0.6 wpg will grow what type of plants?

[bugman2494]

My brother's friend recently gave me a 50 gallon tank. The tank used to be some type of marine seaweed growout tank.
So the tank is 50 gallons and came a single 30W Sylvania flourescent tube.

I am not planning to upgrade the light so what type of plants would be suitable? (0.6 watts per gallon)

Amazon Swords?
Crypts?
Val?
Java moss?
Java fern?
Anubias?
Tiger lotus?



MY DIY SUBSTRATE
The dressing: Gravel
Middle Layer: Topsoil mixed with shell grit
Bottom Layer: Some type of clay (laterite, if I can get any) with root tabs in the mix.

THANKS

Sorry I posted this thread twice ...hehehe...woops..

[rich311k]

Anubiea, java fern and java moss may grow. Worth a try.

[snoopy65]

You could also float hornwort. I think it would grow in the dark!

[petluvr]

I am not for sure anything will GROW, you could start with some java Fern and Java Moss and see if it lives but I doubt anything will grow.

[toddnbecka]

Most likely algae... Seriously, you won't grow much else without at least 1 watt/gallon, even for anubias and java.

[inkyjenn]

anubias, java fern, horn wort, you could even grow some wisteria, but it will have big rounded leaves rather than the lacy looking ones, java moss does okay in low light

[PacuDan]

I know hornwort would grow because I have some in my RBP tank and its only light source is the tank next to it.

[jpappy789]

Most likely algae... Seriously, you won't grow much else without at least 1 watt/gallon, even for anubias and java.

I disagree. I kept java fern, anubias, cryptocorynes and vals in almost the exact same lighting for over a year. Not much growth but I did get some fern plantlets, the anubias grew a few new leaves, and the vals sent out runners pretty regularly.

[evelyn80]

hornwort is your best bet. mine grows under incandescent 10 watt bulbs in my 3 gallon beta tank..

[LeahK]

I have the same amount of light over my tank. Java moss hangs out but doesn't grow. Java fern doesn't do so well, but that could be a nutrient issue, too.
Anubias, however, does great. With only 0.6 wpg, I get at a new leaf about every other week. Since that's the plant that does the best, I am aquascaping with anubias and driftwood. I'm trying to cram as many anubias on the driftwood pieces as will fit, and it actually is starting to look pretty lush.

[ZachAttck]

I have a 20G with just one 15 Watt Flora-Glo light on it. I use those Seachem Flourish Tabs and i don't dose CO2. I'm able to grow amazon sword, water wisteria and java fern very nicely. All of these have new growth on them when i get home from school. My sword always sends up a new leaf about a day or 2 after sending a previous one. My wisteria doesnt have the broad leaves but they're not very lacy either, and my Java fern is growing like a weed, i just pruned of some leaves yesterday. So as you can see IME these three plants do very well in a low tech low light tank. I also had moneywort in there that was doing just fine but didn't like the look of it so i gave it to my friend.

[bugman2494]

Gee Thanks guys for all the quick responses. Very helpful. I'll definately try some amazon sword as I love the broad leaves on it.

[nickmcmechan]

MY DIY SUBSTRATE
The dressing: Gravel
Middle Layer: Topsoil mixed with shell grit
Bottom Layer: Some type of clay (laterite, if I can get any) with root tabs in the mix.



thats a lot of effort for substrate, suggesting a planted tank is a thing for you

the most important plant nutrients are:

1. light - can you tell us why you won't upgrade it?
2. carbon - either from pressurised, excel or just natural 3ppm for easy care plants
3. macro nutirents - NPK, either just from fish wastes for easy care or manually added
4. micro nutirents - such as in the substrate you have and/or added to the water column

All are important to plants.

However, seems like your priority list is all wrong way round.

Your probably restricted to Crypts which will love your substrate.

Anubia is a Rhizome plants and needs to be attached to something.

Other than that, maybe Vals, but even they may suffer at that level of lighting.

You need to get up to 1wpg minimum..................run another bulb

[nickmcmechan]

Gee Thanks guys for all the quick responses. Very helpful. I'll definately try some amazon sword as I love the broad leaves on it.

i don't think it is OK for 0.6wpg at all

[nickmcmechan]

I have a 20G with just one 15 Watt Flora-Glo light on it. I use those Seachem Flourish Tabs and i don't dose CO2. I'm able to grow amazon sword, water wisteria and java fern very nicely.

they are easy grow plants that do well without c02

the swords def need root tabs, imo

i'm surprised they've done well long term, how long has this been set up?

[bugman2494]

1. I plan to have a diy yeast co2 reactor.
2. Macro and micro nutrients will be supplied by fertz (flourish, dino dung or pee) and also from the rich substrate such as topsoil and laterite.
3. As for the lights, I'm not upgrading, simply because I can't. My father is abit strict on everything and he is a moody man. He was already angry just getting the tank, saying it would be a waste of electricity, time (he reckons all the should do is read books and study) - what kind of life is that? When he says no, its a no. So I'm just working with what I got.

Cheers

[ciaobella7122]

I have a tank with just about the same lighting condition. Personally, I'd stay away from the amazon sword as it will yellow out pretty quickly. Java moss and java fern will do very well, they grow like weeds in my tank. I also have floating brazilian pennywort and anubias that do well, but grow VERY slowly. And finally I have a few different kinds of cryptocorynes that do really well but more in spurts, like they won't grow for a couple of weeks and then they go CRAZY and send runners everywhere! Good luck :)

[jpappy789]

IMO light should be the last thing upgraded. With the plants listed (minus amazon swords) you don't NEED to upgrade. The occasional dosing of liquid ferts is enough to keep things growing slowly. I'm not sure how effective Co2 will be at this lighting level however. But you can always try, it can only help.

Rhizome plants also don't need to be anchored to wood/rocks, although it is usually suggested. I have both anubias and java fern rooted in the substrate with the rhizome above the substrate. My anubias is sprouting new leaves almost every week and the java ferns are creating baby plants constantly.

And tell your dad that an aquarium probably uses less electricity than he thinks...

[ZachAttck]

they are easy grow plants that do well without c02

the swords def need root tabs, imo

i'm surprised they've done well long term, how long has this been set up?


the tank has been set up for 5 months, and those flourish tabs are indeed root tabs. i put one at the base of my sword and one at the base of my wisteria.