Aquarium plants without CO2
Not every planted tank needs a CO2 system. These plants grow well without injected CO2, so you can keep a green tank with less equipment. Each profile lists the light and placement a plant prefers.
99 plants
Amazon frogbit
Limnobium laevigatumMedium lightFloating2 in (5 cm)
Ambulia
Limnophila sessilifloraLow lightBackground15.7 in (40 cm)
Anubias afzelii
Anubias afzeliiMedium lightBackground15.7 in (40 cm)
Anubias barteri
Anubias barteriLow lightEpiphyte13.8 in (35 cm)Anubias Broad Leaf
Anubias barteri var. barteri 'Broad Leaf'Low lightEpiphyte11.8 in (30 cm)
Anubias Butterfly
Anubias 'Butterfly'Low lightEpiphyte5.9 in (15 cm)Anubias Chili
Anubias barteri var. nana 'Chili'Low lightEpiphyte2 in (5 cm)
Anubias coffeefolia
Anubias barteri var. coffeefoliaLow lightEpiphyte9.8 in (25 cm)Anubias Coin Leaf
Anubias barteri 'Coin Leaf'Low lightEpiphyte5.9 in (15 cm)
Anubias congensis
Anubias heterophyllaLow lightBackground15.7 in (40 cm)
Anubias gigantea
Anubias giganteaLow lightBackground19.7 in (50 cm)
Anubias gilletii
Anubias gilletiiLow lightEpiphyte11.8 in (30 cm)Anubias golden nana
Anubias barteri var. nana 'Golden'Low lightMidground3.9 in (10 cm)Anubias hastifolia
Anubias hastifoliaLow lightBackground15.7 in (40 cm)
Anubias lanceolata
Anubias lanceolataLow lightMidground13.8 in (35 cm)Anubias Micro
Anubias barteri var. nana 'Micro'Low lightEpiphyte1.2 in (3 cm)
Anubias minima
Anubias barteri var. glabraLow lightEpiphyte7.9 in (20 cm)
Anubias nana
Anubias barteri var. nanaLow lightEpiphyte4.7 in (12 cm)Anubias Nangi
Anubias 'Nangi'Low lightEpiphyte7.9 in (20 cm)Anubias Pangolino
Anubias 'Pangolino'Low lightEpiphyte0.8 in (2 cm)
Anubias petite
Anubias barteri var. nana 'Petite'Low lightEpiphyte2 in (5 cm)
Banana plant
Nymphoides aquaticaMedium lightForeground5.9 in (15 cm)
Brazilian pennywort
Hydrocotyle leucocephalaMedium lightMidground19.7 in (50 cm)
Butterfly fern
Salvinia auriculataMedium lightFloating1.6 in (4 cm)
Canadian waterweed
Elodea canadensisLow lightBackground23.6 in (60 cm)
Caulerpa
Caulerpa proliferaMedium lightBackground5.9 in (15 cm)
Chaetomorpha
Chaetomorpha linumMedium lightFloating7.9 in (20 cm)
Corkscrew val
Vallisneria natansMedium lightBackground23.6 in (60 cm)
Creeping bacopa
Bacopa australisMedium lightMidground7.9 in (20 cm)
Creeping Charlie
Clinopodium browneiMedium lightMidground15.7 in (40 cm)
Cryptocoryne ciliata
Cryptocoryne ciliataMedium lightBackground23.6 in (60 cm)Cryptocoryne lucens
Cryptocoryne lucensLow lightMidground7.9 in (20 cm)Cryptocoryne petchii
Cryptocoryne beckettii 'Petchii'Medium lightMidground5.9 in (15 cm)
Cryptocoryne retrospiralis
Cryptocoryne retrospiralisLow lightBackground19.7 in (50 cm)
Cryptocoryne spiralis
Cryptocoryne spiralisLow lightBackground13.8 in (35 cm)
Cryptocoryne wendtii
Cryptocoryne wendtiiLow lightMidground9.8 in (25 cm)Cryptocoryne wendtii brown
Cryptocoryne wendtii 'Brown'Low lightMidground7.9 in (20 cm)
Cryptocoryne wendtii green
Cryptocoryne wendtii 'Green'Low lightMidground7.9 in (20 cm)
Cryptocoryne wendtii red
Cryptocoryne wendtii 'Red'Low lightMidground5.9 in (15 cm)
Cryptocoryne wendtii Tropica
Cryptocoryne wendtii 'Tropica'Low lightMidground5.9 in (15 cm)
Dead Man's Fingers
Codium fragileMedium lightBackground9.8 in (25 cm)
Dragon's Breath
Halymenia durvilleiHigh lightMidground11.8 in (30 cm)
Duckweed
Lemna minorLow lightFloating0.4 in (1 cm)
Dwarf vallisneria
Vallisneria nanaMedium lightBackground15.7 in (40 cm)
Dwarf water clover
Marsilea crenataLow lightForeground3.1 in (8 cm)
Dwarf water lettuce
Pistia stratiotesMedium lightFloating3.9 in (10 cm)
Fairy moss
Azolla filiculoidesMedium lightFloating0.8 in (2 cm)
