low light foreground plants

[Pipedreamer86]

I am looking for ideas for low light plants to put in the foreground of my 150g tank. The issue is the tank is 2 feet deep so the smaller plants really arent going to get a lot of light. Id like something short and bushy, thats what i was picturing anyway.
Thanks!

 

[Link119]

Java moss?

 

[Rivercats]

Crypt Parva works great for that, you can do some Nana Petite which only gets to the size of about a half dollar. I have 5 of them on rocks in the front of my 220g. Mirco sword and Marsilea minuta I believe would work also.

 

[aqua_chem]

To start with, how much light does the tank have?

 

[Pipedreamer86]

Currently only 2 30 watt vita lite t12 bulbs. I plan on upgrading as soon as possible. Most stores dont even carry the bulbs that fit my fixture :-/

 

[Pipedreamer86]

They are 27inch bulbs. The fixtures themselves are 3 ft

 

[aqua_chem]

I think you might have issues getting anything beyond very low light plants to grow under those conditions. Small anubias species and crypt parva are about the only things that come close to your description.

 

[Pipedreamer86]

I thought so. My taller plants are fine (water wisteria and moneywort) is the t12 ballast going to be a hangup? Or do you think i can get appropriate bulbs?

 

[aqua_chem]

It's not so much an issue of the bulbs as it is the power of the fixture itself. You can't get more light out a fixture by buying better bulbs; you have to upgrade the entire fixture.

 

[Pipedreamer86]

It's not so much an issue of the bulbs as it is the power of the fixture itself. You can't get more light out a fixture by buying better bulbs; you have to upgrade the entire fixture.

I feel kinda dumb but i dont understand that concept completely. On a household lamp or ceiling fuxture you can get anywhere from a 40-120 watt bulb which vary considerably in light output. Why cant is it that my fixtures are not capable of the same variance?

 

[Rivercats]

Because fixtures are made to accept one size bulb of a particular wattage so you have no choice but to use it.