Aquascaping With Ferns and Anubias: The Ultimate Low-Light Tank
Not every stunning planted tank needs blazing LEDs and pressurised CO2. An aquascape built with ferns and Anubias under low light delivers lush, textured greenery with minimal equipment and almost zero trimming. These epiphytic plants attach to hardscape rather than rooting in substrate, making them forgiving for beginners and elegant enough for experienced aquascapers. At Gensou Aquascaping in Singapore, our 5 Everton Park team regularly designs low-light setups for clients who want a beautiful tank without the maintenance burden of a high-tech system.
Why Ferns and Anubias Excel in Low Light
Both Microsorum (Java fern) and Anubias evolved on riverbanks and stream margins under dense forest canopy, where light barely penetrates. They photosynthesise efficiently at just 20-40 PAR — a level most basic aquarium lights provide. Because they grow slowly, they demand fewer nutrients and produce less organic waste than fast-growing stem plants. This translates to fewer water changes, no CO2 system, and a tank that looks tidy week after week.
Choosing Your Species
Variety within these two genera is wider than most hobbyists realise. For ferns, Microsorum pteropus “Narrow Leaf” creates a graceful, flowing texture while “Windelov” (lace Java fern) produces branching leaf tips that catch the light beautifully. Microsorum pteropus “Trident” offers a wispy, almost skeletal look. Bolbitis heudelotii (African water fern) adds a different leaf shape entirely — finely divided, translucent fronds that sway in the current.
For Anubias, A. barteri var. nana is the workhorse: compact, dark green, and virtually indestructible. “Nana Petite” is a miniature version perfect for foreground detail. “Coffeefolia” has textured, rippled leaves with a brownish tint. Anubias hastifolia, much larger, works as a bold background focal point in tanks above 120 litres. Prices in Singapore range from $4 for common nana to $15-$20 for rarer tissue culture varieties.
Hardscape-First Design
Since neither ferns nor Anubias root in substrate, the hardscape is your planting surface. Driftwood with complex branching — spiderwood, redmoor root, or manzanita — provides the most attachment points. Position a central wood arrangement with stones at the base to anchor it visually. Attach plants using superglue gel or cotton thread, spacing them so each has room to grow without crowding neighbours within 3-4 months. Place larger species like standard Java fern in the background and midground, with Anubias nana and nana petite in the foreground and on smaller rocks.
Substrate Choices
Since your plants do not root in the substrate, you are free to choose purely for aesthetics. Fine sand creates a clean, open look that contrasts with the dense greenery above. Dark substrates like ADA La Plata Sand (dark version) or black cosmetic sand make the green foliage pop. Avoid nutrient-rich aquasoils unless you also plan to include root-feeding plants — in a fern-and-Anubias-only tank, aquasoil just leaches unnecessary ammonia during the first few weeks.
Lighting and Fertilisation
A basic LED light running 7-8 hours daily at 20-40 PAR is all you need. Stronger lighting does not make these plants grow faster — it simply invites algae to colonise their slow-growing leaves. Dose a complete liquid fertiliser at half the recommended rate once a week. Iron is the most important micronutrient for maintaining deep green leaf colour. Skip the CO2 system entirely; these species evolved without high dissolved carbon and show no meaningful growth increase with injection at low light levels.
Managing Algae on Slow Growers
The one drawback of slow-growing epiphytes is that algae has time to establish on their leaves. Green spot algae on Anubias and black beard algae on fern tips are the most common issues. Prevention is straightforward: keep the photoperiod at 7 hours or less, avoid overfeeding fish, and maintain consistent weekly water changes of 20-30%. Nerite snails (2-3 per 60 litres) graze green spot algae effectively, while Amano shrimp (Caridina multidentata) tackle softer algae types. Both are readily available at Singapore fish shops for $1-$4 each.
A Tank That Ages Gracefully
An aquascape with ferns and Anubias matures slowly, but the long-term payoff is a deeply layered, natural-looking tank that requires almost no intervention. Java fern develops a lush, cascading canopy over 6-12 months. Anubias fills in gradually, producing the occasional white flower spike that breaks the surface. The patience this style demands is also its greatest virtue — it teaches you to appreciate slow, organic growth and to resist the urge to constantly reshape and replant.
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