Low Light Plants

[RCShevalier]

Just curious if there are any aquarium plants out there that can thrive with very little lighting. I have a 48" X 12" X 18.5" tank with two of the following lights:

Perfecto Replacement 24" Fluorescent Strip Light // Aquarium Supplies Canada - Pond Supplies Canada - Reptile Supplies Canada // Pets & Ponds

Essentially it is a 45 gallon aquarium with 30 watts of light. With the current lighting set up is it impossible for me to consider live plants?

Thanks.

[Fishperson]

In planted tanks we usually use PAR (photosynthetically active radiation) to measure lights, but do do that you need a PAR meter or online info about PAR ratings. So its not always feasible to do that. But even still, using watts/gallon doesn't say much.

30 watts of T8 lighting is usually much less than 30 watts of say, T5, or LED.

Tank height also matters and as yours is very tall plants will be tough to grow. But anubias, Java fern, Cryptocoryne, and bucephalandra species can probably survive.

If you have fish then they probably won't need fertilizer either, although some root tabs under the cryptocorynes will certainly help.

Also remember that Java ferns, anubias, and buces should be tied to rocks or driftwood. They can be planted in the substrate be sure not to bury the rhizome, or thick horizontal "root" at the bottom of the plant.

[HookedOnFishh]

Here's a few low light plants: Crypts, Itailin Vale (shoots off lots and lots of runners), Anubis, Java fern, I do recommend Horn Wornt. There's a few.

If you want a lot more plants Kessil is expensive but really gets the job done. If you want to upgrade research! That's how I found good lights for planted tanks.