Can I plant with this set-up?

**saffikeagan** · 12-10-2013, 02:00 AM

I have two single bulb fixtures that fit one 24" T8 bulb each sitting over my 18 inch high and 60 inch long 100 gallon tank. I purchased two 17 watt color mx coralife bulbs. Can I plant with this set up, or do I need to get better bulbs?

**Cliff** · 12-10-2013, 02:58 AM

that is very low lighting

perhaps a few easy to care for floating plants or some type of moss placed a little higher up on some driftwood

**talldutchie** · 12-10-2013, 05:43 AM

That's one option. Java fern and anubias might work as well

**saffikeagan** · 12-10-2013, 06:45 PM

Can I get higher watt bulbs? What do you recommend?

**Brhino** · 12-10-2013, 07:00 PM

you can't get higher watt bulbs, you're limited by the fixture. If you want more light you'll need a bigger (and more expensive) fixture with longer bulbs, and more of them.

With that said the java fern and anubias are good suggestions. I've grown java ferns in a tank with no lighting at all, only ambient room light. But if you want anything but the least demanding of plants, you're going to need a much better fixture.

**saffikeagan** · 12-11-2013, 03:43 AM

Really, what I'm thinking of would be ground cover that would stay low but cover the substrate.

**Brhino** · 12-11-2013, 04:41 AM

ground cover plants tend to be one of the most light-demanding, from what I've read. Haven't gotten into them myself. I have a 75 gallon planted tank that I would call "low light" and it's got four 48" T5 bulbs... so over four times the light output you're dealing with. In particular with ground cover plants if you don't give them enough light they'll grow upwards to try to get more (because the farther down into the tank you go, the less power your lights are supplying) rather than spreading out in the nice cover effect.