum, anubius, crypts, limnophila, azolla, something I found in a ditch.