Newbie looking for plant suggestions

[Tool13x]

Hello, I have a 55g tank setup with Rosy Barbs, a Bristle nose pleco, a Bolivian Ram and Cory cats on a sand substrate.
I have been wanting to do some live plants and I really dont know where to begin. All I have for lighting is the the (2) 18" T8 Aqueon full spectrum bulbs that came with the hood.
Are there any low light plants that will grow under these bulbs? I was looking at some Anubias and Java Fern but will they be a good fit?
My water parameters are 112GH, 89KH, and 7.6pH @76F

 

[Jake3030]

Anubias and Java fern would work well. You could also do some rotala indica or tissue cultured plants.

 

[Tool13x]

Anubias and Java fern would work well. You could also do some rotala indica or tissue cultured plants.

Thanks for the suggestions, Im looking for any variety that may work.
Forgive my ignorance but what are tissue cultured plants?
Is it required or recommended to put flourish or some other fertilizer in the water when you have live plants? And is there any effect on the fish?

 

[Jake3030]

Tissue cultured would be like the 1 2 grow by tropica. Basically you will get it out of water and plant it in the water. They grow quite quickly and are easy to maintain. I use fertilizer in my planted tanks but you dont have to. If there is effect on the fish i have never heard of it/noticed it but maybe someone else has. Good luck with your tank!

 

[Toney]

Jungle val, ludwigia, wisteria, cryptocoryne, all do well for me

 

[Chief Brody]

Anubias and java would be perfect. Ferts get expensive, might wanna take it slow there. You'll need to pinpoint the chemistry of your setup to get any real benefit from fertilizer. I grow anubias without ferts but with a good current and lots of algae eaters

Sent from my SM-G730V using Tapatalk

 

[Tool13x]

Thanks for the suggestions everyone, I picked up some Anubias Nana, Crypt Spiralis and I decided to try a few Amazon Swords on suggestion from my LFS staff. I think thats a good start, now lets see if I can keep them healthy!

 

[NickAu]

Where are the photos?

 

[Byron]

Hello, I have a 55g tank setup with Rosy Barbs, a Bristle nose pleco, a Bolivian Ram and Cory cats on a sand substrate.
I have been wanting to do some live plants and I really dont know where to begin. All I have for lighting is the the (2) 18" T8 Aqueon full spectrum bulbs that came with the hood.
Are there any low light plants that will grow under these bulbs? I was looking at some Anubias and Java Fern but will they be a good fit?
My water parameters are 112GH, 89KH, and 7.6pH @76F

I think you may have issues with low light here. Can you provide the tank dimensions? And confirm there are just two 18-inch T8 tubes?

 

[Tool13x]

I think you may have issues with low light here. Can you provide the tank dimensions? And confirm there are just two 18-inch T8 tubes?

Yes the hood came with just 2 18" T8 bulbs. It's a 55 gal 48" L x 21" H x 13" D. Is this not enough light even for low light conditions?

 

[Byron]

Yes the good came with just 2 18" T8 bulbs. It's a 55 gal 48" L x 21" H x 13" D. Is this not enough light even for low light conditions?

It is certainly low light, which means Java Moss, maybe Anubias, maybe Java Fern will manage but you will need better tubes than the Aqueon. Your sword is not likely to make it; the crypts might.

I have used the Aqueon full spectrum. The single best tube I have found is the Hagen Life-Glo. With two of these you might just manage. You are certain the tubes are 18 inches and not 24 inches? Measure them end to end.

 

[Tool13x]

It is certainly low light, which means Java Moss, maybe Anubias, maybe Java Fern will manage but you will need better tubes than the Aqueon. Your sword is not likely to make it; the crypts might.

I have used the Aqueon full spectrum. The single best tube I have found is the Hagen Life-Glo. With two of these you might just manage. You are certain the tubes are 18 inches and not 24 inches? Measure them end to end.

Tape is out in the workshop but I took the bulb out and I can see the manufacturers info. 18" Aqueon 15w Full Spectrum T8 , I was a surprised to see that too because the plastic housing says it should be a 24" 18w. Aqueon must have cheaped out and used the same plastic housing for the 24" and 18" fixtures. Why they wouldn't just always put the largest fixture that they can fit in the housing i don't know.
Thanks for the bulb suggestion but probably I won't be investing any money into any fluorescents. If I'm going to have to upgrade my lighting to do any plants at all then I guess I might as well invest in an LED, I see the beamswork is only $65.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LFF07XS/?tag=ff0d01-20
I don't want to come off as a cheapskate but I just put close to $400 into my setup in the last month (which was surprisingly easy to do!) and I really just wanted to be done with the spending. I have a feeling my wife is about to ban me from the LFS, lol.
So anyways, if my plants are going to struggle or just plain wither away with the lighting I have, is that Beamswork light a good budget purchase?

 

[Chief Brody]

Just grab a cheap shop light from any home improvement center. They're led now, plenty powerful

Sent from my SM-G730V using Tapatalk

 

[Byron]

Not all lighting that says it is good for freshwater plants will be good. When buying LED you have t know exactly what you are getting. I have had five LED fixtures and all went back within a few days because they were not good light.

The unit linked in post #12 is very high in the blue light, and this bothers me. Light has to be intense enough to drive photosynthesis, but it also has to be of the right spectrum (the colour wavelengths).

 

[Tool13x]

Where are the photos?

Here we are, this is what I have so far. I think I will be upgrading my light so I have more options on getting some low lying plants for the foreground. Oh and the Spiralis is probably going to be swapped out, turns out Rosy Barbs think its pretty tasty.