A lighting Q

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo

LordWookie

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Mar 11, 2013
90
1
6
Oregon
So i'm setup a 40 breeder 36x18x16 tall. i'm not wanting to run CO2 or ferts. subtrate will be 2 bags of
Miracle Gro 16 Qt Organic Choice Potting Mix about a half inch of Seachem Flourite then 2 bags of eco-complete and some black sand on top do to hearing the eco is hard on corycats barbels. looking to run low light and root heavy feeds like amazon swords, crypts and a red lotus. any other suggestion for root feeding plants would be cool. so the part i'm not so clear oin it the lighting been looking at Aqueon AQE40200 T5 Dual Strip and Finnex Stingray. would this work all ideas welcome. thanks
 
Since you're saying you want to do heavy root feeding plants I would suggest some
Osmocote Plus 15-9-12 root tabs; I would go with 1 tab under each sword, and crypt. The lotus will grow under any sort of light and grow like crazy... I had one under a T8 lighting system, never used any ferts or co2 and I was clipping it once a week, and it ended up with roots that when wound up ended up the size of a mini basketball....

You could probably get away with just the Aqueon fixture with a 6700k bulb and a color max bulb; This is because it's a T5NO fixture which is perfect for doing a low tech planted tank.
 
Since you're saying you want to do heavy root feeding plants I would suggest some
Osmocote Plus 15-9-12 root tabs; I would go with 1 tab under each sword, and crypt. The lotus will grow under any sort of light and grow like crazy... I had one under a T8 lighting system, never used any ferts or co2 and I was clipping it once a week, and it ended up with roots that when wound up ended up the size of a mini basketball....

You could probably get away with just the Aqueon fixture with a 6700k bulb and a color max bulb; This is because it's a T5NO fixture which is perfect for doing a low tech planted tank.

Thanks for the response. Would you have any other suggestions on plants that would work in this setup. Heard Vals like to feed most with there roots.
 
anyone have experience with the finnex stringray with planted tanks.
The stingray is a fine light but on something as wide as a 40B its not going to light the whole tank evenly and you'd end up needing two

If you wanted to do LED, I'd get the planted + and have it raised above the tank, that way the spread is more even and it won't be super strong lighting.
 
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