Looking for Low-Light plants that match these requirements?

[mandy2936]

Hello! I started out my first tank with all fake plants, planning to switch them with live plants once I got the hang of things. Well, I'd say its about time and I'd really like to switch now.

However, when researching types of plants suitable for my tank, I haven't really found anything yet. Here's the requirements:

•Low-Light <--That's the most important one, I do not plan to upgrade my standard lighting as of now.
•Beginner Material <--Being my first live plants, I'd like something that's easy to care for. I'm fine with fertilizing, but no CO2.
•Can be planted in a sand substrate <--I have some CaribSea sand so hopefully I can find some plants that don't mind growing in a fine substrate. This seems to be my biggest problem. It appears as though plants that would make a good choice (Anubias Nana, Java Fern, etc.) need to grow on a rock or driftwood as they don't like their roots buried. Well, I'd prefer to be able to hide unsightly roots, but if the plant matches all above requirements then I suppose I'll just have to except it.

Also, if you could provide some foreground options as well as background options, I'd appreciate it.

Thank you SO much! I think that will all the benefits that come with live aquarium plants adding some to my tank will be really helpful.
Oh, P.S. If you look into "My Tanks", it's the 20g that I'm talking about.

[DragonFish71]

Since you don't plan on upgrading your lighting, do you at least plan on getting the right "K" rated bulbs? You can get the 6500k daylight bulbs in various lengths at Walmart, Ace, Home Depot, Lowes etc for cheap.

If you do that then you can go with amazon swords. You'd need some root tabs, but they do fine in sand. I have amazons in our 120 with play sand. Crypts would also do well.

Some of the stem plants like ludwigia repens or rotala indica would work too. Star grass can be tricky, but I have it growing fine in our low light tanks.

PlantGeek.net - Plant Guide

[fort384]

What size tank are we talking and what kind of lighting is it? These factors will make a difference in what low light plants might be a good choice for your tank.

[mandy2936]

Thanks for the suggestions so far! I will look into those plant types.
Fort: As mentioned above, the tank is a 20 gallon high. Because I am using the lighting that came with the tank, I'm not quite sure how many "K"s it is. (I do know that it's incandescent though) I will go have a look right now and then edit this post.

EDIT: Okay, so I went down and had a look at the lights. I couldn't find the number of "K"s written down anywhere, so I wrote down all the info I found. I hope that some of it helps.
120 VAC (Whatever that is..?)
60 Hertz
17 Watts

Also, I could have sworn that I have incandescent lighting... It does not give off a blue/purple tone, it looks yellow. However, I found a sticker on the back of the hood that says: "All fluorescent lamps contain mercury. Dispose of properly." So now I am confused.

Thanks guys!

[fort384]

Sorry missed the tank size in the first post.

Could you take a picture of the light? There will be a big difference between incandescent and florescent. If it is florescent you will be good to go... My guess is at 17 w it is florescent.

[mfdrookie516]

incandescent bulbs are screw in bulbs with a filament... like the 60w bulbs you use in standard light fixtures. Fluorescent bulbs typically have two ends with prongs on them, but they also come in screw in types (the spiral bulbs) and a few other varieties.

[mandy2936]

Thanks guys for the reply! Sure I can take a picture. Do you want me to take a picture of the tank with the lights on, or the phisical bulbs themselves?

[DragonFish71]

If it's stock lighting you can pretty much guarantee it's not the right 'K" rating for plants. Even the stock fluorescent bulbs that say "plant and aquarium" usually run well under the recommended "k" for plants.

Regardless of if you have the long tube light or screw in type, you should look into getting the 6500K daylight bulbs. They are sold in both forms. I run 6500K daylights on all our tanks. I have tube fluorescents, screw in fluorescent, and even 4 pin CFL (depending on the light strip). But all are 6500K daylight.

screw ins on our smaller incandescent fixtures:
GE Daylight Energy Smart Spiral T3 Reviews, Specs, Ratings & Prices - Green Options Community

regular tube bulbs (6500k)
GE Lighting: GE Starcoat F39HOW/T5/39W 865 - BLUE 6500K 3 FT 6500K FLUORESCENT (40/CASE) [901895] - T5 HO Lamps - Fluorescent T5 HO Lamps - Lamps - Discount Specialty Farm, Greenhouse & Garden Supply Store - Horticulture Source

[mandy2936]

Here are the pictures.


