Low light plants for top fin lighting

[Virtualmaze]

Any plans that could survive top fin 55 led lighting?
I would much rather keep the closed top as it is now... Is that possible? Would love a green tank.... Not picky about what plants.
Changed to sand substrate after the picture.

 

[carsonsgjs]

Java fern, anubias and bucephalandra all do well in low light - they are unfussy in general.

 

[TClare]

In addition there are also some stem plants that will grow and help to fill out the tank more quickly. I have had success with Limnophila sessiliflora, Hygrophila and Heteranthera zosterifolia in low light tanks.

 

[CindiL]

Anubias also would do well. The biggest problem with low light tanks is that diatoms often will out compete your plants. A medium light fixture helps prevent them.

 

[ChrissFishes01]

Cryptocorynes would be a fantastic choice.

They come in a huge variety of leaf shapes and colors - Crypt Wendtii Green and Red both have fairly broad leaves, although the leaves are usually a bronzeish color in low-light with the Red variety. Something like Crypt Parva or Lucens is a bit taller with narrow, light green leaves. Crypt Spiralis gets much taller than the other common varieties and has spiraling, green leaves.

All are low-light root feeders - root tabs under them will help healthy growth, but I've grown them before without them.

 

[TClare]

The biggest problem with low light tanks is that diatoms often will out compete your plants.

This is true if you only have a few, slow growing plants, but with a greater plant mass from the beginning diatoms will be less of a problem, even in low light set ups. That is why in a new tank stem plants are good to include along with the much slower growing Anubias, Cryptocorynes etc. With this strategy I have found that diatoms, even if they appear early on, quickly disappear as the plants become established.