My new 29G Tank

[u2_Crazy]

I have a new 29ga Tank, It is the standard kit from the lfs but has an upgraded filter. The light that came with it is a 17W florescent. Is it possible to grow live plants with this size of light or is upgrading necessary? If so, what plants can grow happily in a low wattage light? What other factors need to be considered? where is the best info on live plant growth?

Thanks

 

[TomK2]

Hmmm. thats a little more than 0.5 wpg. It might be possible, but I would think you would have an easier time in the 1 - 1.5 wpg range. Check out the plantgeek website.

http://www.plantgeek.net/article_viewer.php?id=17
http://www.plantgeek.net/plantguide.php

 

[severum mama]

Anubias and java fern will grow in your low lighting with no problems. My 29 gallon also has the stock lighting and I can easily keep those plants. There's a lot you can do with these plants to make a more interesting setup. You can either plant them in the substrate, or you can attach them to driftwood or rocks by clipping the roots and using a rubber band or thread to tie them to a rock or wood. Eventually they will attach to the object and you can cut the rubber band or string off. IME anubias takes longer to attach than java fern. There are a couple other species of plants that will tolerate low lighting, like some cryptocornes, but I don't keep any of them so I don't know exact names. So although there's no question that stock lighting limits your options for what plants will thrive in your setup, you can still have a beautiful planted tank if you choose the right plants. Also, the low light plants require a lot less maintenance than medium or high light plants. I never even dose fertilizer in my low light tank. 8)

Maybe you should try asking this in the planted tank forum. There is a lot of helpful advice over there.

 

[Jchillin]

Moved to Planted Tank forum, since this is where it should be.

 

[Jchillin]

While I can certainly attest to the possibilities of having success with very low lighting, it is a little easier to grow more plants with at least 1 wpg (1.5 being even better). Check the stickies at the beginning of this forum for tons of information on this topic.