Plants that will do well in low light

[Satsumas]

I am planning to re-design my established tank as i am not entirely happy with it and also it will give me some more practice and freshen myself up for when i design my new tank. Also i might transfer some fish accross to my new tank so it is a good opportunity for a re-design.

The tank in question.
20gal
1wpg lighting
DIY C02

I currently have various crypts, anubias barteri, java moss and a hygro of some sort. All of these plants are looking ok but if i were to remove some of them to make room for new ones, which plants should i be going for?

I don't really have any particular plants in mind but i would to know what's available to me so i can choose and design my tank with a slight headstart.

TIA

 

[Jchillin]

I have found the following do well in low-light:

Java fern, jungle vals, hornwort, anacharis, most crypt sp and java moss. One question though, why the CO2? It's not needed under 2wpg.

 

[Satsumas]

I hear christmas moss is ok in low light aswell?

Surely CO2 is better there than not? :?

 

[Jchillin]

I'm not so sure about christmas moss. Most everyone I know that has it has it growing in a med to high light environment.

I'm no CO2 expert, so I cannot gauge if there is any benefit to supplementing CO2 in low-light. You should be fine without it. I know I was.

 

[Satsumas]

I've only seen the one website saying that it is ok in low light so it's not really conclusive.

I too was fine without CO2 but i do think my plants are doing better with it although that could be down to wishfull thinking.

Also i have a large anubias barteri which i think looks a bit too big for the tank and i might opt for the smaller anubias nana. I really don't want to discard it though, i think it's a really interesting, hardy and nice looking plant. I could try it in my 20gal long but i would need to trim some of those roots, how brutal can i be with it?

 

[Jchillin]

I had an opportunity to experience an anubias nana petite. That sp may be better for your tank as opposed to the barteri.

 

[triazole]

i was browsing through amano's work last night. and, a lot of his tanks are low light (80W over 75g). he maintained co2 levels of around 15-20ppm in these tanks (1 bubble per 3s).

 

[Satsumas]

Yeah i think it will be a lot better. I don't want to kill the barteri though! It's a lovely plant and it's just put out 3 new stems and lots of new leaf.

I don't think it'll work in the 20gal long but i'll try it. I think it would work if it was heavily covered with a few leaves visible but that would be tricky.

 

[Purrbox]

There have been studies that have shown that by adding CO2 to a low light tank, there is actually a higher gain in improved plant growth than bumping the lighting to the next level. So yes CO2 is beneficial in a low light tank, even though it isn't required.

 

[An t-iasg]

Anubias barteri is beautiful! You're lucky to have a nice one. I had a nice one too, and it dissolved on me for some reason. I never trimmed it or anything.

I do have a nice anubias now that I have had to trim a bit. The roots were taking up a large portion of the substrate. I did trim some roots, just a little bit. The plant was fine. Trim your roots carefully, and in a few months, trim a little more if you want - just trim in stages, slowly. When I trimmed, I didn't trim the length - I just thinned the bunch out a bit. Maybe I will try to trim the length a just a little.

I have a low-light tank (9 watts CF over 5 gallons) and I use DIY CO2. I think it makes a difference.

 

[joannde]

If you don't have a use for the A. barteri post it in the barter / trade section for a low light plant that you do want. I'm sure someone would be more than happy to take a lovely plant off your hands

 

[Satsumas]

I'd like to think i could design a nice tank with low light, i'm just not confident about it.
I think there's only a few plants available to me, so if i don't like them then im in a mess!

With the anubias. I think the leaves are too big for the tank and it doesn't look right.
The anubias 'nana' or 'petite' i think would work better.

That's pleasing that the CO2 has some benefit It would seem strange if it didn't :?

The Anubias roots are pretty big! Since i last properly saw them they were a right handfull.
I really don't want to kill it so i might not trim the roots.

Joannde - I don't want to get rid of it but if it doesn't work in the 20gal long then i may have too.

 

[Jchillin]

You have nothing to fear. A lot of folks started at low-light and progressed to high light. If you need some ideas, check my 75gal link or check out my gallery. I'm living proof of what can be accomplished in a low-light environment.

 

[gheitman]

I am planning to re-design my established tank as i am not entirely happy with it and also it will give me some more practice and freshen myself up for when i design my new tank. Also i might transfer some fish accross to my new tank so it is a good opportunity for a re-design.

The tank in question.
20gal
1wpg lighting
DIY C02

I currently have various crypts, anubias barteri, java moss and a hygro of some sort. All of these plants are looking ok but if i were to remove some of them to make room for new ones, which plants should i be going for?

I don't really have any particular plants in mind but i would to know what's available to me so i can choose and design my tank with a slight headstart.

TIA

In addition to the plants mentioned earlier you can also try African fern. Check out the link below for a list of more plants requiring low light.

http://www.plantgeek.net/plantguide_list.php?category=1&filter_by=2

 

[Satsumas]

You do seem to have quite a variety there Jchillin!

Thanks for the link gheitman, thats exactly the sort of thing i was what i was looking for!