Aquarium plants ?

[Fish_lover]

Are there any aquarium plants that don't need special lightning or heat ?

 

[Scottyhorse]

All plants need light, some need less, some need more. Could you tell us what kind of lighting you have?

 

[Fish_lover]

All plants need light, some need less, some need more. Could you tell us what kind of lighting you have?

Well I'm getting a 10 gallon that comes with light but I don't know what kind it is

 

[Fish_lover]

It's probably not a powerful light , does Anubis need good lighting

 

[Scottyhorse]

They all need plant capable lighting. This would have about 6500k-6700k, and 10-20 watts.

 

[adammorrill]

I think you could probably do java moss, but thats probably it

 

[Fish_lover]

I think you could probably do java moss, but thats probably it

Okay thank you

 

[Wufghi88]

You could also just change out the incandescent bulbs that it will come with to some compact flourescent lamps. And that will open your tank up to a lot more plants. Here is a pic of mine with four cfl's 18 watt 6500 k lamps.



Just make sure you look for a bulb that's 5000k to 10000k anything lower and the spectrum will be to low for growing plants.
Good luck on your aquarium adventure!!!!!!

 

[Scottyhorse]

10000k would be stark white and look terrible for a planted tank IMO. Almost... sterile.

 

[Wufghi88]

Really....? Have you ever had one Scotty? Because I have a 10000k on my 36 and it looks great. It's a t5 ho, I have that and a 6700 k pinkish bulb for better plant spectrum.

 

[Wufghi88]

I don't know it does not look too sterile to me

 

[Rivercats]

The reason your tank looks different with a 10K bulb is because you have a pink rosette bulb that balances the color spectrum out more. The higher the K spectrum the more blue light it has. I removed all the 10K bulbs out of my huge metal halide-T5HO fixture and went with 6000K because my tetra's didn't like the intense light and 10K washes out red plants, which I have a truck load of in my 220g. It's just a matter of what looks good to your eye and what makes plants and fish look good. Personally I don't like straight 10K lighting on freshwater unless it's balanced with lower spectrum bulbs. 10K makes a tank look bright to the human eye.

 

[Wufghi88]

The reason your tank looks different with a 10K bulb is because you have a pink rosette bulb that balances the color spectrum out more. The higher the K spectrum the more blue light it has. I removed all the 10K bulbs out of my huge metal halide-T5HO fixture and went with 6000K because my tetra's didn't like the intense light and 10K washes out red plants, which I have a truck load of in my 220g. It's just a matter of what looks good to your eye and what makes plants and fish look good. Personally I don't like straight 10K lighting on freshwater unless it's balanced with lower spectrum bulbs. 10K makes a tank look bright to the human eye.

I think we are getting a little off topic. The question was about growing plants. Not what we liked. And I know for a fact 10000k - 5000k will grow plants from low light to high light.
And metal halides are a whole differnt fixture from t5ho's they are completely different. Metal halides are a mercury vapor bulb while t5's are a mercury based floresant tube. So there is really no comparing the two. While both are high powered they are just not in the same ball park.

 

[Rivercats]

Not comparing metal halides to T5HO just letting the OP know that while different color spectrums are indeed capable of growing plants but low color spectrum bulbs under 6000K tend to make plants and the tank look yellowish and ones in the 10K range are higher in blue light and can wash out red plants and some fish. This is important IMO to know not just because of plant growth but also what good is plant growth if the color spectrum isn't pleasing to the eye where you enjoy looking at your tank. You asked if your tank looked sterile and I commented nothing more.

 

[MMantelli]

+1 to what rivercats said your plants will be happiest between 6000k and 6700k. I have a bunch of plants with red in them and my current 10000k t5ho fixture has slowly been washing out the red as where the tank with a 6700k bulb is keeping more of there color and there the same plants from the same batch.

 

[Scottyhorse]

Really....? Have you ever had one Scotty? Because I have a 10000k on my 36 and it looks great. It's a t5 ho, I have that and a 6700 k pinkish bulb for better plant spectrum.

The pink would offset that.

 

[Wufghi88]

River cats ... You just did compare the two. You said you took you 10000ks out of your metal halide fixtures.
I have red plants as well and they do way better in my 36 gal with a 10k lamp and a pink rosette, with plenty of iron supplements then they do in my 29 with 65k. So whe opinions are opinions that's all they are.
Did anyone read what I said to fish lover? They have a stock hood and was looking for a way to upgrade what they had, not a bunch of preferences and techno babble.

 

[bshenanagins]

River cats ... You just did compare the two. You said you took you 10000ks out of your metal halide fixtures.
I have red plants as well and they do way better in my 36 gal with a 10k lamp and a pink rosette, with plenty of iron supplements then they do in my 29 with 65k. So whe opinions are opinions that's all they are.
Did anyone read what I said to fish lover? They have a stock hood and was looking for a way to upgrade what they had, not a bunch of preferences and techno babble.

The only reason "preferences and techno babble" surfaced was because you retaliated on an opinionated post. BUT, in order to upgrade lighting you must understand spectrum as well. You can use almost any available light source, it's just a matter of getting the right amount of it and intensity. Some use t8's others t5's it really does not matter, but each have ups and downs of course.

 

[Goldfish loach boy]

Anacharis is a very hardy plant

Also my amazon sword was flourishing with a normal LED light and without root tabs, but of course that always helps

 

[bshenanagins]

Anacharis is a very hardy plant

Also my amazon sword was flourishing with a normal LED light and without root tabs, but of course that always helps

When I was struggling with finding the proper conditions for my plants my amazon sword was growing quite well. It really doesn't take much to get one going.