Floating bladderwort
Utricularia gibbaMedium lightFloating0.8 in (2 cm)
Floating ludwigia
Ludwigia helminthorrhizaHigh lightFloating2 in (5 cm)
Floating water sprite
Ceratopteris cornutaMedium lightFloating15.7 in (40 cm)
Giant duckweed
Spirodela polyrhizaLow lightFloating0.4 in (1 cm)
Giant sagittaria
Sagittaria platyphyllaMedium lightMidground15.7 in (40 cm)
Giant vallisneria
Vallisneria giganteaLow lightBackground59.1 in (150 cm)
Grape Caulerpa
Caulerpa racemosaMedium lightBackground4.7 in (12 cm)
Grassy arrowhead
Sagittaria gramineaMedium lightBackground23.6 in (60 cm)
Guppy grass
Najas guadalupensisLow lightFloating35.4 in (90 cm)
Hornwort
Ceratophyllum demersumLow lightFloating39.4 in (100 cm)
Hygrophila polysperma
Hygrophila polyspermaLow lightBackground17.7 in (45 cm)
Hygrophila Siamensis
Hygrophila corymbosa 'Siamensis'Medium lightBackground15.7 in (40 cm)
Japanese cress
Cardamine lyrataMedium lightMidground17.7 in (45 cm)
Java fern
Microsorum pteropusLow lightEpiphyte11.8 in (30 cm)Java fern latifolia
Microsorum pteropus 'Latifolia'Low lightEpiphyte11.8 in (30 cm)Java fern narrow leaf
Microsorum pteropus 'Narrow'Low lightEpiphyte13.8 in (35 cm)
Java moss
Taxiphyllum barbieriLow lightEpiphyte3.9 in (10 cm)
Jungle val
Vallisneria americanaLow lightBackground39.4 in (100 cm)
Lake cress
Rorippa aquaticaMedium lightMidground11.8 in (30 cm)
Maiden's Hair Algae
Chlorodesmis fastigiataHigh lightEpiphyte3.1 in (8 cm)
Marimo moss ball
Aegagropila linnaeiLow lightForeground3.9 in (10 cm)
Mexican oak leaf
Shinnersia rivularisMedium lightBackground19.7 in (50 cm)
Money Plant
HalimedaMedium lightMidground5.9 in (15 cm)
Moneywort
Bacopa monnieriMedium lightBackground11.8 in (30 cm)
Nano moss
Amblystegium serpensLow lightEpiphyte1.2 in (3 cm)
Onion plant
Crinum calamistratumLow lightBackground23.6 in (60 cm)
Onion plant natans
Crinum natansMedium lightBackground39.4 in (100 cm)
Red Gracilaria
Gracilaria parvisporaMedium lightBackground7.9 in (20 cm)
Red Grape Algae
Botryocladia botryoidesMedium lightMidground4.7 in (12 cm)
Red mangrove
Rhizophora mangleHigh lightBackground23.6 in (60 cm)
Red root floater
Phyllanthus fluitansHigh lightFloating1.2 in (3 cm)
Salvinia natans
Salvinia natansMedium lightFloating1.2 in (3 cm)
Sea grapes
Caulerpa lentilliferaMedium lightBackground3.9 in (10 cm)
Sea Lettuce
Ulva lactucaHigh lightFloating9.8 in (25 cm)
Senegal tea plant
Gymnocoronis spilanthoidesHigh lightBackground23.6 in (60 cm)
Star duckweed
Lemna trisulcaLow lightFloating0.4 in (1 cm)
Süsswassertang
Lomariopsis cf. lineataLow lightEpiphyte2 in (5 cm)Thor's Trident java fern
Microsorum pteropus 'Thor's Trident'Low lightEpiphyte7.9 in (20 cm)Trident java fern
Microsorum pteropus 'Trident'Low lightEpiphyte9.8 in (25 cm)
Vallisneria spiralis
Vallisneria spiralisLow lightBackground19.7 in (50 cm)
Water hyacinth
Pontederia crassipesHigh lightFloating15.7 in (40 cm)
Water onion
Crinum thaianumLow lightBackground39.4 in (100 cm)
Water poppy
Hydrocleys nymphoidesHigh lightFloating11.8 in (30 cm)
Water spangles
Salvinia minimaMedium lightFloating1.2 in (3 cm)
Water sprite
Ceratopteris thalictroidesMedium lightBackground15 in (38 cm)
Water starwort
Callitriche palustrisHigh lightMidground11.8 in (30 cm)
Water violet
Hottonia palustrisHigh lightMidground15.7 in (40 cm)
Watercress algae
Halimeda tunaMedium lightMidground5.9 in (15 cm)
Watermeal
Wolffia globosaMedium lightFloating0 in (0.1 cm)
Waterweed
Egeria densaMedium lightBackground39.4 in (100 cm)
Willow moss
Fontinalis antipyreticaLow lightEpiphyte4.7 in (12 cm)Windelov java fern
Microsorum pteropus 'Windelov'Low lightEpiphyte7.9 in (20 cm)
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