I am intending to do a shallow open-top setup and would appreciate some input on north american plants that do well in such settings AND are low-light. Yes, you can also mention semi-aquatic plants...anyhow, thanks for any replies!
Low-light, readily available North American aquatic plants
Started by
Guest_Joshaeus_*
, Jul 03 2013 04:08 PM
12 replies to this topic
#2
Guest_gerald_*
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Posted 03 July 2013 - 04:44 PM
I haven't found any natives that tolerate low-light the way tropical Anubias, Cryptocoryne, and Java fern do, but some moderate-light easy natives to try are Ludwigia palustris, Ceratophyllum, Sagittaria, Cabomba, Echinodorus tenellus, Micranthemum umbrosum, Elodea canadensis, ... folks have other suggestions??? ... and where the heck has our Nativeplanter been ???
If you let them grow emergent they can probably survive with less light than if submerged (although once their heads are above water, the new underwater growth may be all stems and roots).
If you let them grow emergent they can probably survive with less light than if submerged (although once their heads are above water, the new underwater growth may be all stems and roots).
#3
Guest_gzeiger_*
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Posted 03 July 2013 - 04:51 PM
Floating plants like water lettuce do well. All roots underwater though.
#4
Guest_Orangespotted_*
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Posted 03 July 2013 - 04:56 PM
How much light are we talking here? Also curious how much land area there will be, since some emergents not typically found in aquariums become possibilities. I have a hard time seeing Cabomba thriving in low light conditions, and Ludwigia will be scraggly and melty at best. Ceratophyllum will also melt periodically in such conditions, elodea will get by. Baby's tears get to be tall plants in low light instead of a lower to medium plant.
Edited by Orangespotted, 03 July 2013 - 04:57 PM.
#5
Guest_Joshaeus_*
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Posted 03 July 2013 - 04:58 PM
Honestly, probably ambient room light...it's safe to say that most of my options wll be emersed.
#6
Guest_Joshaeus_*
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Posted 03 July 2013 - 04:59 PM
To my credit I will use Flourish comprehensive (and possibly flourish excel) in the tank like I do in my other 2 tanks.
#7
Guest_Orangespotted_*
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Posted 03 July 2013 - 06:39 PM
Hmmm... sounds like you will be growing lots of low-light algae :/ most low-light plants happen to also be slow growers. This makes me think that they might not use all that fertilizer up like you'd want them to. Could you describe your ambient room light? Low-light plants that I think would be cool are the Ranas (buttercups) which I often see sheltered under trees at the edges of small water bodies, or some of the more amphibious native Violas (pansies and violets). I still think they get quite the glare from the water though?
#8
Guest_gzeiger_*
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Posted 03 July 2013 - 07:56 PM
Pansies are definitely not low-light plants. They could be okay with a lamp on them, but I don't think they'd thrive with just an overhead room light. Buttercups are cool.
I agree the fertilizer is unlikely to be a big help in low light conditions.
I agree the fertilizer is unlikely to be a big help in low light conditions.
#9
Guest_Joshaeus_*
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Posted 03 July 2013 - 08:03 PM
Fortunately, the 'no-light' is no longer necessary. Due to some re-arranging of my room's aquarium lights (with my sister's help) I now have a 75 watt light for the tank. If anything, I now have reason to fear the tank being too bright...certainly too bright for the amazon frogbit I recently acquired. Anyways, thankx for all the responses!
#10
Guest_EricaLyons_*
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Posted 03 July 2013 - 08:05 PM
What is your reasoning for not wanting to put a light on the tank? It's very inexpensive to light aquariums. http://forum.nanfa.o...ing-for-125gal/
For example you can light a 55 gallon or any four foot long tank for $10 of a T8 fixture and $10 for two bulbs and grow plants great.
I use 100 to 200 lumens per gallon of blue rich light and grow myriophyllum pinnatum, riccia fluitans, ricciocarpus natans, ludwigia repens, ceratophyllum demersum, bacopa monnieri, etc, all of the named ones of which are native plants.
For example you can light a 55 gallon or any four foot long tank for $10 of a T8 fixture and $10 for two bulbs and grow plants great.
I use 100 to 200 lumens per gallon of blue rich light and grow myriophyllum pinnatum, riccia fluitans, ricciocarpus natans, ludwigia repens, ceratophyllum demersum, bacopa monnieri, etc, all of the named ones of which are native plants.
#11
Guest_Orangespotted_*
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Posted 03 July 2013 - 08:59 PM
Bleh gzeiger pointed out my synecdoche 
I was thinking of violets only but the family includes pansies x) Nice to hear you got some lighting! That will nicely expand your options.
I was thinking of violets only but the family includes pansies x) Nice to hear you got some lighting! That will nicely expand your options.
Edited by Orangespotted, 03 July 2013 - 08:59 PM.
#12
Guest_gzeiger_*
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Posted 05 July 2013 - 03:06 AM
Pansies are by far the more readily available commercially, so I thought it unlikely that the tank would end up with some nice violet based on that advice 
#13
Guest_EricaLyons_*
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Posted 05 July 2013 - 09:45 AM
There are several native floating plants you could use an an alternative to amazon frogbit. Ricciocarpus natans, riccia fluitans, ceratophyllum demersum, azolla caroliniana, even lemna gibba. I grow my ludwigia repens basically floating. Once it hits the surface it spreads out and branches and is like a floating plant with a stabilizer stem.for the amazon frogbit
Try searching this plant database to find more native plants: http://plants.usda.g...le?symbol=Lure2
Edited by EricaLyons, 05 July 2013 - 09:51 AM.
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