I have a few questions. I have been keeping cichlids for a few years, but have had zero success with planted tanks. I am planning on creating a planted tank with a 60 gallon tank I am recieving from a friend. I have already ordered a 216 watt T5HO unit. I am planning on starting with low light plants. Maybe a few swords. Is this too much light for them? Should I invest in a pressurized co2 system? If so, what would be a good system for this tank? The tank comes with sand. Should I use the sand, or should I invest in a sustrate. Please bless me with your guidance.
another "please help me" thread
- Thread starter web2844
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that is waaaay too much light, even for high light plants. with sword plants, you dont even need T5HO bulbs, you could get away with regular fluorescent bulbs. in my experience, if youre using T5HO bulbs, youll want about 2wpg to be in the high light category. i know because i have a 216w fixture over my 55g. i had lots of algae issues when i tried to run all four bulbs.
now that i cut it down to two bulbs, everything is fine. so running only two of those bulbs will be more than enough. the sand should be ok, but it all depends on what other plants you want. if youre gonna start getting some more demanding plants, then you should look at planted tank substrates like Fluorite or Eco Complete.
good luck
now that i cut it down to two bulbs, everything is fine. so running only two of those bulbs will be more than enough. the sand should be ok, but it all depends on what other plants you want. if youre gonna start getting some more demanding plants, then you should look at planted tank substrates like Fluorite or Eco Complete.
good luck
oh yeah, about the co2...again, this all depends on your plants. if youll be using easy to grow plants, then co2 is not necessary. you can add some Excel everyday to help them grow better. if you decide that you want to go pressurized, take a look at Milwaukee components. these are good for a starter kit. check ebay for the best prices