Low lighting plants..

C

CBTF

;(
Jan 2, 2006
253
0
0
Toronto, Canada
Today at my lfs i was told that "low lighting" plants don't need a flourescent bulb or any special attention, that the hardy kind will do fine in my tank. Is this true? I believe a few of the options were java, etc..

Id love to add some new stuff to my tank! Natural look is great.

(standard sand substrate, may change to gravel soon)
 
well-----yes and no- you have to be very careful with that

plants need light to absorb the nutrients in the water and subsrate in order to grow. all plants will grow more with more light if they have the nutrients at the same time. make sense?

java fern does very well in low light

i have 2 java's in a tank with no light on it, however they get a lot of natural light where they are and the slow growth i see has not yet been impeaded by algae- but i'm waiting for it- we'll see

the danger with plants and no light is that if there is zero growth algae will grow on the leaves and eventually smother it.

i've also heard incandecent light greatly encougages some types of algae

so that said give it a shot and remember that the more plants you have the better chance you have of them out-competing algae.

cheers
-Kyle
 
alright thanks for the tip. my tank doesnt get natural light either, but i have always enjoyed the looks of a heavily planted tank. perhaps i will save up some cash and just buy tonnes of plants at once. will this do anything drastic to my setup or will it be ok?

also, if anyone would be kind enough to tell me.. of the fish in my sig, will any eat the plants?
 
the only creature i'm not sure of is the frong but i'm pretty sure most forgs are insect eaters so you should be just fine.

make sure to stick with plants that only need low light or you'll get to watch them die slowly and create all kinds of rotting stuff in your tank-no fun

what kind of light fixture do you have?
 
i have a standard light, came with the tank.

2x 25 watt tubulars.

thanks for the links. i'll check them for a second plant to add with the java on my driftwood.
 
are they florecent or incandecent? if it's an incandecent fixture i'd consider getting florecent -they make bulbs that screw into incandecent fixtures now that work pretty well if you could find one that's labeled 6700K that'd be the best. i got some for my 5 gallon. i've seen them for 10-12 dollars they're worth it
 
i plan on buying some in due time, however im changing many other things in the tank and wont have any spare cash.

will these plants survive without flourescent?
 
boy do i hear you

as to the plants i don't know, i've never tried it.

however if you're going to splurge and buy like 3 java and a couple crypts in a week or two i imagine they'd hang in there for another 2 weeks or so at minimum - plus who knows they might eat up that light i'm not sure.

you'll love the plants one you get them in there! welcome to the other aquarium addiction!

-Kyle
 
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