plants...

[schizo_fish]

can anyone tell me of any nice plants that are easy to look after but dont grow too fast?

 

[yhbae]

How much light do you have? If you don't have much (less than 2w/g) then you should look into Java Moss and Java Ferns. Both are near impossible to kill. Try clicking on my 25g tank to see what Java Ferns are like in a low light tank - I have less than 1w/g in that tank.

 

[Tempestuousfury]

Java ferns are a very good starter plant. They can handle much abuse. Mine reproduced in a five gallon tank lit by incandescent lights, so that tells you how hardy they are.

 

[schizo_fish]

my tank size is:
100cm(39")long x 40cm(16")wide x 45cm(18")deep

my lighting is:
1 x AQUA-GLO 36" fluorescent tube 30W 18,000K
1 x SUN-GLO 36" fluorescent tube 30W 4,200K

 

[yhbae]

my tank size is:
100cm(39")long x 40cm(16")wide x 45cm(18")deep

my lighting is:
1 x AQUA-GLO 36" fluorescent tube 30W 18,000K
1 x SUN-GLO 36" fluorescent tube 30W 4,200K

Your tank is roughly a 50g tank, so you have just over 1w/g, which is considered to be a low-light tank.

You should try out java ferns and java moss as starters. You don't need any CO2 injection and they will still multiply quite well in your environment.

 

[schizo_fish]

technically my tank is 40 (uk) gallons but probably only contains about 35 (uk) gallons of water which is about 42 (us) gallons.
also, doesn't the 1800k tube acount for anything?

 

[yhbae]

technically my tank is 40 (uk) gallons but probably only contains about 35 (uk) gallons of water which is about 42 (us) gallons.
also, doesn't the 1800k tube acount for anything?

I'm definitely not the expert in lighting, despite reading about them forever...

If I remember correctly, plants need blue and red/yellow more than other colors. Your Aqua-Glo (I have the same) will not give you any better result than buying a regular cool white bulbs from the hardware store (for plants at least). In fact, I have the proof - I have a cheapo bulb from home depot on one of my grow tank, and plants do better there, even with the equivalent w/g, although fishes look like crap as most of the light it emmits are yellowish.

I was thinking of changing from Aqua-Glo to Power-Glo as it appears to give more lights for plants at same wattage rating without turning all fishes yellow, but I haven't tried that out yet.

For serious planted tanks, they go at least 3w/g...