# Anubias



## slim (Feb 9, 2012)

Probably a dumb question, but I was wondering if anubias could live in a tank where my lighting is on top of the glass lid?


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## Will (Jul 24, 2008)

How is this different from most setups?


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## slim (Feb 9, 2012)

Doesn't the light fixture have to be directly on top of the water, with no glass or anythong between?


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## Will (Jul 24, 2008)

Nope.

And keep in mind that anubias does well at low light levels, even better as it has no immunity to algae, so in highlight it often becomes overrun.


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## iBetta (Jun 19, 2011)

most aquariums have glass lids on them. only very high light planted tanks or for aesthetic reasons do people put the lights directly on top. 
like will said, anubias are very low-light and low-demanding plants and will do well in a wide range of light intensities


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## slim (Feb 9, 2012)

I have a 72 g corner bowfront and a 90 g standard which are both tall (24") tanks and have standard T8 duel light fixtures for them, but the max. wattage bulbs I've seen are 40w, am I not looking hard enough or is that the max they make in T8? For my 90 that's less than 1w/gallon, will anubias survive in this? 
In my 72 I have a thriving sword, a barteri, java fern all doing well, but a bunch of vals that look horrible. After getting them the leaves grew over a foot long each in less then 2 weeks, new sprouts popping up all throughout substrate, but they were all brown, and eventually transparent, and dying all over, but they continue to grow and sprout new growth, but I can't get them to green up. What am I doing wrong?


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## BillD (Jun 5, 2006)

Is the tank evenly lit? With odd shaped tanks such as corner bow, it is difficult to light evenly. T8 tubes at 48" are 32 watts; that is the norm. What type of fixture is on the 90 and where is it situated? Would it be practical to add a second 2 light fixture (such as shoplight)? Lastly, what type of tubes are you using? my preference is for 5000K Natural Sunshine from Philips, although the 6500K Daylights are also very good; or you can mix them. As well, what type of Vals are you trying to grow? I have had good luck with 1 W of T8 per gallon using a bare tube with no reflector above it.


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## slim (Feb 9, 2012)

In the 90 I don't currently have plants, I was scared to try which initiated this thread. I have a GLO ballast with 2 32w t8s under a custom made reflector.
On the 72 I have a dual 36" fixture, right in the centre with a 40w power glow T8 and a 35w Aqua Glow T8.
I don't know the strain of my vals, tag said giant vals when I bought them. I notice now that some of the new really thick leaves are a dark brown with a little bit of green up through the center. I don't know what is different, but they look a little better anyways.


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