# Total Failure!



## InuGirlTeen (Oct 26, 2008)

Yeah, so my 60 gallon has about .5 wpg and my plants live but don't grow. To solve this problem I will have to add more lighting to the tank which will be very costly.

After much debate... I have decided to remove my ugly little live plants and fill my tank with large, full, silk ones! =D

Conclusion:
Plants in dirt love me, but plants in water have another opinion.


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## smark (Dec 2, 2008)

Maybe later you can try again, a little at a time.


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

Keep a little java moss in with your silk plants. It grows slow, but its great for fry.


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## lohachata (Jan 27, 2006)

how long is this 60 gallon tank?? ve haf vays ov dealing mit dees problems.. ve vill overcome das low light..
ok... i speak lousy german.
there are some very reasonable high output lights that will give you plenty of light. (but i will have to hunt the info down)... 
some really great low light plants are anubias and java fern.. they will almost grow in the dark.and fish don't eat them.
you are not a failure....... you just haven't reached your goal yet.


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## silverfly (Jan 11, 2009)

Hey,
I have a 46 Gal with various types of live plants that seem to be doing quite well (without all the CO2 injection and stuff)

Here's a bulb you might want to try: http://www.hagen.com/usa/aquatic/product.cfm?CAT=1&SUBCAT=112&PROD_ID=01016170020101

It's about 20 bucks. I have the Aqua Glo bulb (one step below Flora) and it seems to be doing the trick.

I also have organic carbon that I put in the tank every day or so: here

And I use the tabs for extra nutrients: here

Those three things seem to have my plants growing quite well. I have hornwort, moneywort, water sprite, and banana plant

I hope this helps!


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## trrturne (Jan 17, 2009)

i was in a similar situation inugirlteen. I eneded up going to my local hardware store and i purchased a double 40w light strip and two daylight bulbs for around $20. This almost doubled the wpg that my stock lighting produced. I just mounted the light strip to the cap of my tank. My plants have been growing like crazy ever since!


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## InuGirlTeen (Oct 26, 2008)

HAH! I think I may have solved my problem. I was in Wal-Mart buying some lightbulbs and saw some of those long lights that you mount under cabinets and stuff. I found one that is 24" and 75 watts for only $8. I bought it just to try since it was so cheap and mounted it on the wall behind my tank. It's only been a week so I have no idea if there is any difference in my plants or not, but there has been a boom in algae growth so I assume it's working. 

I was at .5 wpg and now, if this works like I am hoping, I should be around 1.5 to 1.75 wpg. 

=3


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## lohachata (Jan 27, 2006)

here is something you can try..get a piece of vinyl gutter material to fit the length of your tank.and 2 end caps.mount the light in the gutter and put it on top of the tank.just like a regular strip light.


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## InuGirlTeen (Oct 26, 2008)

Hey, I thought that I'd give you all another small update.

So I mentioned already that I bought a light strip from WalMart and mounted it behind my aquarium. Well it's not even been a month yet and I've seen a ton of improvement in my tank.

Below is a picture of one of my Jungle Vals before adding the light. It was about four inches tall.









Now if you look at this second picture, you will see the very same Jungle Val after a month with the new lighting. It's touching the top of my 24" tall tank!









The difference is amazing! My only problem is that I now seem to have an algae problem that my CAE is having trouble keeping up with.


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## SueM (Jan 23, 2004)

Congrats !! sounds like your on the right track 

But keep in mind that CAE only eat algae when young. The older they get the less algae they eat & the more protein. 

Try to get some fast growing stem plants like Anacharis or hornwart, they will out compete the algae.


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## jones57742 (Sep 8, 2007)

IGT:

Proud for you that you "back into" a planted tank and that it is going well.

TR


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## Plecostomus (Jul 31, 2006)

Yeah I don't have enough light in my tank, but I compensate for it by using leaf fertilizer. I don't know if you already use it, but I do and it totally works.


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