Light and filter question for a 50cm cube tank

[Greenspot]

G'day

I just picked up a cube tank, 50 by 50 by 50. I want it to be a planted tank and thinking of dirting it. I'm going to start with hardier plants, swords, anubias, Java fern, hygrophilla, banana lillies and duck weed.
What do I light it with?
I have found these on eBay, do leds grow plants? Given how deep the tank is will they reach the lower plants? At this stage I am going open top, with driftwood pokin out the top.
Also, would a fluval 305 cause to much current given it is a square shape? Thanks so much for you help. Oh, stock will be guppies.

 

[xxUnRaTeDxxRkOxx]

Any co2, and what type of fertilizers will you be going with?

Answering these will help to pinpoint the best lighting fixture for your intended setup...

With the list of plants you provided it sounds like you want an easy to maintain planted tank, so by going with your list of plants here's my thoughts as I'm taking the measurements in cm which means the tank is 20"x20"x20" cube...

Lighting - 18"-22" Green Element Evo 6500k LED fixture like this
http://www.aquatraders.com/LED-Aquarium-Lighting-EVO-Freshwater-Plant-p/56543p.htm

Substrate - Mineralized Topsoil here's a link of how to make it
http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/...-mineralized-soil-substrate-aaron-talbot.html

Co2 - Paintball co2 system, or Excel

Fertilizers - Something like Flourish comprehensive along with root tabs for the sword plants because they're heavy root feeders


Now here's why I went these.... The Evo LED is a well put together LED that won't break the bank, but gives you plenty of lighting. Instead of duck weed I would go with frogbit or dwarf water lettuce because duck weed once it's in your tank it takes over and is hard to clean out.

For the mineralized top soil, it's quite simple; Mineralized topsoil when done correctly brings out the nutrients to be immediately available to the plants, whereas just putting dirt in your tank that's not mineralized means that it has to breakdown over time for nutrients to become available.

For co2, I would go with a paintball co2 system since the tank is rather small it'll be perfect.

 

[Greenspot]

Thank you so much! Thanks so much for your time in posting that response.
Yup 20 by 20 by 20 inch. I hadn't planted on using co2. And I have never used fertilisers before.
I think I will give the mineralised top soil a go. Looks good.
So I'm looking for a light fixture with warm white leds rather than blue and white?
Thanks again so much for your help, legend!

 

[Fat Homer]

Dont know enough about LEDs ro comment, but i would personally avoid the Duckweed... Stuff duplicates like mad and once in a tank is almost impossible to get rid of...

I would go for a larger type of floating plant, that way, if you decide you want to remove it, its much easier...

 

[xxUnRaTeDxxRkOxx]

You want a light fixture with cool white LED's, because it's between 6000k - 7000k and warm white is between 2500k - 3500k. What's the difference... well warm white lighting has more of a reddish hue, whereas cool white is more closely to natural sunlight which is what you want for a planted tank.

As for fertilizers I recommend going with a liquid solution of pre-mixed fertilizers since you're new to planted tanks, I also recommend using a liquid carbon supplement like Flourish Excel until you get the hang of things and are comfortable going with an automated co2 system like a paintball co2 setup.