# What can I grow without CO2?



## VictoriaLeigh (Jul 25, 2012)

I'd like to do Java Moss, Microsword, dwarf hairgrass, hairgrass, maybe dwarf baby tears? For an 8 gal nano. 

Any other plants would be easy low lights like java fern. 

So can it be done? What kind of lighting/ferts would I need to make up for the no CO2?


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## Chrisinator (Jun 5, 2008)

The Dwarf Baby Tears might suffer without CO2


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## Vermino (Jun 14, 2012)

java and baby tears (HC) roud:


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## exv152 (Jun 8, 2009)

In my experience the only way HC grows without co2 is emersed. And I've found it needs lots of light and CO2 submersed.


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## pejerrey (Dec 5, 2011)

Most plants grow ok but slow in my non co2 tank. I think water surface agitation is key tho.


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## VictoriaLeigh (Jul 25, 2012)

Ok, well I checked out some more plants and this is the list of possible additions I came up with. I'm thinking HC is out.

Java moss
Microsword
Chain Sword
Red Root Floater (love the look of this plant!)
Dwarf Sag
Narrow Leaf Java Fern
Water Clover
Stargrass

I got all of these plants from the sticky on low light plants. I'm planning on doing two Fluval Compact lights (13 watt) which will give me 3.25 wpg I think? I have a fluval ebi which is ~8 gal.


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## SaltyNC (Jun 26, 2012)

I'm growing dwarf hairgrass, microswords, crypts, and anubias very well with no CO2, but I'm adding CO2 next week, and I expect everything to do much better. I started with a dry start, and everything grew quickly when "in the air". After flooding, everything slowed way down.

I would recommend dosing Seachem Excel with that much light on an 8 gal. It'll provide some carbon to the plants and it will help with the algae. How deep is the tank? You may have quite a bit of light with two CFL's depending on the depth. Under the lighting section, there is an excellent sticky with a chart showing low, medium, or high light based on your bulb type and distance from light source.

Good luck.


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## exv152 (Jun 8, 2009)

VictoriaLeigh said:


> ...I got all of these plants from the sticky on low light plants. I'm planning on doing two Fluval Compact lights (13 watt) which will give me 3.25 wpg I think? I have a fluval ebi which is ~8 gal.


I would start out with just one of those fixtures and see how it progresses. Two might be too much for low tech.


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## VictoriaLeigh (Jul 25, 2012)

Hm, just one light? I didn't think the lighting would be that high. The tank is almost 14" deep. I'm not sure how deep the substrate will be. I'm going to see how deep the substrate it comes with ends up being, and might add another bag. 

I thought Excel wouldn't be good for moss? What about putting Flourish tabs in? Would that be a good idea?


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## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

Your light will be about 12 inches from the substrate, unless it is suspended above the top of the tank. You can only use about 30-35 micromols of PAR maximum without running into serious algae problems, when you don't have CO2. See http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showthread.php?t=184368 for what your choices are for lights that will meet that criteria. The cheapest option would be a 10 watt screw-in CFL bulb, in a dome type reflector a half inch or so above the top of the tank.


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## Hilde (May 19, 2008)

VictoriaLeigh said:


> Llist of possible additions:
> Java moss
> Microsword
> Chain Sword
> ...


The wpg rule applies to T8 and T12 bulbs, thus I don't think the rule applies to this light fixture. Listen to hoppy about llights. He has done a ton of research on par of bulbs. 

I have found that the Stargrass, Microsword, and chain sword need a Co2 replacement like Seachem excel or API Co2 boooster. Microsword, and chain swords are similar to the Dwarf Sags which are easier to grow. Some mosses are sensitive to Seachem excel. I haven't had any problem with xmas moss or taiwan moss when using excel. Another alternative to Co2 additive is Brightwell aquatics FlorinAxis.

Cryptocoryne are my favorite low light plants. They just need API root tabs, which are cheapest at LNT.com


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