Excellent List of Low Light Plants

[Hoppy]

Now that I use only low light, with DIY CO2, this list is much more interesting to me. I have been using it to decide what to try next

Unfortunately, the list was started when watts per gallon was believed to characterize "low light" tanks. Now we know that isn't true. One watt per gallon of LED light can be very high light if the light sits on the tank, or very low light it hangs high above the tank. Two watts per gallon of good quality T5HO lights can be very high light if it sits on top of the tank, and way too high light if the tank is a low tank, like a 20L. But, it can be low light if the light is 24 inches above the top of the tank. Etc.

I suspect that people have success with "high light" plants when they use 2 watts per gallon of T5 lighting, sitting on the tank, because they actually have hight light. And, that is why some say HC can be grown with low light - they have 2 watts per gallon of T5 light, which is really high light.

I wish we could redo this list using PAR ranges to define low light - 20-30 micromols of PAR at the substrate level. It would be extremely useful to me if we did.

[Smitty06]

I would like to add blyxa japonica. I had very good luck with it in my 25 gallon very low light tank. It grew and propogated very fast.

[pejerrey]

Suscribed!

[PaulG]

Originally Posted by Smitty06

I would like to add blyxa japonica. I had very good luck with it in my 25 gallon very low light tank. It grew and propogated very fast.

Do you know your PAR levels?

[Smitty06]

It is the aqueon 25 gallon kit from petsmart. The light is s***.

[Indian fern]

What about water sprite!

[Nelsontreyjones]

This list was very helpful.

[Firemedic269]

This whole topic and all the replies are very helpful. Thank you

[James From Cali]

Originally Posted by Hoppy

Now that I use only low light, with DIY CO2, this list is much more interesting to me. I have been using it to decide what to try next

Unfortunately, the list was started when watts per gallon was believed to characterize "low light" tanks. Now we know that isn't true. One watt per gallon of LED light can be very high light if the light sits on the tank, or very low light it hangs high above the tank. Two watts per gallon of good quality T5HO lights can be very high light if it sits on top of the tank, and way too high light if the tank is a low tank, like a 20L. But, it can be low light if the light is 24 inches above the top of the tank. Etc.

I suspect that people have success with "high light" plants when they use 2 watts per gallon of T5 lighting, sitting on the tank, because they actually have hight light. And, that is why some say HC can be grown with low light - they have 2 watts per gallon of T5 light, which is really high light.

I wish we could redo this list using PAR ranges to define low light - 20-30 micromols of PAR at the substrate level. It would be extremely useful to me if we did.

Agreed completely. I think with all the new information on what classifies low light high light and any thing has changed. I do believe we need a far better list that can be more detailed on what is possible for each set of light level primarily the lower end of the spectrum. Many new hobbyists fail because the rush into everything without the knowledge of what to do and give up right then in there. That is in part why I wanted a list is to give people hope there is always something out there to grow no matter your budget or equipment. I think as a community we can come together and put together a list that everyone can agree upon and be able to use as a resource for experienced and inexperienced hobbyist alike.

[sowNreap]

If someone starts a new list here's what I'd put on it based on my 75 gal tank that I originally had 3-T12 lights raised about 5 from top of tank .. which I now know after checking the lux/par on it was very, very low, low light. New lighting is good reflector T8x2 and 1-T12 with plant grow bulb with an ok reflector. The t12 is a bit lower than the t8 fixture and used mostly to simulate dawn/dusk. I calculated I'm low light maybe 20-25 par.

Here's the list of my plants that grew and/or survived with very, very low light probably less than 15 par LOL AND in coarse gravel. The better growth now is probably a combination of better light AND better substrate (STS):
Cabomba caroliniana -- grew some but not nearly fast as it does now with my good T8 lights
Water Sprite -(Ceratopteris thalictroides)-- seems to grow in any light ...just wish it would get taller before breaking off plantlets
Wisteria -(Hygrophila difformis) -- grew at moderate rate before .. now grows fairly fast with better light so that helps since I want mine as tall as the tank.
Dwarf water lily (Nymphaea stellata) -- grew decent before now really taking off
Red Myrio (Myriophyllum heterophyllum) -- not red in my tank but grew. It's more of a bronze color. Color hasn't changed with better light but it grows a bit faster and adds a color other than green.
Ludwigia, Broad Leaf (Ludwigia repens) -- seemed to grow faster than the others because it was stretching to get to the light I realize now. Grows wider, longer leaves now rather than getting tall and spindly. Not real red but does add a touch of reddish color to the tank. Wish it would start growing up/tall.
Myrio, mattogrossense - was ok .. grew some. Looks really nice at any height though.

All of the above would probably have appeared to grow better, faster in smaller tank but since I needed/wanted tall plants quickly having a large tank may have effected my judgement of growth rate. Especially when the plants start off 6"-10" and I want them to be 18". All grew .. some a lot slower than others but makes them good low maintenance plants when using very low light.

When using coarse gravel the following didn't do well at all. I think it was the gravel more than the low light though. But even now with bit better light they're still just slow growing.
Bacopa carolina - just wouldn't grow, kept getting shorter because of the stem ends rotting off and unable to root in that gravel. Growing better now in new substrate .. not real fast but at least now it's rooting rather than rotting.
Corkscrew Val (Vallisneria americana var. biwaensis) - same problem .. just wouldn't grow in the gravel. Doing better but still not a fast grower for me.

