planting questions

[cichlidbuddy]

how deep should my subsrate be for a nicely planted tank. currently i have about 1" of eco-complete. no plants, but i am getting a bunch soon. is ocelot sword a good one to start. my lights :

Lunar Aqualight Deluxe Series - Double Linear Strip 65 watt 10,000K and 65 watt True Actinic 03 Blue straight pin base compact fluorescent lamps

• Two 3/4 watt Lunar Blue-Moon-Glow LED lamps
• Three on/off switches with three 8-foot power cords for separate timers
• Built-in ballastsM
• One cooling fan
• Sleek aluminum housing
• Highly-polished reflector
• Acrylic lens cover

The state-of-the-art Lunar Aqualight compact fluorescent light fixtures incorporate the Lunar Blue-Moon-Glow LED 470nm light which creates rhythmic glitter and shimmering effects while promoting spawning cycles in corals and reef life. Backed by the proven quality of the Aqualight product line, these superb lighting fixtures allow you to Capture the Sun and now...the Moon.

Dimensions: 30in x 7in x 2 1/2in

 

[schaadrak]

2"-3" of Eco-Complete will do nicely.

That light should do good for a 30gal or less w/CO2, but you'll have to swap out the actinic bulb for a lower color temp. Around 6500K is ideal but another 10000K would do okay.