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What are the best plants for a 10g tank?

2K views 21 replies 9 participants last post by  Colorblizzle 
#1 ·
I'm in the process of setting up my 10g it's low-tech so I will not be using CO2. Which plants will thrive the best in a 12" deep tank like this? Hoping to get a good list to choose from :)
 
#7 ·
I had great luck with 1 plant years ago don't remember what it was called Myrio? Grew probably 3" a day and that was just a regular t8 bulb. I don't have my light yet but I'm going to be using the fugeray LED. My only other options were a 15w t8 fixture or a dual t5 putting out 34w. And I would need CO2 at that point right?
 
#8 ·
I've never used LED's yet but that fugeray I've seen people have. Yes with T5's that would be a lot of light. Depending on the intensity of the light you can always raise the light fixture.
 
#9 ·
What about this...can I just put 1 bulb in a t5 fixture? That would be 17w and in the range I want. Don't know how many PAR they produce tho or how to find out. Mounting the lights above the tank isn't an option I'm in an apartment and they frown on holes in the ceiling lol
 
#10 ·
How did you plant the java ferns? I think you might be planting it wrong since you mentioned you planted it in your substrate. The rhizomes need to be exposed for it to survive which is why you'll normally see it attached to rocks and wood. They'll die when their rhizomes are buried.

I currently just use my stock led and filter (cheap and low-tech) from my Chi and have had positive results with java ferns, moss, anubias, banana plant, wisteria, rotala (they just weren't red), anacharis, and ludwigia repens. No co2 and just Floramax as my substrate. I'm currently experimenting with rotala butterfly at the moment :p
 
#11 ·
Sounds like quite the stock list :) and yeah I know it's not supposed to be buried but I just shoved it in the sand and kinda partially buried it. I had flourite dark covered by white sand in a 29g. Then I went to my LFS and bought 20 something plants. 1 of everything pretty much and I bought flourish, excel, and liquid iron. All if this without knowing anything about plants at the time. Just browsed the aisles a few too many times.
 
#12 ·
Just to put in my 2 cents. I've got a 10G low light, no C02, weekly Flourish doses.

The plants I've had luck with are anubias, marimo moss balls, and water wisteria. I've had no luck with java ferns or java moss, and bolbitis heudelotii looks too much like java fern to me.

skindy gave you a good list. I wouldn't recommend banana plants though. The cute banana-like tubers shrink as the plant uses up the nutrients in them and they like to shoot up long leaves to the surface of the water. Sounds like more maintenance than I want but it may be something you'd be interested in.

Also, crypts and water sprite are often recommended for low light, low tech setups. No experience with these.
 
#15 ·
Thanks everyone. I'm writing all these species down on a list to go thru. That tank looks great! I'm trying to stay away from screw in bulbs tho as I have a glass canopy and prefer to use those. In thinking in just gonna do a single tube T8 fixture with a Hagen 15w life-glo bulb. And the flourish...does that take the place of me adding dry ferts??
 
#17 ·
Hi Colorblizzle,

The 2X10 watt CFL's are certainly brighter both because they total 5 more watts and they are basically a T5 type bulb. (BTW, my tank has a glass canopy as well.) I can't grow most carpet grasses in this tank but the Helanthium tenellum (right foreground) does well with that amount of light. If you go with the T8 I would recommend adding the LED strip if it is in the 6500K spectrum you need for plant growth.
 
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