I have a low tech setup using the standard Rena lighting (about 1wpg) in my tank, although I've changed the lamps to Interpet jobs. I used a proper plant substrate then put sand on top (I also added some root tabs later on). I stuck with easy to grow(hard to kill) plants like amazon swords, crypts, sagitaria sub., hygrophila, egeria densa, rotala, dwarf hairgrass, anubia, java fern and java moss. If you stick with those, you shouldn't have any problems with standard lighting and no co2. I had a bit of an algae bloom at the start but since then my shrimp have taken care of any algae that grows. I often work away and come back to a jungle, so I give it a quick 10minute prune and a water change, add some liquid fert (seachem flourish) and that's it. Very low maintenance. I have plenty of fish to keep the plants fed. The only plants that I've struggled to grow are vallis (I've had 2 types) and Limnophila Aquatica, which just died on me quickly. In fact I managed to get one stem to grow quite successfully then my rummy nosed tetras ate it in about a day! I think the vallis problems were down to lighting as they were in the corner where the lighting is very low. I've since put some more Hygrophila and Egeria Densa and they've grown with no problems. Some people would consider my plants as weeds but in the end, I'm planting the tank for the fish first, so I'm not too bothered on growing hard to grow plants. Good luck with it, if I can do it, anyone can!
