90g with 40 watts, can anything survive?

[klfvilla]

My 90 gallon tank has a 40 watt light strip. I can't afford to upgrade the lighting at the moment but I would like to get some plants in there if I can. I do have some Hornwort which seems to be surviving although it makes a mess. In my 10 gallon I have a Sword that has taken over and I would prefer to transfer it into the 90 but haven't because I assume it would die. It seems such a shame to have to throw it out though. My question is what if any plants can survive with such low lighting?

 

[ZSandmann]

Java moss, and Java fern would probably be good off the top of my head.

 

[Mgamer20o0]

move it over if they start to look back move them back. duckweed would be able to live.

 

[Featherfin]

anacharis

 

[Plecosterone]

I noticed you are in southern Ontario. If you are around the Windsor area I could give you some java moss and some other plants to help you start out. at least it wouldn't cost you anything if they die.

 

[klfvilla]

Thanks Plecosterone, thats very nice of you. I live in Hamilton though. I do actually have java moss and java fern in my 10 gallon tank so I could put a little of that over. And I guess I could try the sword too. I'm leaving it in the 10 for a while longer because I do actually like the look and I only have a betta in there so I don't need to free up the space it takes up. Ultimately, I'll upgrade the lighting hood - just not right now. Perhaps you could tell me where would be a good place to buy a light fixture? I looked briefly in Big Al's on Centennial. It seemed expensive there.

 

[Plecosterone]

I just use shop lights from Home Depot or Rona. You can also get daylight T8 bulbs which are around 6500K for around $6.00 for 2 of them. These bulbs work great in my tank. If you really wanted to get even more out of them you could overdrive them as I have done. Man are they bright when they are overdriven. If you ever decide to overdrive them, they MUST be electronic ballasts.

 

[donthitmyhead]

I know anubias and crypt can survive under low lighting. Tie anubias on a piece of wood and provide crypt with good substrate and they'll grow pretty good.

Also Plecosterone I have a question for you. If I have a 55gal that is 48" long, do I use 2 24" twin strip lights or 1 48"? I'm supposed to put them on glass canopies right? Thanks

 

[Plecosterone]

I use the double 48" strips over the open tank with no problems. The only ones I have ever had problems with are the ones with the electronic ballasts in the PLASTIC ends. Ones with the ballast inside the main box I have never had problems with.

 

[plantling]

In college I grew banana plants with just the regular hood lights that came with the tank. They woud send off runners and the leaves resemble lily pads. Could be a good ornamental foreground plant and they're quite inexpensive.