# low (more like "no") light plants



## Vivid-Dawn (Apr 12, 2005)

Sort of a long post, with a couple questions!

I just set up a 60 (actually, it only holds 45) gallon tank. It's cycling with some Danios right now. One question I have, is maybe I should'a put substrate in _before_ now? I hope I can maybe take the danios out, and put the substrate in (gonna use Eco complete and some Fluorite stuff), and let it settle for a day or two when the cycle is finished?

Also, what kind of plants can I get? I would like a few tall ones, but mostly "carpet". My tank came with 19 watt bulbs. So if I have 45 gallons, that's barely 3/4 of a watt per gallon. I might need to go see if I can find brighter lights... but even so, I may only end up getting 2wpg at the most. I also plan to have plants only on one side of the tank (picture below). So maybe I could stick with the 19w bulb on the one side, and get just one brighter bulb for the plant side?
Any good plants that won't die from having not much light, either way?

I also am going to use Jungle co2 Fizz Factory (http://www.aquariumguys.com/co2fizzfactory.html) because I'm too lazy to make my own DIY thing.

I hope this is good enough. If not, suggestions would be helpful. I have plenty of time, since I have no money right now, and have to save up for all this stuff (since I just spent it all on the tank and equipment! LOL)

Thankies!









(the car thing is a bubbler that has the hood going up and down...so cute!)
I plan on having blue, white and black marbles on one side of the tank with my castle, for some open swimming space... then all the plant and sand on the other side, to hide my pump and heater (the black things).


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## niko (Jan 28, 2004)

Vivid,

The first thing to note about your plan is that the vast majority of people here will suggest that you remove all artificial decorations and use natural wood and rocks instead. 

If you insist on the artificial decorations can I suggest replacing the car with a skull that produces bubbles. Placing the car on the skull would be cool too.

Substrate:
Yes you should have put the substrate before "now". Meaning that you should have put it first, before the water. The substrate is a place where bacteria develops and it needs to cycle too. Another reason to put it before the water is that it will considerably cloud the water if you just start to dump it in the already full tank.

Plants:
If you want carpet plants you do need brighter light. Yes, you could do spot illumination. In any case start with fast growers like Hygrophila difformis, Hygrophyla polysperma, and Rotala.

CO2:
Lazy ok... But making a DIY yeast reactor and refilling it every so often is not only cheaper but also not much more time consuming than online ordering of refills for that FizzFactory .

--Nikolay


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## Vivid-Dawn (Apr 12, 2005)

*Hrm...*

I'm a little confused (again, as usual LOL)
Are you suggesting rocks and wood (which I'd like for lowering my pH anyway) for a more natural landscape, or because artificial things are bad for plants? I do have some Anacharis in my 10 gallon tank, along with an artificial rock cave. The Anacharis is alive, but not looking the best.. I figured it was because the lighting is barely enough (1.75wpg).

Hrm.. maybe I'll splurge and get the sand now (already got the marbles in the one side), and move my danios to a temporary tank for a day or so while I let the sand settle.

Feh.. maybe I should just get fake plants LOL


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## turbomkt (Mar 31, 2004)

The rocks and wood are specifically because they aren't artificial. While the car will look "cute", most people will find the cute stuff is a phase...and then want to go natural later on. You substrate is best off being a single thing across the tank (especially with so little real estate like yours). It's very difficult to keep things separated. I'd also recommend just the eco-complete or just the flourite as they are different colors. If you want to add fine stuff, get eco-complete and Onyx sand (Seachem).

As for your light...you've probably got a relatively tall tank. And that is going to mean more light than others need to get the same effect. A single 150W metal halide pendant would probably do the trick


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## AaronT (Apr 26, 2004)

I highly recommend you use the Hagen CO2 kit over the Jungle Fizz Factory. It works much much better.

With the stock amount of lighting you have you can grow Java Moss and that's it. Everything else will slowly die. I also would say to only just use Eco-Complete or Flourite by themselves. 

A 2 x 55 watt or 2 x 65 watt power compact lighting fixture should be perfect for your lighting needs.


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## turbomkt (Mar 31, 2004)

For some reason I was thinking hex tank. Sorry for my lighting recommendation. GMoP has it nailed. Go to the great stand by of www.ahsupply.com for lights. I've got a light kit and reflector on their way right now...


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