# Choosing low light plants



## lauraleellbp (Feb 3, 2008)

All your choices sound good.

You might want to dose some Excel in your tank to help kick back problem algae, if you haven't already.

Check out the sticky at the top of the forum if you want a list of other plants that might work.

Have you ever put together a list or gathered pictures of some of your favorite aquascapes for inspiration? That might help guide you in plant selection and placement.


----------



## dubvstudent (Jan 10, 2009)

I think what you have is highly appropriate for a low tech setup.

The key to low light/low tech tanks is patience. If you wait long enough the plants you have chosen will fill in nicely. (especially that rotala, even in low light, IME, it will grow quickly).


----------



## llamas (Jul 5, 2010)

lauraleellbp said:


> All your choices sound good.
> 
> You might want to dose some Excel in your tank to help kick back problem algae, if you haven't already.
> 
> ...


Thank you for the reply. 

I have seen some tanks that look great. Its a little harder to find a low tech one. I have a huge bottle of excel, so I will start to use that. Would you recommend the regular dose?

I'll also check out that thread that you mentioned.


----------



## lauraleellbp (Feb 3, 2008)

All of the tanks in this thread are low tech, maybe some of these will inspire you: http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/low-tech-forum/99729-low-tech-tank-show-tell.html :thumbsup:

On the bottle of Excel it gives you an "initial dose." I use that dosage for a day or two in a row when I'm trying to kill algae.


----------



## llamas (Jul 5, 2010)

Here is a picture of the tank... It's kind of depressing :icon_neut


----------



## llamas (Jul 5, 2010)

lauraleellbp said:


> All of the tanks in this thread are low tech, maybe some of these will inspire you: http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/low-tech-forum/99729-low-tech-tank-show-tell.html :thumbsup:
> 
> On the bottle of Excel it gives you an "initial dose." I use that dosage for a day or two in a row when I'm trying to kill algae.


I will check that thread out as well! Thanks


----------



## lauraleellbp (Feb 3, 2008)

Why is it depressing? I think it's very nice!

I would suggest thinking about your tank as having a background (for tall plants, like your swords), a midground (for "medium" sized plants, like crypts and java fern), and a foreground (for small plants like your Anubias nana 'petite' and carpeting plants).

Also, you want your hardscape (driftwood) to have a focal point. www.aquatic-eden.com is one of my favorite sites for explanations on different aquascaping techniques.

Your Rotala will look much better once you start trimming it. Trimming makes stem plants bush out more and helps keep the bottoms from becoming "leggy" (when light is blocked they start losing leaves).


----------



## llamas (Jul 5, 2010)

dubvstudent said:


> I think what you have is highly appropriate for a low tech setup.
> 
> The key to low light/low tech tanks is patience. If you wait long enough the plants you have chosen will fill in nicely. (especially that rotala, even in low light, IME, it will grow quickly).


Good to know that. I was hoping I wopuld have to throw anything out.



lauraleellbp said:


> Why is it depressing? I think it's very nice!
> 
> I would suggest thinking about your tank as having a background (for tall plants, like your swords), a midground (for "medium" sized plants, like crypts and java fern), and a foreground (for small plants like your Anubias nana 'petite' and carpeting plants).
> 
> ...


I think it's the algae that's bothering me so much. That, and the fact that there is no back/mid/foreground. 
How should I go about trimming the rotala? (I have aquatic scissors)

phew, I'm going to be busy this weekend


----------



## lauraleellbp (Feb 3, 2008)

There's a bit of technique to trimming stems. If you've ever done any flower gardening, the principle is pretty much the same- the plant will start to branch out right at the place where you trim. 

Since your Rotala right now is so long, I'd actually cut those long stems into several sections each, and just use some tweezers to plant each section about and inch apart.


----------



## llamas (Jul 5, 2010)

Thank you so much for the suggestions!

