how to have a healthy low light tank?

[GodFan]

Ok so I want to have a low light set up. I dont want to dose ferts (other than seachem flourish) or use co2. So is it necessary to have like caribsea ecocomplete substrate? I have Pool Filter Sand that I love. Here are some of the plants I was thinking.
Anubias barteri var nana
Anubias barteri
Java Fern
Cryptocoryne wendtii brown
Vallisneria spiralis
Hygrophilia corymbosa angustifolia
and cobamba
Thoughts? Thanks and God bless!

 

[bruinsbro1997]

It's not that low light tanks aren't healthy. It's just that for plants that are low light with a low light setup just grow slower.

I think the crypts will definitely benefit from some root tabs.

 

[GodFan]

So pool filter sand is ok? I dont want to change to ecocomplete but if I have to I will....

 

[bruinsbro1997]

So pool filter sand is ok? I dont want to change to ecocomplete but if I have to I will....

It should be fine with sand. If you want Eco-Complete you can add Eco-Complete and then put a layer of sand over it so that it's enough to seep through the cracks in the Eco-Complete but also enough so that there's another layer of sand.

 

[GodFan]

So is ecocomplete needed? I am happy with just sand....

 

[Mumma.of.two]

So is ecocomplete needed? I am happy with just sand....

No you do not need it. Root tabs under the heavy root feeders and your good to go!

 

[Convict2161]

No you do not need it. Root tabs under the heavy root feeders and your good to go!

Root tabs, for the win!!

 

[fort384]

Good advice so far. PFS will be fine for most plants.

Don't get me wrong, I love nutrient rich substrate for difficult and compact growers. But for example, this tank of mine had plain old aquarium gravel as substrate, no root tabs, and some minimal flourish supplementation and plants grew wonderfully:

What species of cabomba were you looking at? That is the only plant on your list that might be suspect for a low light/low tech setup. It can be finicky, depending on the species.

 

[GodFan]

Thanks all! Im not sure what kind it is.... It is so far giving me fits lol It finally started growing in my brothers tank but is still slow in mine. It is green.... Does that help?
Can you tell me more about your setup?

 

[fort384]

Well, this does not qualify as a low light setup -- there was 96W of T5HO over it (29gal) lol so it would be VERY high light and CO2 injection. But I just wanted to point out that plain 'ol substrate works fine, even for higher light plants. When you start getting into compact growers and more difficult plants, then nutrient rich substrate is a wonderful thing. But for probably 90% of the common species out there, it just isn't a requirement.

LOL green doesn't help much... most cabomba is green. If it is giving you fits, my first guess would be the low light is the culprit. You might consider axing if it continues to go down hill. Everything else on your list ought to do fine if you a providing decent low light.

 

[mfdrookie516]

Substrate, IMHO, isn't a huge deal. While some substrates can have benefits in high tech setups, low light tanks don't need anything special. As fort pointed out, high light tanks do well with regular old substrate as well. This was my 40b before I ditched the 'jungle' look and went with a dark substrate... just plain ole PFS

 

[gabysapha]

Substrate, IMHO, isn't a huge deal. While some substrates can have benefits in high tech setups, low light tanks don't need anything special. As fort pointed out, high light tanks do well with regular old substrate as well. This was my 40b before I ditched the 'jungle' look and went with a dark substrate... just plain ole PFS

Beautiful tank!!!

Substrate, IMHO, isn't a huge deal. While some substrates can have benefits in high tech setups, low light tanks don't need anything special. As fort pointed out, high light tanks do well with regular old substrate as well. This was my 40b before I ditched the 'jungle' look and went with a dark substrate... just plain ole PFS

I'll be following along as I also have very low light/low tech tanks. 4 of them actually. 2 have ecocomplete, 2 have cheap gravel. Plants grow fine in both! Although I do think plants grow a little bitter in the eco-complete, or at least they root better. But it's not necessary or anything.

Your plant list is exactly what I have! Minus the anubias (a little past my price range). I also really like to use hornwort to fill in gaps, as it grows like no other and it's nice to see something grow quickly for a change.

Oh and i recommend you try jungle vals. They are so big and beautiful. And they grow very well in low light.

I will say my cabomba grows very long internodes, and it doesn't look too pretty. But they are in very low light areas, so it's understandable that they look that way. I wish it would stay nice and compact like it does in the store!

 

[GodFan]

Thanks all! The cabomba is doing great in my brothers tank (5 gallon with a 10 watt coralife 50/50 bulb on it. Is that low light?)
mfdrookie can you tell me about your setup? What is the pointy lookin plant in the back right corner?
Thanks gaby! Im getting my ideas up and I think it is going to look good! Its only a 20 tall though so I cant use anything HUGE lol I want something to be pretty thick like a forest for the fish to poke in and out of. I also want at least one grass looking plant. And the pointy plant in rookies pic!

 

[meegosh]

I believe you are talking about the Eichhornia diversifolia. I feel that it is a higher light plant. I actually sold most of mine to Jonathan as I wasn't having much luck with it. It did quite well in his tanks though, as you can tell.

With lower light you will most likely have the lower leaves die off as the leaves on top block the light.

 

[GodFan]

I believe you are talking about the Eichhornia diversifolia. I feel that it is a higher light plant. I actually sold most of mine to Jonathan as I wasn't having much luck with it. It did quite well in his tanks though, as you can tell.

With lower light you will most likely have the lower leaves die off as the leaves on top block the light.

On the cabomba or the pointy plant? lol

 

[GodFan]

Is your tank low light rookie?

 

[ashleynicole]

I think your plant choice will do well. The only thing I mouth reccomend is dosing excel a few times a week. I started using it and it really helps cut back on algae issues. My tanks are all low tech planted, I used root tabs once, dose excel and flourish by seachem.

I have dwarf saggitarria, anubias, java fern, wisteria, and crypts.

 

[GodFan]

Thanks! What is excel btw?
Can someone answer this thread for me? http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f24/replacement-bulb-182494.html

 

[ashleynicole]

Excel is a liquid carbon supplement made by seachem as well. Seachem flourish and seachem Excel. I never used Excel till recently and I really like it.

 

[akagochi]

Wow that planted tank is fantastic! I run CO2 and have inserted root tabs but my plants aren't growing like that. how much time has lapsed for your plants to get that size?