Easy low light in substrate plant?

[gobluewolverines4]

Hey guys, I'm looking for an easy/Hardy low light plant for a 55. I had a watercress in it for 3 days, and it really sucked and hurt the water quality. So what plant should I get? I have sand BTW.

 

[gman42]

Some easy low light plants would be crypts, amazon swords, and java ferns to name a few.

 

[gobluewolverines4]

Are Amazon swords easy?? And you can't put java ferns in the substrate.

 

[Bbarb27]

I've had good luck growing wisteria in low light and sand substrate.

 

[boadams87]

Swords are easy but you'll need root tabs with sand. The java fern does better tied to some rock or driftwood. Cabomba and red ludwigia are low light very easy plants.

 

[gman42]

My swords grow alot without root tabs. I use liquid ferts and it has grown really fast since i added the ferts. And i have low light

 

[boadams87]

They need one or the other.

 

[gobluewolverines4]

So I'm guessing API leafzone is good?

 

[boadams87]

Its good. I've used it but it doesn't give all the nutrients they need.

 

[Backwater]

Ditto on the Westeria, mine grew very well under a 6500K (last pic bottom right) Coralife Ultra grow light... it started morphing the 2nd day I planted it. It's since been changed to a Dual T5 6700K (first pic top left) and doing well. In this picture you can see the top cuttings have been lopped off and planted underneath and still doing great, morphing faster. Inadvance, Yes you can cut tops off IF they have a 1"-2" root shoot coming out of a stem rim line segment. Just cut 1' below and peel any leafs between root and bottom.
Westeria grows great! That tank has only been up 3 weeks and the Wisteria has only been in it 1 week. Both 10gallons are far from complete.

I also, have Red ludwigia and it grows well AFTER about 2-3 trimmings to clear out soggy roots. For some reason I have problems planting this at first in bunches and found that it likes a VERY shallow planting... anyone else have the same results ?

Also, some more suggestions for low light would be Bacopa (either Moneywort or Lemon Money wort) and Cardnial plant. Cardnial Plant would look very very nice as a mid or foreground with the Java fern.
Good luck

 

[Maxkolbe]

Another easy plant is anubias. It can be grown in the substrate or on a rock or driftwood as long as the ryhzome isn't covered.

 

[Lifeoffroad]

Ditto on the Westeria, mine grew very well under a 6500K (last pic bottom right) Coralife Ultra grow light... it started morphing the 2nd day I planted it. It's since been changed to a Dual T5 6700K (first pic top left) and doing well. In this picture you can see the top cuttings have been lopped off and planted underneath and still doing great, morphing faster. Inadvance, Yes you can cut tops off IF they have a 1"-2" root shoot coming out of a stem rim line segment. Just cut 1' below and peel any leafs between root and bottom.
Westeria grows great! That tank has only been up 3 weeks and the Wisteria has only been in it 1 week. Both 10gallons are far from complete.

I also, have Red ludwigia and it grows well AFTER about 2-3 trimmings to clear out soggy roots. For some reason I have problems planting this at first in bunches and found that it likes a VERY shallow planting... anyone else have the same results ?

Also, some more suggestions for low light would be Bacopa (either Moneywort or Lemon Money wort) and Cardnial plant. Cardnial Plant would look very very nice as a mid or foreground with the Java fern.
Good luck

Sorry don't mean to go off topic here, but what kind of filters are those?

 

[Backwater]

Sorry don't mean to go off topic here, but what kind of filters are those?

I'll take a moment (off topic) if it's ok with the rest...
Glad you asked I love talking about my filters! ... These are older Aquael Aqua Thrusts but I got them @2.5 months ago brand new from an online store. There is only one site that I know of that still sells Aquael left over stock in U.S.A. here it is > http://www.frogpondaquatics.com/ Well they have an ebay store and Rena site aswell but it's the same place. Aquael is HUGE over in Eroupe/Poland with their nanos and the new version of my filters called the Turbo Thrust (rounded sponges that look nicer and bigger canisters). Their Yearly nano competition rocks. Unfortunately, due to bad distrobution, they pulled up shop in America several years ago but would love to come back according to the guy that bought all their left over stock... If any distributors see this post ask for Bill at frog and pond aquatics. I am not affiliated just a loyal customer. Tell him JASON sent you
The best things about this filter is so many things....
1. Completely submersible so absolutely no priming, leaking or swimming pools in the bedroom!
2. The 100gph and 180gph are so dang quite you will never know they are on
3. You can easily set up 3 stage filtration with the bio sponge (provided in kit) and aqua cotton + bio max and Carbon or Carbon/Zeolite mix in the canisters. that is how I have mine because with Zeolite you can pack your tank with fish as long as you change it out monthly to prevent Nitrite spikes because it will remove ammonia so well that nitrite will rise after a month. You only need a small baggie mix of Carb/Zeolite about 1-C/3-Z
4. These things put a whole new meaning on Versatility... they are the only unit I found to do everything including, adjustable heads, adjustable flow, bubbles and even reverse flow on the 180GPH models.
5. they are very easy to maintain and clean and they can be custom configured with your own media in bags.
6. Perfect surface agitation even in 10gallons 60-100GPH version
7. DIRT CHEAP!! the 300GPH version with canister, bio sponge, attachments and Zeo/carb mix was only 29.00 plus @6.00 shipping!! the 180GPH was $19.95++and the small 60-100GPH was only $16.95++
8. My Ammonia, Nitrate, PH and Nitrite levels are always near perfect! My LFS wonders why I even bother to bring in water samples and you can see how clear it is in my 10gals and 20gal... the external bio sponge mechanical stage with the aqua cotton really... I said REALLY polishes my water.
Only cons I can find is the 300GPH version took some wrestling to get it quite, 1. I had to make sure the impeller was pushed in well and I had to get all the air bubbles out of the power head before it became super silent the next day; and, 2. if mounting horizontal you may need to rig a coat hanger and twist tie (that part in the water) in order to hold up the canister depending on how heavy you pack it ... only one of my tanks (Molly 10gal) requires that though. 3. Oh ... and he's out of the 180GPH full kits but you can by the power head, canister (although slightly different and reduced flow, and bio sponges separately for the 180GPH size)
4. The parts fit well together but when putting in water make sure they're tight. Sponge sometimes falls off BUT ONLY when angling it during installation.
Hope that answers your question ... if you think about getting one do so! even if just for a water polisher. Their cheap, work amazing, highly versatile and SYFI!

Peace