Here's what I have...
10 gallon tank
Heater (although I would prefer not to have one)
HOB Filter
Glass top
Dual T5 Light Fixture...the 10,000K light and the one that looks a bit purple that is recommended for plants
NO CO2...but the option to add it if I choose
So, I don't want any plants that will out-grow this tank quickly because I have no time to prune a lot of bunch plants all the time and I would rather not use CO2.
What do you suggest for plants?
http://www.guppies.com/forums/showthread.php/19890-How-To-Easy-amp-Beautiful-Natural-Low-Tech-Tanks
Hi Fishnut, this will be an excellent topic for discussion tomorrow @ our little gathering.
In a nutshell, understanding the corelation of light & plants will make things a lot easier in selecting type of plants & the necessity of nutrients and yes lights & carbon are macro nutrients.
If i may offer another piece of advice, in doing research on planted topics on the WWW always try to visit established planted sites & authors such as Tom Barr, Diana Walstad, Karen Randall & many others out there, we don`t go to a Chinese Buffet to have a good Steak , do we?
There are lots of commonly available species low-tech plants such as swords, crypts, mosses, hygro, saggataria, anubias etc. Any of these will survive without the addition of CO2 but make sure your lighting isn't too strong.
For what it's worth, I've been able to grow Hemanthius Callichotoides and Hemantius Micrantemoides in a low-light, non-co2 tank. Both grew very slowly, but steady, despite being rated as "high-light" plants by most [well-rated] sites such as Tropica, PlantedTank.net and APC PlantFinder.
It's all in the balance, as long as your light matches the amount of CO2 and Ferts, any plants should grow. They may just grow so slowly that either you won't notice ;) or your fish or snails will eat them.
Just my 2 cents based on very little experience. I could very well try this again and fail lamentably :D
I have similar tanks: 2 x 10 gallon and 1 x 15 tall that are low tech. I use Seachem Exel, Flourish and Trace; substrate is fluorite, also Seachem. I have no algae now that I installed Marineland LED light over each (just the very slow growing brown stuff on the glass). I can grow Java fern, J moss, Limnophila, brown Crypts, Sagattaria with my eyes closed. Terrific for the couch potatoe! I do 50% water changes weekly though and once every 5 or 6 weeks I clean the glass.