15 Gallon Tank Ideal Low/Med Light Foreground/Midground Plants

HI Fishlore.

Looking for some good Low to Medium Light plants to put in my 15 Gallon Aquarium. To help you out, I have a single 15W T8 bulb with a Juwel Reflector attached, and am looking for foreground to midground plants. I am very new to the live plants idea, and would appreciate any help. I currently have some Ludwigia Repens as well as what I believe is Mayaca Fluviatilis. Any suggests are more than welcome as it will be a lot more useful to me to take in as much knowledge from Fishlore as I can.

Regards,

Dan.

 

I'm new to underwater plants as well and I recently got some watersprites and java fern. I'm convinced they are both almost unkillable because they are growing like crazy in my tank with no help whatsoever from me beyond the occasional trim. I've also read similar things about java moss though I don't have any in my tank. I'll be getting that for my shrimp tank that I've already hinted to my husband I would like for Christmas.

 

Various plants from the genus cryptocoryne would work as both as both fore and midground plants and work in your set up.

 

I am very new to plants as well. But I have java moss tied to some rocks. I had read it was slow growing, but mine has shot up like crazy!

edit to add:

I have no special lights, ferts or anything in the tank they are growing in.

also have some brazillian pennywort that is doing really well too!

 

My java moss seems to be pretty hearty too with no additional hlep from me ( lights/fertilizers )
The pleco's clean it off for me and they are pretty effortless to keep. Plus they look pretty cool too!
I am also experimenting with the water wisteria and anarchis. Both seem to be thriving well.

 

Thanks for your responses, has given me some real good ideas on what to be on the lookout for. Does anyone know if Anubias Nana would be a good plant? And if it can be planted or has to be tied?

I would love to see some example pictures of these low light plants in peoples tanks, it would be a good help to decide as when I look for these plants the pictures are normally of them out of water against a white background.

Regards,

Dan.

 

Yes, anubias nana would work as well. It does best tied to something.

 

You can see the anarchis plant ( tall green plant in the back near the heater ) and the moss ball in my signature picture. I recently put in the water wisteria - don't have any pics yet

 

Most Anubias species are low light I'm new to plants as well and mine are doing great in medium light. They are found in west Africa rivers and most attach to wood and rocks and don't need co2.






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I currently have a micro sword for my foreground in my low light tank. I am going for a carpet effect with this plant.

 

Good low light plants include:

Java Fern, tied to hardscape
Windelov Fern, tied to hardscape
Jungle Val , background
Corkscrew Vals, background
Dwarf Sag, midground...looks like blades of grass and will easily spread
Anubias nana species
Anubias coffeefolia, one of my favorites
Coryptocoryne, petchiI would make a good foreground plant

If you don't already a carefully placed rock or piece of driftwood can be all that's needed to make a tank look well balanced too.

 

Bacopia
java fern
water sprite
horn wort
Java moss


I second the rock/drift wood motion.

 

Thanks for the replies, some very good ideas of plants now. Is it possible to grow species that should be tied to driftwood from the soil, rooted? Or must they be tied? I plan to place a small piece of driftwood off centre and some rocks the other off centre, to create a cave and hiding area. How much would a 12cm piece of driftwood stain the water in a 15G if it has been boiled and soaked several times?

Dan.

 

I almost never tie my java fern. You have a few options, you can bury some of the leaves in the gravel, the roots will take hold of the gravel on their own. The leaf will either die off, grow a new plant, or be fine until the fern has rooted and you can remove it from the gravel. or just bury some of the brown roots in the gravel, not the rhizome though.

 

Good low light plants include:

Java Fern, tied to hardscape
Windelov Fern, tied to hardscape
Jungle Val , background
Corkscrew Vals, background
Dwarf Sag, midground...looks like blades of grass and will easily spread
Anubias nana species
Anubias coffeefolia, one of my favorites
Coryptocoryne, petchiI would make a good foreground plant

If you don't already a carefully placed rock or piece of driftwood can be all that's needed to make a tank look well balanced too.

Is there anyway to make this list of low light plants into a sticky? Perhaps add a list of moderate light plants, high light plants as well?

Perhaps add in what are good foreground, midground, and back ground plants. I think it would be useful to us

 

So that we don't hijack this thread by putting together a more expanded list, I will start a separate thread. Then everyone can add to it.

https://www.fishlore.com/aquariumfishforum/threads/quick-reference-plant-list.121089/

 

Sounds like a very good idea, very useful and extremely handy to newcomers to plants such as myself Thanks.