Low tech tall plants to hide equipment?

[Khalix]

So I finally have some time off from work next week(4 days in a row, woo!), and I am really unhappy that I haven't been able to finish scaping my tank. I kind of just threw things in and cycled it(fishlessly) and added my fish. I need more hiding spaces.. whether plants or caves. Will work on at least one more cave for the left side of the tank.. but I feel like I really need something plant-wise to hide the intake valves and airline tubing, at least partially. Problem is I need them to be low light. I have a soil substrate in the back, but my tank is really deep and until tax time I don't have the funds to upgrade my lights or do co2, though it's something I'd like to eventually move up to. However, at least for this tank the fish come first so I don't want to stress too much on plants.

The bubble wall really needs to be hidden, too, and I may actually replace it with one of the flexible black ones so it goes kind of ninja. It's at least lower down, though, so small plants should do the trick.

Any suggestions? Or do I just need to pretend it doesn't look terrible until I get the funds?
Here's the horrible mess it is right now(ps, pardon the cloudiness, was playing with things and kind of kicked the sand up too much, woops.. plus my java moss is kind of strung everywhere randomly at the moment, lol):

 

[fort384]

Well... you need some pretty tall low light plants. Unfortunately, most stem plants are out with low light.

Hornwort could work really well. It will grow in about any tank under any light. You would just need some plant weights to keep it on the bottom.

You could also probably grow some crypts too, depending on the wattage you currently have.

Check out plantgeek.net under the low light section. It will give you some ideas on what you can grow in a low light setup.

The tank is looking good. Best of luck!

 

[mudraker]

This tank has tons of potential!

I used to hide intake intake pipes by attaching java moss to mesh screening and then wrapping around the pipe and tying on with clear fishing line.

It helped draw the eye to the green of the moss and not the pipe.

Also, if you have enought length on the airline tubing, it might help if ran it along the bottom of the tank then up the corner of the tank. It doesn't hide it completely, but it takes it out of the center of the tank and is a lot less distracting. If that is a long stem of arachnis? Replant that just in front of the tubing. Once again, it won't complete hide it, but it will make it less distracting.

Is that Bacopa in the corner? You can cut small pieces off it and plant the cuttings along the back to hide the bubble wall. Plus, if the bacopa (if that's what it is) was shorter it wouldn't be competing with the driftwood for attention.

There are tons of things you can do with a lowlight tank without all the expensive doodads and lights that look fantastic.

If you could make one small purchase, I have found that Excel triples the growth in very low light tanks without additional light or fertz, especially java moss.

In my experience, it is usually better to start with a lowlight planted tank and not worry about getting into highlights until you have pushed lowlight possibilities to the max possible.

Just one point of view here.

 

[Khalix]

The only real plant in there at the moment is the java moss. The stringy one is just one strand floating up cause I screwed everything up moving things around. The one on the left is a silk plant I had with my goldfish because they eat everything.

I am basically a plant novice and have never had anything but java moss and anachris. I do have some anachris in with my betta at the moment, so I could use some of that. Plus, of course, I am going to be spending some money on more if I can figure out things I can safely add without killing. I'll definitely check that website out.

I looked up the excel stuff and it seems a lot of people have issues with it "melting" some of their plants(like anachris)? I don't know if that's common or a fluke, though.

I'm going to play with the airline tubing tomorrow for sure and see if I can reposition it so it's not in the middle. As for the java moss on the intake valve.. what kind of mesh is safe to use? Maybe the plastic ones from the craft store?

Appreciate your view point. Your posts are always helpful.

PS: Is bacopa okay in low light? Because I love the look of my fake one but would like to go real.

This tank has tons of potential!

I used to hide intake intake pipes by attaching java moss to mesh screening and then wrapping around the pipe and tying on with clear fishing line.

It helped draw the eye to the green of the moss and not the pipe.

Also, if you have enought length on the airline tubing, it might help if ran it along the bottom of the tank then up the corner of the tank. It doesn't hide it completely, but it takes it out of the center of the tank and is a lot less distracting. If that is a long stem of arachnis? Replant that just in front of the tubing. Once again, it won't complete hide it, but it will make it less distracting.

Is that Bacopa in the corner? You can cut small pieces off it and plant the cuttings along the back to hide the bubble wall. Plus, if the bacopa (if that's what it is) was shorter it wouldn't be competing with the driftwood for attention.

