[Chickie_online]

55 Gallon new tank. Just upgraded light to 2x20" Finnex LED's (which I'm told are supposed to be a med light setup although I'm not fully convinced haha). I don't wanna get into CO2 right now. Trying to keep start up costs down. Tank will be set up this week and I'm adding media from another tank to help with cycle and adding plants right away. I just purchased some rose swords, java fern, java moss, ludwiga (2 kinds), and a couple of grasses, one is vallisneria. Looking to put in another order in a day or two. What do you guys suggest? I will dose daily with Flourish Excel, and weekly with Flourish comprehensive. The only one I have on my list so far is Eleocharis vivipara. TIA

 

[Raymond S.]

Which Finnex ? Makes a fairly big difference. The RayII will get you into the med range.
But with no CO2 it may be the best place to have it.
Check this link and enter med light. The list of plants they have is lacking a few but should get you a good starting point.
http://www.aqua-fish.net/index.php?cur_lang=2&count=no&secured=&section=6
When you clic a name you get more info and a fair picture.

 

[Chickie_online]

Which Finnex ?

Sorry it's the fugeray Planted (that's what finnex recommended without CO2). They told me it would be med light. I have one on my column 15g now and it grow valls, wisteria, ferns, swords ok. Not fast growth but ok.

 

[Jnad]

Hello!

Take a look at Tropica easy plants, they all would be ok without CO2

Link
http://www.tropica.com/dk/planter/de-rigtige-planter/easy.aspx

 

[lksdrinker]

I dont have any suggestions as far as plants for your tank. However, be careful using excel in a tank with vals. My vals completely melted on my and the general consensus is that this could be due to using excel.

 

[Chickie_online]

Mine melted when I started with excel but they are now growing back up. I've read that if you start dosing slower they will adapt. Mine have been ok since although I thought they were goners.

I dont have any suggestions as far as plants for your tank. However, be careful using excel in a tank with vals. My vals completely melted on my and the general consensus is that this could be due to using excel.

 

[MadRiverPat]

Yeah thats what happened with my vals as well. they seemed to melt away and came back thriving.

Some plants to consider would be dwarf sag as a foreground, for shorter plants you could do a species of cryptocoryne, and for background you'll need some fast growing stems so I'd say rotala or maybe hygrophila.

 

[cape]

Big fan of anubias...

 

[lurkermom]

Big fan of anubias...

+1 to that

 

[lksdrinker]

Mine melted when I started with excel but they are now growing back up. I've read that if you start dosing slower they will adapt. Mine have been ok since although I thought they were goners.

Mine never came back; but I may also have been dealing with anaerobic substrate issues (which I think I am still dealing with).

 

[Monster Fish]

Vals will survive and even thrive with Excel if you slowly build up their tolerance to it.

Check the sticky for plants that grow in low light without CO2.

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showthread.php?t=56042

Cryptocorynes, java ferns, anubias, mosses and hygros are the five most people grow without CO2. You can grow a decent amount of plants without CO2, however they just grow slower and do not need that much light. It also takes a bit of experimentation and patience to see what works for you.

 

[King of Hyrule]

Water Wisteria (Hygrophila difformis) is a strong plant, it puts up with what would kill lesser plants. It looks good, too.

 

[DefStatic]

My experience with no CO2, which is everything LOL, is:

Amazon Swords
Common types of Bacopa
Water Sprite
Wisteria

I have a couple other plants I don't have IDs for that have done well

I didn't realize Finnex came out with the planted ones besides the small one. On a 55 gal, I am not sure if that would be considered med light or not.

 

[HybridHerp]

I love java ferns and crypts, and most hygrophilia should do well

 

[jem_xxiii]

crypts! there are many to choose from and they mostly all look great!

 

[Hilde]

I love java ferns and crypts, and most hygrophilia should do well

I have found the ferns to be more sensitive to Excel than Vals.

Check the sticky for plants that grow in low light without CO2.
http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showthread.php?t=56042

A few plants in the list I don't feel should be there. For example:
Aldrovanda vesiculosa looks more like a terrarium plant
Downie I found to be hard to grow and needs a lot of excel.
Also the Ludwiga and Rotola I think needs at least Med light.

My favorite low light plant is Dwarf Sagittaria.

 

[Matsnork]

Java fern narrow leaf petite (microsorum pteropus petit) or Anubias nana petite.

Bought a bunch of these for my low tech 90p and its really nice. Grows to about 3*3" or 10*10cm maximum.

 

[Monster Fish]

I have found the ferns to be more sensitive to Excel than Vals.

A few plants in the list I don't feel should be there. For example:
Aldrovanda vesiculosa looks more like a terrarium plant
Downie I found to be hard to grow and needs a lot of excel.
Also the Ludwiga and Rotola I think needs at least Med light.

My favorite low light plant is Dwarf Sagittaria.

Aldrovanda vesiculosa is a floating carnivorous plant.
Downoi can be grown in low tech. It just doesn't like being shaded.
Both will do fine in lower light in my experience. Ludwigia red stays red for me in my low tech 5 gallon and Rotala rotundifolia and it's variants are able to grow in lower light levels.

 

[OVT]

This is a long list of 'low tech' plants that might be of help:
http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showthread.php?p=498666

v3

 

[Hilde]

Downoi can be grown in low tech. Ludwigia red stays red for me in my low tech 5 gallon and Rotala rotundifolia and it's variants are able to grow in lower light levels.

In a 5 gallon I have noticed it easy to grow anything. Are you certain you had low light in it?