This one is of the whole light fixture. (The lights in the room are off, and the tank light is on.)


One end of the strip


The other end

[DragonFish71]

Ok, you have a regular florescent tube. Measure the length of the tube, go to Walmart (cheapest place to get them) get yourself a 6500K daylight bulb in the length of the bulb you already have. Say your is a 18 inch, then get an 18 inch 6500K daylight bulb.

[mudraker]

With that light, you can still grow crypts like Dragonfish said. They come in many different varieties and colors.

You can also easily do aponogeton bulbs. They're kind of fun, as the lower the light, the bigger the plant gets, without looking leggy.

[mandy2936]

Thank you. I guess I was wrong with what type of lighting I have! Shows how much I know. Here are some pics of the tank with the lights on:





As you can see I've got lots of fake plants, then some live ones. However, the live ones are a lucky bamboo and white ribbon, plants I'm anxious to rid of now that I know they are not truly aquatic. So Crypts would be okay? I'll look into Aponogeton Bulbs, but I'm not sure that I'll find them around here. Thanks for the help!!

[fort384]

New bulbs may be necessary even for low light plants.

You want a bulb with the correct color temp to grow plants. Lots of good options though for plants posted above.

[DragonFish71]

This is why I keep stressing the 'K" rating. 6500K daylight is the spectrum that plants do best in.


"The Kelvin scale describes the color of a light source when compared to the color a theoretical "blackbody" radiates when heated at the same temperature. Think of a piece of steel that changes color as it is heated, then measuring the color of the light being given off. At 0° Kelvin (equivalent to -273° Celsius), the theoretical blackbody emits no light. As the blackbody warms, it begins emitting red light. As the blackbody increases in temperature, light wavelengths become more yellow, then green, blue, and finally violet.
For example, sunlight at noon, with a Kelvin rating of 5500°K, is typically referred to as full spectrum because it contains a blend of all colors throughout the spectrum. Bulbs with a lower K rating (and lower color temperature) emit a warmer, reddish light, while bulbs with a higher K rating (and higher color temperature) give off a cooler, crisper blue light.
To best duplicate natural lighting conditions under which your aquarium inhabitants will thrive, pay close attention to each light bulb's Kelvin (K) rating, which measures the bulb's light spectrum or "temperature." Select lighting with the K rating that will give your inhabitants the light they need to thrive and grow."

[mandy2936]

Okay. I'll look at some lights the next time I'm at the store. Does anyone have a guess of how much they would cost? Even a ballpark price? I'm concerned with having to spend a lot of money.

Dragonfish, Im sorry I didn't mean to disregard you about getting 6500K lighting, I had just thought that Mudraker had said the Crypts would be okay without them. My mistake.

Sent from my iPod touch using Aquarium

[mfdrookie516]

The type of bulb is what mudraker was talking about. Look at the bulb and see if it says anything about the color temp... I got all my bulbs from walmart. They sell them in the lighting dept, and have 3 colors... cool daylight, warm kitchen, and plant/aquarium. I get the cool daylight, which is 8000k or 10,000k IIRC. Seems like they were about $3

[mudraker]

Actually, I was talking aboutaponogeton bulbs that become a plant, they wlll grow in ridiculously low light. But if you want to go cheap on new lighting, WM would be the stating point for sure.

[mandy2936]

Originally Posted by mfdrookie516

The type of bulb is what mudraker was talking about.

Yeah. It was a misunderstanding on my part.

Look at the bulb and see if it says anything about the color temp... I got all my bulbs from walmart. They sell them in the lighting dept, and have 3 colors... cool daylight, warm kitchen, and plant/aquarium. I get the cool daylight, which is 8000k or 10,000k IIRC. Seems like they were about $3

$3! That's cheeeeap! Okay if I can find lighting for that price then I'm sold!
So, should I be looking to get the Cool Daylight, Warm Kitchen, or Plant/Aquarium? I'm going to look at their website right now.

[mfdrookie516]

You want the cool daylight (or whatever they call it... its cool something)... the warm kitchen is down around 2500k i believe. plus it gives off a yellow tint. the cool daylight is a nice crisp white.

[mandy2936]

Okay I'll look for the cool daylight. Just curious, why would I not be looking for the plant/aquarium lights? Also, I just had a look on their site now but didn't really find anything.
I don't think these are what I'm looking for?
http://www.walmart.com/search/search...h_constraint=0