There are tons of things you can do with a lowlight tank without all the expensive doodads and lights that look fantastic.

If you could make one small purchase, I have found that Excel triples the growth in very low light tanks without additional light or fertz, especially java moss.

In my experience, it is usually better to start with a lowlight planted tank and not worry about getting into highlights until you have pushed lowlight possibilities to the max possible.

Just one point of view here.

 

[Khalix]

Thanks! I'll check that website later tonight when I suffer from my insomnia and read geeky fish things until 3am.

I'll definitely look into hornwort.. but what do you weigh them down with? Sorry, probably a totally dumb question!

Well... you need some pretty tall low light plants. Unfortunately, most stem plants are out with low light.

Hornwort could work really well. It will grow in about any tank under any light. You would just need some plant weights to keep it on the bottom.

You could also probably grow some crypts too, depending on the wattage you currently have.

Check out plantgeek.net under the low light section. It will give you some ideas on what you can grow in a low light setup.

The tank is looking good. Best of luck!

 

[fort384]

There are a few different methods.

I don't normally recommend these, but they work fine for hornwort.
https://www.azgardens.com/p-1087-aquatic-plant-weights-lead-weights.aspx

A lot of people like these, and they seem to work pretty well:
Lead free plant weight anchors

 

[jsoong]

Or just shove the hornwort stems into the sand & they will stay put for a little while (days to weeks). My hornwort grow so fast that I have to prune, replant weekly, so long term anchors are not the solutions. <Plus the hornwort rots at the spot that is clamped down with the plant weights, and the stem float free after a few weeks anyway .... >

Another option would be vals. They like a bit more light, but are really cheap (like $2 a bundle), so is worth trying. Mine grow to over 2 foot long, and spread like weeds by runners. I have them at the back in a mass, prune to just below water line, and they form a nice thick curtain that hides everything .

 

[Khalix]

I may have to try those second ones. I'm sure the metal ones are fine but I know our anachris at work come wrapped in those and they seem to fall off easily. Though maybe they aren't like that with hornwort or maybe they just weren't put on properly.

Appreciate the links.

There are a few different methods.

I don't normally recommend these, but they work fine for hornwort.
https://www.azgardens.com/p-1087-aquatic-plant-weights-lead-weights.aspx

A lot of people like these, and they seem to work pretty well:
Lead free plant weight anchors

 

[fort384]

You can go with jsoong's advice as well. My experience with hornwort though was it was difficult to keep it in the substrate unless it was anchored. It was the only plant I ever used anchors on. It probably depends on what kind of substrate you have.

 

[Khalix]

So much helpful advice.

I will look into all of these when I head to the lfs that actually carries truly aquatic plants. I hate hate hate that we sell gold ribbon plants at work and I get funny looks when I talk people out of them and others(though I never knew it until I started reading these forums). I'm a really bad salesgirl.

I'll also try it without and add them if needed. Trial and error.

Or just shove the hornwort stems into the sand & they will stay put for a little while (days to weeks). My hornwort grow so fast that I have to prune, replant weekly, so long term anchors are not the solutions. <Plus the hornwort rots at the spot that is clamped down with the plant weights, and the stem float free after a few weeks anyway .... >

Another option would be vals. They like a bit more light, but are really cheap (like $2 a bundle), so is worth trying. Mine grow to over 2 foot long, and spread like weeds by runners. I have them at the back in a mass, prune to just below water line, and they form a nice thick curtain that hides everything .

 

[fort384]

Glad to hear you talk people out of them. 75% of the new people on this forum end up buying one of those ribbon plants or fern looking plants that they sell in the tubes (as I did when I started out).

 

[Khalix]

Unfortunately most chain stores don't really give you specifics about anything they sell(as far as employees go). I'm not sure who decided it'd be a good idea to sell plants that rot and discourage people from using live plants in the future. I was surprised that one of my coworkers who has been there for 7 years and who has a bad case of MTS that rivals even my own argued with me and insisted they were aquatic and perfectly fine.

So yeah...

Glad to hear you talk people out of them. 75% of the new people on this forum end up buying one of those ribbon plants or fern looking plants that they sell in the tubes (as I did when I started out).

 

[Khalix]

I went in and looked at my bulb because it had come with the hood and I'd not really paid it much mind. I'm not real happy with the brightness even as far as just overall appearance goes.

