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I have a 29 gallon with the regular same old stock hood on it. Would i be able to get away with anacharis, java fern, and some crypts in it? its probly only an 18 watt bulb but i know those plants can survive in low light, what would you recomend? Also how much would it cost for a double light fixture to go over a glass canopy?

They'll survive. My experience with standard lighting on tanks is that growth is very slow, almost minimal. If you want to keep it low ligth and you're up for a DIY project home depot sells dual bulb fixtures for aroudn 20 that will fit over it. A glass canopy should cost aroudn the same.

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[hr width='40%']"I'm alright, I'm alright
It only hurts when I breathe"

Azrael - check out the list under the Easy Life Habitat here for plants that can survive low lighting conditions and no co2.

[link=http://www.azgardens.com/newhabts2.php]http://www.azgardens.com/newhabts2.php" style="COLOR: #C000C0[/link]

There are others like many anubias can survive it too, as well as java fern and java moss.

Interesting that they would list Rotala indica, my experience with it is that it's a very slow growing plant in the conditions they list and what growth it is looks stunted and raggedy.
Unless of course it's just me ....I've got two different tanks with rotala in it, same substrate. One recieving 1.5wpg no CO2, the other with 2.2wpg and DIY CO2. The difference between the two is simply remarkable.....I'll try and get some shots later today.

^_^


[hr width='40%']"I'm alright, I'm alright
It only hurts when I breathe"

Hmmmmm i know those guys are pros, but it doesen't sound good
Ozelot swords are medium to high light and they need a good substrate or fert tabs to thrive
Lillys will survive but they'll start shooting surface leaves like crazy in order to get more light, and those can become a pest.
Rotala, Babel is right, it does do better with more light and co2

IME Dwarf onions are just a name, they get huge in no time. and also are medium to high light.

In general is funny they even include stem plants on the list without the proper lighting you'll end up with huge stems and and very few leaves.

The diference i guess is if they will survive or if they would thrive, in low light tanks, is better to go with plants that will do good in those light conditions. I would recommend Anubias, they are many different varieties and are hardy nice looking plants. Java fern is also a good choice, and also has many shapes and forms, Windelov is an incredible plant. Java moss or xmas moss.

Sagitarias would do fine, a bit slow but they will grow.

Water wisteria would do good if you leave it as a floating plant.

Good luck and let us know what you choose

Well i've got some java fern attached to a cave now and a couple cuttings of anacharis in there, still to early to tell how its doing. By the way will the java fern eventually attach itself to the cave or am i gonna have to leave the elastic on?

It'll attach itself , might take awhile, especaially as it's rock but it'll attach. Java does appreaciate CO2 so if theres any way to run a DIY unit you might consider it as a jump start on the growth.

^_^



[hr width='40%']"I'm alright, I'm alright
It only hurts when I breathe"

i'm not sure how to do a diy co2, anyone care to explain?

Well, I didn't make a DIY, I bought one (I know, oxymoron)

[link=http://www.whalesale.com/hagen-nutrafin-natural-co2-system-p-134.html]http://www.whalesale.com/hagen-nutrafin-natural-co2-system-p-134.html" style="COLOR: #C000C0[/link]

I use my own yeast, and actually, will be making a cannister out of a 1 gallon bottle to supplement.

You need something to hold the sugar/yeast/water mixture (some add other things like baking soda and protein powder, including me). Then you need tubing and something to hold the co2 gas that is created in the cannister, in the water where it can dissolve. There are elaborate plans out there. ONce I got the setup from nutrafin, I can use the bubble ladder. Bubbles come out at the bottom about once every 3-5 seconds. They slowly work their way up the ladder getting smaller and smaller. This means it is dissolving into microscopic bubbles in the water column where the plants pick it up. It lowers pH in the process.

It's actually more simple than I percieved it to be and I'm one of the longest holdouts, I think . I wouldn't be without it and will likely have pressurized co2 sometime in the future.

Oh yeah - see if you can get the link in the first post in this thread. You'll have to copy/paste. It loads slowly, but has great graphics if you can use it.