couldn't get the stone wool off completely so I planted with them on it.
hello; My guess is as long as the roots are freed enough to grow into the substrate and not too bound it will be fine.
have 2 regular hood lights using those classic fluorescent bulbs. Planning to switch to the T5's or something later
Hello; I know there are costly modern light setups now. I guess they are OK. Thing is I have grown many plants with the same lights you now have. You can get fluorescent tubes more specific for plants. I have grown plants under regular tubes as well.
I tend to DIY a lot of my stuff. I also have been keeping tanks for decades. I have some old style hoods and in the last year or few have modified them to take LED bulbs.
More correctly I modified them first to take the compact fluorescent (CFL) with the standard screw in base. I have since replaced the CFL with screw in LED bulbs. My plants grow fine.
On my 55 gallon I am using an LED shop light I picked up on sale at the local Wal-mart. I had planned to use it in the garage but stuck it on top of the 55 on a whim. Been there a bit over a year and the plants are doing fine. A four foot light for $15. Normal price is around $35.
Don't get me wrong. The expensive lights may be in some way better, I just have not tried them yet. No need.
Baby tears and
hair grass need better lighting and ferts, co2 will really let it take off though.
Hello; May I suggest waiting a year or so before jumping into co2. You do not have to have it. Get some experience on a more basic setup first.