# Low light grasses?



## Playing God (Dec 13, 2012)

Hi all,

I currently have a low-light tank.
By that I mean VERY low light, I think a 17 watt bulb for my 30 gallon tall.
I have a taiwan moss carpet growing in nicely but am looking for a tall grass that works in low light. Preferably something that grows up to 18" tall, for the background/corners.

I have no idea if such a bird even exists but I figured yous guys would know,
any ideas?


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## baozi2089 (May 17, 2009)

Check out different species of vals. They have the tall grass like look and require only low light.


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## pyrrolin (Jan 11, 2012)

+1 on vals, they suck up nitrates well to


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## Playing God (Dec 13, 2012)

PERFECT!!!! 
Exactly what I'm looking for. My tank will be overflowing with moss and vals in no time. I love the lighter green of the vals as well.
I love it when I dream up something that works perfectly...then find out it actually exists!

Anyone know where to get jungle vals? I'm looking for something that will grow taller than 12".


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## baozi2089 (May 17, 2009)

I have both the regular and jungle vals in my tank. 
Check out my post:
http://www.gtaaquaria.com/forum/showthread.php?t=39466

I am at downtown Toronto tho. Why not give your LFS a call, most stores will carry these hardy species.


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## Playing God (Dec 13, 2012)

Just checked at Petsmart on the way home from church today. $2 a plant for the jungle vals. As much as I hate to buy from those chainstores i could stock my tank pretty tight at that price....if they had any in stock!


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## RCode (Dec 12, 2010)

I find the grasses you are looking
for only grow well with medium to lots of light (2-3wpg) and the help of ferts or co2.

Here is a pic of my angel digging some up. It's a mess in that corner but when all planted an filled in, it looks nice and even.










I just took this pic on the other side where it is a little more even.


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## pyrrolin (Jan 11, 2012)

vals are a tall grass type plant with stems almost an inch wide, I think you are referring to your dwarf grass which is a short grass that can carpet.


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## Playing God (Dec 13, 2012)

RCode said:


> I find the grasses you are looking
> for only grow well with medium to lots of light (2-3wpg) and the help of ferts or co2.
> 
> Here is a pic of my angel digging some up. It's a mess in that corner but when all planted an filled in, it looks nice and even.


I assumed most grasses were med to high lighting (hence the original question). I don't require a shorter fine grass for carpet because my taiwan moss has done a sweet job of that so just some jungle vals to keep my danios from killing my cardinals is ideal.
I'm grabbing some tomorrow. Thanks for the advice everyone!


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## Zebrapl3co (Mar 29, 2006)

Under water Vals are not 1" wide. I think you mean 1 cm wide, depending on whitch variety. Some wider and some less. Also, you won't be able to keep then for long with that kind of lighting. They won't grow and will eventually lift off.

Hair grass comes to mind. But it won't give you the look you are hoping to get. With that kind of lighting it won't grow in a bush.

There is no low light grass like plants is the answer you're looking for. Sorry, but all grass like plants require at the minimun medium to high light to grow well.

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## SmokeSR (Jan 28, 2009)

Vals can survive and do decent in low light. I have 12"+ vals growing in a 29g with a 14w fluorescent bulb. They took a while to adjust to low light from the high light tank i bought them from - the first month involved lots of melting, but there was growth and they've stabilized now.


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## pyrrolin (Jan 11, 2012)

I have also had vals growing in low light just fine


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## solarz (Aug 31, 2010)

I'm surprised that you can even grow moss under such light.


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## Playing God (Dec 13, 2012)

solarz said:


> I'm surprised that you can even grow moss under such light.


Interesting, I have a corkscrew val (if that's what they're called) that's growing quite bushy and sent out it's first runner about 3 weeks after buying, and my taiwan moss is rapidly becoming a 2" shag carpet (using plastic mesh along the bottom of the tank). everything seems to do fine, perhaps just grow less slowly because of the 17 watt bulb (30 gal tall)?

I just wasn't aware that I could get vals that grew beyond 10" -12".

I'm getting 3 of the jungles tomorrow, big investment of $6 so I'm not too worried either way but I seem to grow plants pretty easily in and out of the water so we'll have to see.

OH, also thought I'd mention, my tank does get a bit of indirect sunlight. It's next to a big window so perhaps the plants get a bit more than 17 watts.
I have the light on for about 15 hrs a day as well.....


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## solarz (Aug 31, 2010)

Playing God said:


> Interesting, I have a corkscrew val (if that's what they're called) that's growing quite bushy and sent out it's first runner about 3 weeks after buying, and my taiwan moss is rapidly becoming a 2" shag carpet (using plastic mesh along the bottom of the tank). everything seems to do fine, perhaps just grow less slowly because of the 17 watt bulb (30 gal tall)?
> 
> I just wasn't aware that I could get vals that grew beyond 10" -12".
> 
> ...


How long have you had those plants? Any pictures?


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## baozi2089 (May 17, 2009)

Oh ya, for more grassier looking background plant. Google up eleocharis viviapra. It's low to medium light. I have some floating in my 10G with 26w. It's doing fine. Less demanding than the dwarf hair grass.


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## Playing God (Dec 13, 2012)

solarz said:


> How long have you had those plants? Any pictures?


No pics....cause I'm lazy. I've had the corkscrew val for about a month, 7 leaves about 12" long and 9 more leaves that are 3" to 10", also a runner out that's starting a second shoot (about 1.5" tall).

Taiwan moss started as 3 little fronds from Big al's and now I broke it up (for the second time) to cover sparsely about 2 square feet. Within the month it should completely cover the mess if it keeps at it's current pace.

Just bought 2 jungle vals today from Petsmart- I'm not convinced these are actually the vallisneria americana gigantea version they claim to be, but we'll see how tall they grow....

Once my moss covers the mesh completely I'm going to populate with CRS to start my "keep it clean" campaign, as my wife would say. --unless I get too impatient, then the CRS will be thrown in early.


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## pyrrolin (Jan 11, 2012)

Just thought id add info about bulbs. Typically after 6 to 9 months bulbs lose some of the good stuff and give the same light look but not the same light effect. 

So I let people know that bulbs are only good for a year max for plants.

So if your bulbs are getting old, it may be time for new ones. I have noticed the difference myself what a new bulb can do.


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## DaFishMan (Dec 19, 2006)

Tiger vals are easily an inch wide. I had them in a 90g oscar tank was the only plant they didn't rip up. 

Val nano is a nice one in smaller tanks. 

Check out sagitteria pusilla don't see that one everyday. Like a dwarf sag but taller, lighter green and thinner more graceful leaves. I found it at sauble beach a few yrs back.


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## Ryan.Wilton (Dec 12, 2012)

Why don't you just buy a high watt bulb since you have a 30gallon... They're not that expensive, I think $20 for a proper wattage at Petsmart's about right.


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## Playing God (Dec 13, 2012)

Ryan.Wilton said:


> Why don't you just buy a high watt bulb since you have a 30gallon... They're not that expensive, I think $20 for a proper wattage at Petsmart's about right.


I wasn't aware that I could get a 24" flourescent in anything other than 17 watts... Right now I just have the old flourescent in there, when it dies I'll grab a colour max bulb (has peaks in the right spots for chlorophyll a and b so good enough for my plants).


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