For now, all I can really do it trim the stem plants and research all those low-light plants.
Then, I'll be ready to hit the S&S


----------



## Fahnell (Jan 20, 2011)

your tank is ok..belive me
not ok is that ceramic stuff in the midele .but hadly any problem
step 1 in aquarium stuff. fish ok, plants ok and growing, minimum algae. if you get that you are better than 95% of aquarists? 
your tank is clean and nice. btw many many expert aquarists use slow growing plants. it is simple. do you want to do trimming all the day. plus...which one will make you more proud? a 4 year old perfect anubias/java fern(test of patience) ar i do not know what kind of Co2, high light supergrowing plant?
SLOW is the speed for aquariums


----------



## seadreamer (May 6, 2007)

I think your tank looks nice and I LOVE that big sword. I'd never get rid of that if I were you.  

If you are wanting more plants you really can't do any better than crypts. I don't know the experience of others, but mine have always spread like mad and grown quickly. There are a wide variety of styles also. Tall, short, textured, smooth, spiraled, etc.


----------



## TRD_Power (Aug 6, 2010)

I think some light ground cover (I know it's hard to find, but I have Marselia Minuta growing in my low tech 75g) and maybe a little moss would make it look ever better than it already does  Looks nice as is, though!


----------



## llamas (Jul 5, 2010)

Well, it's been a week and my plants are not looking too good. I think I have some deficiencies going on. Some of the leaves on the swords are becoming yellow and brown and starting to disintegrate. My guess is phosphate and maybe nitrogen deficiency? Maybe iron? 

EDIT: There is actually not too much yellowing, its more browning (brown patches) surrounded by a little yellow.

Additionally, my stem plantas are completely loning their on the bottom half (light mut be too low).

Anyway, I have some dry ferts and was wondering what would be the best numbers to dose. I see dozens of regimens online for high light, but none for low light tanks.
Thanks for the help.


----------



## lauraleellbp (Feb 3, 2008)

Would you post another picture?

Is it both of your swords that are browning, or just the one in the middle (which looks to me like it may be an emersed-grown form...)?

Did you trim and replant the stems already?


----------



## llamas (Jul 5, 2010)

Here they are.

I don't think that the big sword in the middle was grown emersed mainly because I have has it for almost a year and there have not been any major changes.

I replanted the stems.

The last two are of the sword in the back right corner.


----------



## lauraleellbp (Feb 3, 2008)

Yep, that does look like nutrient deficiency in the swords. I'd personally take the easy way out and give them some root tabs.

The stems look to me like they're starting to send up some new growth?


----------



## llamas (Jul 5, 2010)

I put in one seachem root tab under each sword one or two days ago. I am thinking about buying some from root medic. Would you recommend those?

Also, should I come up with a dry fert dosing plan to use once every few weeks?

Yes, I think some of the stem plants may be splitting where they were cut. However, most seem to have just lost their leaves. But I bet its just because they are near the bottom?

Thank so much!


----------



## potatoes (Dec 16, 2010)

I cant help with the deficiencies or ferts, sorry, im more of a low tech guy, but I can suggest some plants. I would go with water wisteria, water sprite, sunset hygro, pygmy chain sword or dwarf sag, and maybe some vals for the back. I also really like your sword, and removing it would also be somewhat difficult with its extensive root system, but its up to you.


----------



## lauraleellbp (Feb 3, 2008)

Yes, stems will always loose leaves at the base or wherever the leaves get shaded. There's a bit of an "art" to where to trim and replant to maximize light spread while at the same time allow the plant to "bush" out. In my tanks, older, taller stems are in the back of the tank (since they're usually the leggy ones), and I'll continually plant the trimmings in the front to hide the bare stems behind. Or use "midground" plants like crypts or something else in front of older stems.

I'm using the Root Medic tabs right now in several of my tanks. I can definitely tell growth from swords and crypts within a few weeks of adding them.

You can put together a dosing regimen for your water column if you want. I don't dose the water column in any of my tanks, though, so can't help you much with that. Check out some other low tech tanks and see what they're dosing. You shouldn't need much with your current relatively light plantload, however. Have you checked your nitrate levels?


----------



## llamas (Jul 5, 2010)

Thanks for the reply and suggestions potatoes.

i have some dwarf sag in there. Oddly, it has kind of remained dormant that whole time I've had it in there (1 year or so). No growth what-so-ever...


