VERY low light plants

[Joshaeus]

HI everyone! My male Betta smaragdina, Azure, is currently living in an almost bare tank...the tank was getting severely algae infested, so I ripped all the plants out and did an extensive tank cleaning. I want to start again with a low light, high tech tank - I want to shoot for PAR levels from 15-30 umol at the subtrate while simultaneously dosing CO2. What are some plants that would do well under such conditions? I'm not expecting rapid growth...just stable, healthy growth with little to no algae. Thanks

 

[TWiG87]

Some plants that come to mind are
Java fern/moss
Vallisneria
Bacopa Caroliniana
Some crypts

 

[Joshaeus]

Some plants that come to mind are
Java fern/moss
Vallisneria
Bacopa Caroliniana
Some crypts

Thanks! I thought bacopa needed more light than that, though?

 

[PascalKrypt]

I've grown anubias nana in a dark cupboard without tank light. It managed to produce a new leaf from time to time and didn't decay at all.

 

[Bryangar]

The same plants that were listed from the same question asked a million times

 

[IHaveADogToo]

I know this might seem kind of pedestrian but what about moss balls? I've seen people unroll them and use them as a carpet before. I haven't done that myself but I have a nice little collection of moss balls myself and they've survived some extremely dark (and bright) lighting situations.

 

[FantasyFanVII]

Moss balls will grow in just about anything, so you'll be safe with them. Java and Christmas moss can also make a decent low light carpet. I've actually kept both species in a bucket with no light for 2-3 weeks to kill hair algae and both recovered well. So yeah they're pretty hardy ;p
I've also personally kept java fern, java fern windelov, susswassertang, anubias nana, anubias nana petite, dwarf sagittaria, duckweed, salvinia minima, vesuvius sword (they don't do great, but they live) and cryptocoryne wendtiI green/bronze/red. Note: the red crypts aren't very red and for whatever reason the green crypts turned the same color as them after they were added. Don't ask me why.

 

[Level99Fishing]

Hygrophila polysperma ... hands down most underrated plant lol

This thing is indestructible and grows like a weed even under low light.

Algae infestation I hear you say? Fear not! Throw in a few bunches of these stems and your algae will be no more!

EDIT: These plants will be killer with your CO2 injection. You'll be trimming them every second day!

 

[FantasyFanVII]

Oh yeah stem plants. Pogostemon stellatus octopus, water sprite, and water wisteria are also pretty good. But, like Level99Fishing said stem plants + CO2 DOES NOT = low maintenance. It will help with algae though. As will floating plants.

 

[PascalKrypt]

Oh yeah stem plants. Pogostemon stellatus octopus, water sprite, and water wisteria are also pretty good. But, like Level99Fishing said stem plants + CO2 DOES NOT = low maintenance. It will help with algae though. As will floating plants.

Pogostemon stellata is definitely not a low light plant, it will wither and die in poor light circumstances where other stem plants still continue to grow (hygrophila is a better, similar option).

 

[FantasyFanVII]

Reallly? Could of sworn I'd seen people using it in low light breeding tanks as a fry shelter. Must of been thinking of something else. Oops. Sorry, but the other plants I've mentioned should still work... I think. Why must there be so many plants ;P

 

[PascalKrypt]

Reallly? Could of sworn I'd seen people using it in low light breeding tanks as a fry shelter. Must of been thinking of something else. Oops. Sorry, but the other plants I've mentioned should still work... I think. Why must there be so many plants ;P

It's not a really high light plant but it has a reputation for being a bit of a fussy plant to grow. I've had this plant since I started the hobby - it is one of my favourites - and it has been tried in pretty much all of my two dozen tanks. It hates more than half of them, and thrives in only three. These tanks are all low tech, which is probably a part of the cause.

In any case, not a plant I'd recommend for stringent conditions.
It is naturally possible that someone who has conditions that please them manages to grow them low light. One of three tanks they do like is relatively dark.