# low light, fast growth?



## Vivid-Dawn (Apr 12, 2005)

I’ve skimmed the posts in a “nitrate” search, but didn’t find anything related to my question... so if this has been posted already, I apologize for being redundant!

I have a 15 gallon tank, with 24 watts (that’s about 1.5 watts per gallon, if I did my math right). Right now the pH is about 8.2, but I’ve put peat moss in the filter to try to bring it down to at least 7 since I want Neon Tetras. No CO2 infusion, but I’m giving the recommended dose of “Leaf Zone” by Aquarium Pharmaceuticals (might not be the best, but I’m poor *g*).

Anyhoo! I know I have low light, and I know most low light plants are slow growers. The only reason I’m bothering with live plants, is to keep nitrates down. I would assume that the slower plants grow, the less nutrients they consume...? If it’s true that faster growing plants would use up nitrates quicker, are there any which wouldn’t need much light?
I can’t seem to find any “low light, fast growing” plants... Java Fern and Hornwort are about the only ones. I would like something ‘grassy’.


----------



## stcyrwm (Apr 20, 2005)

I know it's not grassy but my Egeria grows pretty fast too. Bill


----------



## MatPat (Mar 22, 2004)

Vivid-Dawn said:


> I have a 15 gallon tank, with 24 watts (that's about 1.5 watts per gallon, if I did my math right). Right now the pH is about 8.2, but I've put peat moss in the filter to try to bring it down to at least 7 since I want Neon Tetras. No CO2 infusion, but I'm giving the recommended dose of "Leaf Zone" by Aquarium Pharmaceuticals (might not be the best, but I'm poor *g*).
> 
> Anyhoo! I know I have low light, and I know most low light plants are slow growers. The only reason I'm bothering with live plants, is to keep nitrates down. I would assume that the slower plants grow, the less nutrients they consume...? If it's true that faster growing plants would use up nitrates quicker, are there any which wouldn't need much light?
> I can't seem to find any "low light, fast growing" plants... Java Fern and Hornwort are about the only ones. I would like something 'grassy'.


You may not need the peat and it will probably color your water somewhat. That might be good for the fish but it could be bad for the plants given your lower light levels.

Dwarf Sag would be a good plant for lower light and is also "grassy". I have grown it in light levels similar to yours so it should work for you. If you can only do lower light type plants, just put more of them in the tank.

You could also try adding Hornwort or Water Sprite to your tank. Both can be floated or planted in the substrate and both are pretty fast growers even in lower light. In my opinion, Hornwort looks it's best at lower lighting levels. 
Pretty much any floating plant should work for you also...


----------



## Simpte 27 (Jul 16, 2004)

You may also want to look into other hygrophilia species as most are fairly undemanding and are nutrient sponges.


----------

