Help Added Floating Plants But Now Not Much Light

[marieukxx]

I just added some Slavinia Natans to my Betta tank which I planted yesterday. They cover the whole top of the water and now not much light is coming through. Is this ok? Or should I take loads out?

 

[Caprichoso]

What are the lighting requirements of your other plants? If they are low light plants, they will probably be fine but if not, you may have to thin out the floating plants. I contain my floating plants to a circular piece of air line tubing that floats on the surface. Once they start to grow outside of the ring, I take them out so I'm not overrun by them.

 

[marieukxx]

I don't know I have these:

Gymnocoronis Spilanthoides
Micromanthemum Umbrosum
Bonsai Anubias on Bogwood

 

[Caprichoso]

First one needs bright light, second will be fine but may start to grow more tall and leggy and the third one will be fine. This is of coarse a very general statement as we don't know if you dose ferts or have CO2.

 

[marieukxx]

I was hoping that the Micromanthemum Umbrosum would spread and sort of carpet the tank. No I don't use anything. I was hoping to just put them in and they'd be ok.

 

[Caprichoso]

It will only spread out like a carpet in high light, otherwise, it will grow more upright.

 

[RadaR]

Plants that "need high light" can be grown in low light if given CO2 and regular nutrients. So the term "high light" should be replaced with "high energy". Plants in low light can stay compact if given CO2.

 

[Caprichoso]

First one needs bright light, second will be fine but may start to grow more tall and leggy and the third one will be fine. This is of coarse a very general statement as we don't know if you dose ferts or have CO2.

Yep, which is why I asked this.