Lighting and plants for a 40 Breeder

[Frostyone]

So I got a 40 breeder real cheap and I'm doing a planted dwarf cichlid tank. see thread here: http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=149247

Anyway, this will be my first planted tank and I'd like some suggestions on plants and the lighting required to keep them lush. Obviously they can't get too tall in this tank, so that's the one thing to keep in mind. I like grasses and the Java Fern/Java Moss, there will be a large peice of driftwood in the center and the substrate is pool filter sand bout 1 1/2" deep.

 

[frasertheking]

you will get away with just some normal floresent strips ,a couple across the top with light specific bulbs. most vals do well in low light jungle vals look great when they grow tall and java fern and moss can survive in ambient room light so you should be good .

 

[Frostyone]

Here are a few I like:

Foreground/cover

http://www.aquariumplants.com/product_p/bra592.htm

http://www.aquariumplants.com/CLOVER_FOUR_LEAF_Marsilea_quadrifolia_p/mi999.htm

http://www.aquariumplants.com/product_p/ll021.htm

http://www.aquariumplants.com/Dwarf_Hairgrass_Eleocharis_acicularis_pot_p/po110.htm

Background

http://www.aquariumplants.com/Ozelot_Sword_Echinodorus_Ozelot_p/ll020.htm

http://www.aquariumplants.com/Java_Fern_Microsorium_pteropus_p/ww574.htm

And Java Moss too. I'll likely have one large peice of driftwood in the center along with a smaller one or two in the background somewhere.

How is sand for growing plants? Should I add a layer of small gravel to it?

 

[frasertheking]

well for some of those you will need to up the lighting i would say t5 are your best bet aim for around 100 watts or more ,much more and you will have to inject co2 .
for foreground plants form of aquatic soil will help you have a look at your garden centre for aquatic soils and you can top it with sand if you like .

but injecting co2 will increase plant growth by around 7x .

 

[Frostyone]

Do the fixtures they sell in Home Depot and Lowes support HO T5's I was thinking a 36" fixture with 2x54w bulbs?

 

[Frostyone]

Or something like this with 4 6500K bulbs

http://cgi.ebay.com/Sun-Blaze-T5-24...VQQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp1638Q2em118Q2el1247

Then there's this fixture here which accepts 54w bulbs
http://cgi.ebay.com/METAL-OPTICS-hi...VQQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp1638Q2em118Q2el1247

 

[Frostyone]

I picked up a 36" 96w 10,000K CF light today for $30, with a coralife elec ballast. Think that would do the trick for any of the plants I picked out?

 

[Frostyone]

I picked up a 36" 96w 10,000K CF light today for $30, with a coralife elec ballast. Think that would do the trick for any of the plants I picked out?

Anyone?

 

[Frostyone]

Been doing some reading and have read that 10,000K lights might cause an algae problem, is that right?

 

[oOMO3NOo]

for those plants you mentioned the background ones will do fine and i think you will be right on the edge of not having enough light for some of the forground plants.

plants use light in the range of 6500 to 10000 K i have always used 6500k or somthing close to it.

and you should read the stickies on lighting and all that stuff they really help alot.