# Low tech tall background plants?



## sweet chariot (Nov 14, 2010)

Any recommendations?
I have 2 x 32watt T8 bulbs on a 55 gallon. No ferts, and inert aquarium gravel. 4 goldfish. 

Some plants that do well in the tank are: 
echinodorus "rose"
Ceratophyllum demersum
egeria densa
anubias barteri

Plants that don't do well:
vallisneria spiralis (melted)
Microsorum pteropus (alive, but not growing) 

I'm not so worried about goldfish eating the plants, because it is impossible to predict if they will and if it doesn't work, I have a 10 gallon tropical I can put the plants in. 

I really like the vals, but they are the only plant that melt. What can I do to fix this, add fertilizer or something? Brighten the lights? And what other tall background plants will work?


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## jhunt (May 7, 2010)

Hornwort


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## legomaniac89 (Mar 16, 2008)

_Cryptocoryne spiralis, C. crispatula var. balansae, C. usteriana, Rotala rotundifolia, Ludwigia repens_, just to name a few


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## Darth Toro (Mar 6, 2010)

I would love to try Ludwigia repens or Rotala rotundifolia myself but I've searched the net and find that it requires medium-high light. Sometimes I do see that it says medium light required. But would this work in a low-medium light or even just a low light tank. I guess I could just try but I'd hate to kill the plant and waste my money.


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## Centromochlus (May 19, 2008)

Rotala rotundifolia is extremely easy to grow... should do fine if you have decent lighting over the tank.


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## rwong2k (Dec 24, 2004)

legomaniac89 said:


> _Cryptocoryne spiralis, C. crispatula var. balansae, C. usteriana, Rotala rotundifolia, Ludwigia repens_, just to name a few


C. crispatula var. balansae is a great choice for background in lower light, the repens will do well also


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## sweet chariot (Nov 14, 2010)

Thanks for the suggestions! Any tips for growing the vals? Would root tabs help?


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## DKRST (Jan 20, 2011)

I have American val and corkscrew val, not certain how heavily they feed from the root. Do you dose with Excel? If so, the Vals apparently "melt" if you follow the Excel dosing instructions (heavy dose) for water changes. I just add the recommended daily dose and slowly up the level over time, no Val wilting so far.


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## Swan900 (Apr 27, 2010)

I hated hornwort in my low-tech tank. It left unsightly and annoying bits of plant every time I did a w/c or moved anything. I have some really tall Cryptocoryne Becketii in my low tech as my background although I dont really think there documented as background plants. Rotala rotundifolia sounds a good option though  Good luck.

Swan


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## takadi (Dec 13, 2010)

jungle val!! Love that stuff, but I can never find any of it around where I live


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## Noahma (Oct 18, 2009)

Darth Toro said:


> I would love to try Ludwigia repens or Rotala rotundifolia myself but I've searched the net and find that it requires medium-high light. Sometimes I do see that it says medium light required. But would this work in a low-medium light or even just a low light tank. I guess I could just try but I'd hate to kill the plant and waste my money.


I had ludwiga repens growing in my 36 gal when it was low light, just make sure that you do not plant them too close.


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## xmas_one (Feb 5, 2010)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aponogeton


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## sweet chariot (Nov 14, 2010)

so...any tips yet for growing vals? root tabs? liquid ferts?


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## Jeff1192 (Dec 10, 2010)

When my 90 gallon was a low light tank I had great success with Broad leaf giant hygro (HYGROphila corymbosa v. 'siamensis Broadleaf'). Even under low light it grew quite quickly and I was able to fill in a fairly large corner of the tank with it in very little time.


Jeff


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## takadi (Dec 13, 2010)

I don't have experience with jungle vals, but if they are anything like corkscrew vals, there aren't really any special requirements except that you don't use excel.

If you have the space, another plant that I recently discovered was relatively low tech is the amazon sword. I concur with hygrophila corymbosa, all varieties grow well in low tech


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