Aquatic Plant Central - View Single Post - Excellent List Of Plants For Low Light Tanks

BryceM · 12-17-2007, 11:50 PM

I like the idea of producing a list of low-light plants, and I agree with much of what has been said concerning the definition of "low tech". It is absolutley essential to realize that people have very different goals and approaches to almost all things "planted". Keep a couple of things in mind here. Simply put, the exact plant species that qualify for a "low light" list depend greatly on one's definition of "low light". 1 wpg over a 10g tank is different than 1 wpg over a 90g tank. CF is different than T-8, T-5, etc. Broad, generalized statements such as "low light is anything less than 2wpg" do not allow for commonly encountered equipment variations.

I think that instead of producing a bulk list in no particular order, it might be more useful to rank the plants according to their adaptability to low light conditions.

It's pretty safe to say that almost all Anubias, Ferns, mosses, and Crypts will do well in low light. Even in low light these plants will attain the same traits that they will exhibit in high light conditions. Growth will be healthy and full, but not rapid. Once you add stem plants such as the easeir Bacopas, Hygros, and Hydrocotyles to the list you'll need a little more light to keep them in reasonable form. I really wouldn't recommend P. helferi (Downoi) or HC for the average low-light setup, even with CO2.

There are a few important groups of plants that are mostly absent from you list that can also do quite well in lower-light conditions. These include large numbers of Echinodorus (sword plants), Vallisneria, and many of the easier Aponogeton species (not madagasgariensis). Still, these would need a bit more light than the Anubias, Crypts, and ferns to produce healthy growth.

12-17-2007, 11:50 PM	#18 (permalink)
BryceM Administrator Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: South Central Idaho, USA Posts: 4,262 iTrader Ratings: 42 iTrader Positive Rating: 100% Plant Points: 178534	Re: Excellent List Of Plants For Low Light Tanks I like the idea of producing a list of low-light plants, and I agree with much of what has been said concerning the definition of "low tech". It is absolutley essential to realize that people have very different goals and approaches to almost all things "planted". Keep a couple of things in mind here. Simply put, the exact plant species that qualify for a "low light" list depend greatly on one's definition of "low light". 1 wpg over a 10g tank is different than 1 wpg over a 90g tank. CF is different than T-8, T-5, etc. Broad, generalized statements such as "low light is anything less than 2wpg" do not allow for commonly encountered equipment variations. I think that instead of producing a bulk list in no particular order, it might be more useful to rank the plants according to their adaptability to low light conditions. It's pretty safe to say that almost all Anubias, Ferns, mosses, and Crypts will do well in low light. Even in low light these plants will attain the same traits that they will exhibit in high light conditions. Growth will be healthy and full, but not rapid. Once you add stem plants such as the easeir Bacopas, Hygros, and Hydrocotyles to the list you'll need a little more light to keep them in reasonable form. I really wouldn't recommend P. helferi (Downoi) or HC for the average low-light setup, even with CO2. There are a few important groups of plants that are mostly absent from you list that can also do quite well in lower-light conditions. These include large numbers of Echinodorus (sword plants), Vallisneria, and many of the easier Aponogeton species (not madagasgariensis). Still, these would need a bit more light than the Anubias, Crypts, and ferns to produce healthy growth.