# Want To Start A Planted Tank



## DaniFishGirl84 (May 4, 2015)

I'm a newbie to plated tank. I have done some research and I am looking for plants that I can put in a low tech tank. I have gravel for a substrate, and low lighting. Any suggestions for what I should put in it?


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## Arthur7 (Feb 22, 2013)

This is a simple beginner plant.

Hygrophila polysperma - Indischer Wasserfreund - Flowgrow Wasserpflanzen-Datenbank

Description:

Hygrophila polysperma is a robust and adaptable aquarium plant, which has its origins in India and Bhutan. A brown variant is also based in Sri Lanka and has been offered by the water plant nursery Tropica under the name Hygrophila polysperma "Ceylon". In the aquarium it is a common plant that is offered in many aquarium shops.

There are few aquarium plants that are so tough and accommodating regarding growth like this. The light intensity seem to play only a very minor role in its growth, which under low light availability, the plant grows more slowly and has smaller leaves. When fertilization Hygrophila polysperma is very frugal. The hardness of the water does not affect the rapid growth of the plant. CO2 is not necessary in the cultivation. In short, it is a perfect beginner plant.

Hygrophila polysperma develops many branches, so that the propagation takes place very easily. It only separates from the side shoots or shoot tip and puts them into the substrate. The rapid growth is a circumcision of the plant about once every 2-3 weeks needed.

A group of Hygrophila polysperma stems forms a beautiful eye-catcher particularly in the middle ground of the aquarium.

Much success


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

Just make sure your lighting is in the right spectrum, 5000-10000k.

Anubias or crypts are good ones to start with.


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## kalyke (Nov 19, 2014)

5000 to 10000 is not considered low lighting. It is what is considered full sun on a bright summer day type light. It is very good for high light plants and plants you want to show red, which is sunburning them slightly. 900 to 2000k is a reasonable low light. K is "kelvin" and has to do with electricity strenghth, not color temprature. PAR is the part of the light spectrum that the human eye can see. From about 550 par to 720 par you have the photosynthasis zone. This is yellow, red and deep red on the color spectum. Plants use these color photons in heir cells to create sugars with water Hence to grow.

Anubias, java fern are excellent low light plants. They grow very slowly. The benefit of low light is less problems with algea. Fish also really like lower light environments. 

How to tell when you have crossed the lighting strength in kelvin from low to high? Algea starts to grow. I have one tank With the same plant on both sides but one is low light and one side gets some sunlight. Algea grows on one side, none on the other! 

Amazing.


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## chenowethpm (Jan 8, 2014)

Sorry Kalyke but The kelvin rating has nothing to do with electricity strength you may be thinking of lumens, kelvin is only about color spectrum. Par stands for photosynthetic active radiation. Par is a good measure of high or low light.


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## Arthur7 (Feb 22, 2013)

Simply put, the light color should be white to cool white. Not warm tone.


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## Gizmo (Dec 6, 2010)

Kalyke -

As stated above, Kelvin refers to the black-body temperature rating (i.e. if you have something black under the bulb, how hot it gets). This is a reflection of the color/spectral response of the bulb. Electrical power is measured in Watts (Volts x Amps), and intensity is measured in Lumens.

PAR = Photosynthetic Active Radiation. It is the section of the light spectrum which can be utilized by plants for photosynthesis. This is roughly the same as the visible light range, but the two should not be confused. PAR is measured in micromols per meter squared, and can only be measured accurately with either a PAR meter or a light meter with the appropriate coefficient for the bulb you're measuring. Visible light is measured in either wavelength or frequency, and can be measured by a light meter or a camera (something to do with aperture and exposure time).

Hope this helps!


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## Gizmo (Dec 6, 2010)

To answer the OP's question - water wisteria, amazon swords, anubias, anachris, and hygrophilia are all great families of easy-going plants for a low-maintenance aquarium.


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