[Hoppy]

One problem with low light is that the plants that do really well, growing at a decent rate, in low light, are almost certain to be noxious weeds. An example is Hygrophila polysperma, which is so bad a weed that you aren't supposed to transfer it to anyone else. But, it grows very well, and looks good, in a tank with a PAR of 20 or even lower, especially if you also use some CO2. I have it in my low light tank, and have to prune heavily weekly.

Another good one for me is Nymphea zenkeri, red lotus. I have been cutting off the big leaves reaching near the water surface, almost every week. And, it looks good against the bright green H. polysperma.

[sowNreap]

Yeah .. you're probably right about that. I needed some of those "weeds" when I first started my planted tank. LOL It's doing pretty good now.

[3OHA CYMPAKA]

Lowest light needed plants are?

I have in plan riparium with low light plants.


In nature we have a lots of plats who growe in places and condition we can not imagine.
We have wetlands, there are realy terible conditions.

Let say that for me low light plant are these which need light little more than day light is focused on aquarium.

Someone sad bluxa japanica, on this forum i saw thet she need medium light, so we can not say low light plant? Am i wrong ?
http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/my...Blyxa_japonica

Sorry because my English, i try my best

[sowNreap]

Yeah .. it's hard to know which plants are truly low light because it's hard to know how much light someone might actually have over their tank. They might think they have low light but could be medium.

Some plants might be listed as medium light but can be grown in lower light. It may not grow as fast or not color up the way it might if given higher light.

I can't really say for sure about the Blyxa japonica since I've never grown it.

I think it depends on how much daylight and for how long a tank gets that daylight through a window as to whether it's' even low light. I think of a standard aquarium hood as being low, low light .. barely able to sustain plants. But I'm new to planted tanks and could be wrong.

[A.M. Aquatics]

Originally Posted by Homer_Simpson

Please Note: I am not the author of this list. The author of this list, James From Cali, is also a member on this site and he has been kind enough to continually update, revise, and update this list. For James' most updated list, please see further threads from James in this post.

This is an excellent list of low light plants for anyone looking for plants to start a low light tank. It was posted by James From Cali at: http://www.myfishtank.net/

"Plants Ideal For Low Light/Low Tech Aquaria
Some people may be wondering what plants do well in a Low Light setup. I used to be the same way(and still am sometimes) and now I am wanting to make a list of what is appropriate for this kind of tank. Any one wanting to add to the list please go ahead. List Common and Scientific name please.

Java Fern - Microsorum pteropus
Windelov Java Fern, Windelov Fern - Microsorum pteropus 'Windelov'
Narrow Leaf Java Fern - Microsorum pteropus v. 'narrow leaf'
Java Moss - Vesicularia dubyana
Green Hygro - Hygrophila polysperma
*Sunset Hygro - Hygrophila polysperma 'Rosanervig'
Ceylon Hygro - Hygrophila polysperma 'Ceylon'
Rotala Rotundifolia - Rotala rotundifolia
Rotala Rotundifolia sp. Green - Rotala rotundifolia sp. 'Green'
Rotala Indica - Rotala indica
Hornwort - Ceratophylum demersum
Parrots Feather - Myriophyllum aquaticum
Moneywort, Water Hyssop - Bocapa monnieri
Brazilian Pennywort, Pennywort - Hydrocotyle leucocephala
Crypt Wendtii - Cryptocoryne wendtii
Crypt Balansae - Cryptocoryne Balansae
Pygmy Crypt - Cryptocoryne pygmaea
Guppy Grass - Najas guadalupensis
Anubias barteri - Anubias barteri v. barteri
Anubias barteri 'marble' - Anubias barteri 'marble'
Anubias barteri v. 'glabra' - Anubias barteri v. 'glabra'
Anubias nana - Anubias barteri v. 'nana'
Coffee leaf anubias - Anubias barteri v. 'coffeefolia'
Crypt retrospiralis - Cryptocoryne retrospiralis
Crypt spiralis - Cryptocoryne spiralis
Golden nana - Anubias barteri v. 'nana golden'
Narrow leaf nana - Anubias barteri v. 'nana narrow leaf'
Petite nana - Anubias barteri v. nana 'petite'
Philippine Java Fern - Microsorum pteropus 'Philippine'
Red Java fern - Microsorum pteropus "red"
Crypt Becketii - Cryptcoryne becketii
Pelia - Monosolenium tenerum
Waterwheel Plant - Aldrovanda vesiculosa
Bacopa - Bacopa caroliniana
African Water Fern - Bolbitis heudelotii
Hornwort - Ceratophyllum submersum
Crypt Aponogetifolia - Cryptocoryne aponogetifolia
Micro Crypt - Cryptocoryne petchii
Tropica Sword - Echinodorus parviflorus 'Tropica'
Downoi - Pogostemon helferi

*Do not ned high light to attain pink color. Dosing Iron can bring out this color. I have learned this from experience.

Thank you,
James"

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