----------



## llamas (Jul 5, 2010)

lauraleellbp said:


> Yes, stems will always loose leaves at the base or wherever the leaves get shaded. There's a bit of an "art" to where to trim and replant to maximize light spread while at the same time allow the plant to "bush" out. In my tanks, older, taller stems are in the back of the tank (since they're usually the leggy ones), and I'll continually plant the trimmings in the front to hide the bare stems behind. Or use "midground" plants like crypts or something else in front of older stems.
> 
> I'm using the Root Medic tabs right now in several of my tanks. I can definitely tell growth from swords and crypts within a few weeks of adding them.
> 
> You can put together a dosing regimen for your water column if you want. I don't dose the water column in any of my tanks, though, so can't help you much with that. Check out some other low tech tanks and see what they're dosing. You shouldn't need much with your current relatively light plantload, however. Have you checked your nitrate levels?


.

I will purchase some root medic tabs then. I have not checked my nitrates lately. Last time I did (month ago?) They were around 10ppm. 

My plant load is light, but I plan on heavily planting once I get everything else situated. I will definitely look into crypts. They look very nice


----------



## lauraleellbp (Feb 3, 2008)

I use nitrate levels as a general indication of nutrient levels in my tanks. In low light tanks with a moderate to heavy bioload, you shouldn't need to dose much. If your nitrate level is still at 10ppm, you definitely should not need to dose any more N right now.

On the other hand, since you recently upgraded your light fixture, that should increase the nutrient demand in your tank- so if you test again, you could very well find that your N has bottomed out. If that's the case- then you probably should dose some.

It won't hurt to buy a dry fert package to keep on hand (nor is it terribly expensive), but if you do find some nitrates still in the tank right now, you might also consider just dosing some micros/trace after water changes and keeping up with Excel... that with the root tabs may very well be enough.


----------



## llamas (Jul 5, 2010)

lauraleellbp said:


> I use nitrate levels as a general indication of nutrient levels in my tanks. In low light tanks with a moderate to heavy bioload, you shouldn't need to dose much. If your nitrate level is still at 10ppm, you definitely should not need to dose any more N right now.
> 
> On the other hand, since you recently upgraded your light fixture, that should increase the nutrient demand in your tank- so if you test again, you could very well find that your N has bottomed out. If that's the case- then you probably should dose some.
> 
> It won't hurt to buy a dry fert package to keep on hand (nor is it terribly expensive), but if you do find some nitrates still in the tank right now, you might also consider just dosing some micros/trace after water changes and keeping up with Excel... that with the root tabs may very well be enough.


Actually, I downgraded my lights. Not knowing what I was getting myself into, I previously had a 2-T5 HO fixture :icon_eek:

Having that said,. my nitrates may be higher now.

I already have about 5 1lb bags of different dry ferts (was planning to go high tech) and some excel.

Would you recommend regular use of excel, or is it not necessary? Perhaps only once a week?


----------



## lauraleellbp (Feb 3, 2008)

Oh that's right- I remembered you getting the T5NOs but forgot you had HOs before that... lol

If you're keeping dwarf shrimp in this tank, then I'd go easy with the Excel- just use if needed for algae.

I think at this point it will be easiest for you to go very slowly. If you start making lots and lots of changes all at once, if you start running into issues it will be that much harder to figure out which change disrupted the balance. If you go more slowly, and just add something when you notice a deficiency, it should be easier to figure out and make adjustments accordingly.

The nice thing about low light vs high light is you have longer to figure things out, since the whole system moves more slowly.


----------



## DANIELSON (Jul 15, 2010)

That piece of driftwood is nice i would cover a good part of it with some moss. You can also cover the pot with moss too that would look awesome like a cave. Then just like said before go with some staggering size plants from back to front.


----------



## llamas (Jul 5, 2010)

Slow and steady it will be.  It's the slow pace of low-light that made me want to go that route (Well, it is fairly cheaper too :hihi

Danielson, using moss on the pot sounds cool!  I wonder if I could pull that off with some netting. I also plan on placing moss on the driftwood.


----------



## lauraleellbp (Feb 3, 2008)

Careful with netting- fish tend to get stuck in it.


----------

