Cfl for planted tank?

[kavin2845]

on plants really most of like basic plants, from low light to medium to light loving plants, have you seen dustins fish tanks on youtube? like his big 220 the plants in it from my knowledge aren't demanding but the tanks looks nice some of the plants i might use would be:
red tiger lotus
java fern
Anubias
Jungle val
amazon swords
Crypts
Ludwigia
rotala
dwarf sagittaria
i want to get a floating plant, i was gonna use duckweed but people said it wasn't good and once you get it you cant get it out, any suggestions
any other plants you think would be good

 

[kavin2845]

my tanks 35 gallon flat back hex, i don't use ferts since i have no plants yet but i bought API leaf zone as a liquid fert

 

[kavin2845]

The closest i seen to people doing something similar to this is setting up a standard T8 or T5 Shop light and installing it above their tanks...

I'm just not too sure how well these bulbs will direct the light, and well the light will be focused on a planted tank? Although with that being said i'm just not sure how well it will work, but if its a cheap enough option, might not hurt to try and see what happens?

BTW, have you thought of what sort of plants you want to try growing yet? since as i'm sure you know, different plants have different needs...

on plants really most of like basic plants, from low light to medium to light loving plants, have you seen dustins fish tanks on youtube? like his big 220 the plants in it from my knowledge aren't demanding but the tanks looks nice some of the plants i might use would be:
red tiger lotus
java fern
Anubias
Jungle val
amazon swords
Crypts
Ludwigia
rotala
dwarf sagittaria
i want to get a floating plant, i was gonna use duckweed but people said it wasn't good and once you get it you cant get it out, any suggestions
any other plants you think would be good

 

[kavin2845]

Lots of people have success with their planted tanks, and using CFL lighting. I plan on a DIY double 25w CFL lighting for my 6 gallon topless Fluval Edge, but I plan on EI dosing with dry fertilizers, and starting it off with DIY co2 until I can afford to get a co2 injection system w/ 5lb co2 cylinder


What size is your tank? What are doing for fertilizers? What about co2?


There's lots of T5HO fixtures for low prices, for instance on my 55 gallon tank I got a 48" Odyssea T5HO freshwater quad w/ built in timer for $110 from aquatraders.com

http://www.aquatraders.com/T5-Aquarium-Lighting-s/9.htm

Aquatraders.com is a great place for aquarium stuff on a budget, I live off disability which makes me love their site even more lol.



As for CFL, here's a setup using CFL super high output bulbs

View attachment 943664



CFL SHO bulbs can found here... http://www.americanaquariumproducts.com/powercompact.html

my tanks 35 gallon flat back hex, i don't use ferts since i have no plants yet but i bought API leaf zone as a liquid fert
my tanks a 35 flat back hex, i dont use ferts since i have no plants yet but i bought API leaf zone as a liquid fert, i might do diy co2 if needed

 

[xxUnRaTeDxxRkOxx]

For a floating plant I'd go with some dwarf water lettuce, or some frogbit since they're not a pain in the a** like duckweed. Jungle Val, Swords, and Crypts are heavy root feeders so I suggest adding some root tabs under them. API Leaf Zone only contains Iron (Fe), and Poatassium (K) so I suggest going with SeaChem Flourish Comprehensive which contains some macro ferts NPK, and micro fertilizers as well it's a more balanced liquid fertilizer compared to API's stuff. You can use the API Leaf Zone with SeaChem Flourish Comprehensive...

http://www.seachem.com/Products/product_pages/Flourish.html


If you don't feel like doing DIY co2 you can always go with SeaChem Flourish Excel carbon supplement...

 

[skjl47]

Good to know... Although i forgot to consider the moisture problem...


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Hello; I lost one CFL in an old stainless hood with the standard sockets. The hood did not have any sort of vapor barrier. Evaporation, some spray from filters/air devices and the activities of fish can lead to moisture under a hood. On that tank a sheet of glass directly under the bulbs did the trick. Some other more modern hoods have varor barriers built in so have not had the issue since.

 

[kavin2845]

For a floating plant I'd go with some dwarf water lettuce, or some frogbit since they're not a pain in the a** like duckweed. Jungle Val, Swords, and Crypts are heavy root feeders so I suggest adding some root tabs under them. API Leaf Zone only contains Iron (Fe), and Poatassium (K) so I suggest going with SeaChem Flourish Comprehensive which contains some macro ferts NPK, and micro fertilizers as well it's a more balanced liquid fertilizer compared to API's stuff. You can use the API Leaf Zone with SeaChem Flourish Comprehensive...

http://www.seachem.com/Products/product_pages/Flourish.html


If you don't feel like doing DIY co2 you can always go with SeaChem Flourish Excel carbon supplement...

I'm gonna do a dirted tank using Miracle grow organic for the for the Jungle val, Swords, and Crypts. Would i need for dirted?


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[kavin2845]

Hello; I lost one CFL in an old stainless hood with the standard sockets. The hood did not have any sort of vapor barrier. Evaporation, some spray from filters/air devices and the activities of fish can lead to moisture under a hood. On that tank a sheet of glass directly under the bulbs did the trick. Some other more modern hoods have varor barriers built in so have not had the issue since.

Got a glass top solve that 😄


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[xxUnRaTeDxxRkOxx]

For a dirted tank I prefer to go the mineralized topsoil (MTS) route, only because there's a bunch of wood chips, and other debris that makes it a pain to filter through to remove all the "crap". Where as mineralized topsoil is a do it yourself recipe by Aaron Talbot - Read the article in the link below.


http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/...-mineralized-soil-substrate-aaron-talbot.html

And another way to mineralize topsoil can be found here: http://www.aquaticplantenthusiasts.com/substrate/4256-new-recipe-procedure-mineralized-topsoil.html

I've done it a few times, but I added some Barrs GH Booster to the mixture not only because I have softer water where I am but because calcium and magnesium are 2 of the quickest nutrients to be depleted in a planted tank. I chose an all organic topsoil from a local garden shop, I just can't remember the name of it, but had great success with it.

 

[kavin2845]

For a dirted tank I prefer to go the mineralized topsoil (MTS) route, only because there's a bunch of wood chips, and other debris that makes it a pain to filter through to remove all the "crap". Where as mineralized topsoil is a do it yourself recipe by Aaron Talbot - Read the article in the link below.


http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/...-mineralized-soil-substrate-aaron-talbot.html

And another way to mineralize topsoil can be found here: http://www.aquaticplantenthusiasts.com/substrate/4256-new-recipe-procedure-mineralized-topsoil.html

I've done it a few times, but I added some Barrs GH Booster to the mixture not only because I have softer water where I am but because calcium and magnesium are 2 of the quickest nutrients to be depleted in a planted tank. I chose an all organic topsoil from a local garden shop, I just can't remember the name of it, but had great success with it.

Do I have to mineralized the soil? Is it a must?


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