The bulbs both say Marineland F15T8 18". Being new to the lighting situation I am going to assume that they're 15 watts a piece?

How many watts per gallon do the average plants(java ferns, anachris, etc) require? I would like to definitely upgrade my bulbs eventually when money is in more abundance, but I mainly want to know what to shoot for. Plus, do you have to buy a whole new hood if you eventually upgrade to one of the fancy schmancy T5 lights I see mentioned? I would assume wattage constraints would make this likely.

 

[fort384]

Yup 15W T8 bulb. You will have trouble growing plants with it. You may be able to sustain some low light plants, but there won't be much growth.

Unfortunately, you really cannot upgrade just bulbs. 18" T8 florescent lights are 15W. The fixture isn't going to hold anything but a t8 18" tube. If you want to up the lighting, you will have to go for a different fixture. T5HO is the way to go imo if you decide to eventually upgrade, but they are not cheap.

To grow low light plants in a tank your size, you want to shoot for at least 1 WPG (watt per gallon). Although not a fool proof method, WPG is the common measurement for light in a planted tank.

EDIT:

I mis-read the original post - it looks like it is a dual fixture? So 30W total. This should be enough enough to grow some low light plants. What size is your tank exactly?

 

[fort384]

EDIT:

I mis-read the original post - it looks like it is a dual fixture? So 30W total. This should be enough enough to grow some low light plants. What size is your tank exactly?

 

[mudraker]

Lowlights like those can grow in pretty low wattages, thought the higher the light, the more they will grow.

Others can give you great advice on upgrading aquarium lighting, but I'm cheap and use compact fluorencents (full spectrum) and clamp lamps from the hardware store. The savings is huge and results the same. Just not as fancy, but they can be disguised too.

Until you have a bigger budget, I found packets of Aponogeton bulbs at Walmart with 8 bulbs for under $3.

They took a little longer to sprout as the package claimed, but they will grow huge in lowlight. A real bang for the buck.

Also, if you want to pm me an address, I'd be happy to send you a few feet of aquarium safe matting in the mail for free. I have several yards of the stuff, it doesn't weigh much so it wouldn't cost you anything to experiment.

 

[Khalix]

60 gallons. 48 long, 24 high.

My java moss has spread quite a bit. The piece I originally put in was a very small clipping, but some of it browned slightly.

EDIT:

I mis-read the original post - it looks like it is a dual fixture? So 30W total. This should be enough enough to grow some low light plants. What size is your tank exactly?

 

[Khalix]

The bulbs sound like a good idea and I like the look of the plant. I will have to swing by tomorrow and see if mine carries them. Sent you the PM.

Lowlights like those can grow in pretty low wattages, thought the higher the light, the more they will grow.

Others can give you great advice on upgrading aquarium lighting, but I'm cheap and use compact fluorencents (full spectrum) and clamp lamps from the hardware store. The savings is huge and results the same. Just not as fancy, but they can be disguised too.

Until you have a bigger budget, I found packets of Aponogeton bulbs at Walmart with 8 bulbs for under $3.

They took a little longer to sprout as the package claimed, but they will grow huge in lowlight. A real bang for the buck.

Also, if you want to pm me an address, I'd be happy to send you a few feet of aquarium safe matting in the mail for free. I have several yards of the stuff, it doesn't weigh much so it wouldn't cost you anything to experiment.

 

[mudraker]

I looked up the excel stuff and it seems a lot of people have issues with it "melting" some of their plants(like anachris)? I don't know if that's common or a fluke, though.

RE: Excel

The only plants I've heard of that happening to are Vals and arachnis.

I only have arachnis, and it didin't like it at first but is now growing quite well. Java Moss, crypts, anubius Java fern, bacopa and all my other lowlight plants LOVE the stuff bigtime.

 

[jsoong]

RE: Excel

The only plants I've heard of that happening to are Vals and arachnis.

I only have arachnis, and it didin't like it at first but is now growing quite well. Java Moss, crypts, anubius Java fern, bacopa and all my other lowlight plants LOVE the stuff bigtime.

Also hornwort, java moss, ricca, elodea ... Actually, any plant without stomata will be Excel (and bleach) sensitive. Sometimes you can dose 1/2 & get away with it ... sometimes not.