Well I went with what worked last tank, which is T5 lighting, just purchased Coralife Aqualight T5 48" dual light. Possibly will look further into research and reading about the red spectrum for LED lights.
Starting after a long time
- Thread starter AtomicBatman
- Start date
I did read that LEDs seem to focus light on plants directly below the bulbs. Instead of having an even distribution of light for the entire tank
^ pretty much yes, the spread of light from LED fixtures will definitely be a lot more focused than the light coming off say a T5 style of bulb...
Which is why some people find they need 2 LED fixtures if their tanks are quite long / wide...
Which is why some people find they need 2 LED fixtures if their tanks are quite long / wide...
Lights came in yesterday. Set up and got my first "test" plant to see how it goes this week. Been cycling for about 2 weeks now. Before I go any further imma see how this dwarf hair grass goes.
Up next though is some suction cup with clamps to hold this heater and filter tubes to the walls.
Up next though is some suction cup with clamps to hold this heater and filter tubes to the walls.
Small update:
The dwarf hair grass is growing roots and added in som wisteria a few days. Bought two pieces of driftwood, bleached and soaked over the past few days. Added the drift wood in today along with suction cups to hold the heater and filter tubes down.
Today I went to aquatic landscape (LFS) and added 3 corys. 1 is a black stripe Cory and 2 sterbai. These are my first fish being tested in the tank.
Very excited to finally have some depth and activity in the tank.
Still scoping my LFS for the elusive jack Dempsey I so so want.
The dwarf hair grass is growing roots and added in som wisteria a few days. Bought two pieces of driftwood, bleached and soaked over the past few days. Added the drift wood in today along with suction cups to hold the heater and filter tubes down.
Today I went to aquatic landscape (LFS) and added 3 corys. 1 is a black stripe Cory and 2 sterbai. These are my first fish being tested in the tank.
Very excited to finally have some depth and activity in the tank.
Still scoping my LFS for the elusive jack Dempsey I so so want.
If you want the dwarf hair grass to carpet, I think you might want to look up some YouTube videos on how to separate the plants and plant them in a grid pattern. That should help the carpet to grow in much faster.
As for the cories, I think they are pretty sensitive, if I remember correctly, and might have some trouble if the tank is still in its final stages of cycling. However, if they do fine then your tank should be ready for stocking.
As for the cories, I think they are pretty sensitive, if I remember correctly, and might have some trouble if the tank is still in its final stages of cycling. However, if they do fine then your tank should be ready for stocking.
I'll check that out. I split some of the grass into 3 bundles but this is my first aquatic grass experiment
So I've been busy and haven't updated here but the tank is coming along. Separated the dwarf grass to smaller bunches, added a jack Dempsey, drift wood finished soaking so added to tank, conquered some bubbles/foam that started to form at top of tank. Added some amazon sword and another plant I'll need help identifying. I think that sums up the last few weeks. Pics follow
My time in the army was also a time where I couldn't keep fish.
Since you like plants, and the tanks are on the small side, you may want to choose Central American cichlids wisely.
Most Vieja type are primarily or at least partially vegetarian, and will decimate most plants, and many other territorial cichlids will tear them up in small tanks.
I have had good luck with cichlids of the genus Criboheros, P panamense and A nanoluteus and plants
Cribroheros (formerly Astathoeros)rostratum, these do well in groups and will not outgrow your tanks for couple years if bought young enough
Amatitlania nanoluteus, these will not outgrow you your tanks
P (formerly Archocentrus) panamense also grow slow and not outgrow your tanks for a long time
any Vieja, Parachromis and many other will outgrow your tanks in a year, maybe less.
Others (although may be hard to find), that has done well for me with plants are cichlids of the genus Theraps
below Theraps lentaginosus
Since you like plants, and the tanks are on the small side, you may want to choose Central American cichlids wisely.
Most Vieja type are primarily or at least partially vegetarian, and will decimate most plants, and many other territorial cichlids will tear them up in small tanks.
I have had good luck with cichlids of the genus Criboheros, P panamense and A nanoluteus and plants
Cribroheros (formerly Astathoeros)rostratum, these do well in groups and will not outgrow your tanks for couple years if bought young enough
Amatitlania nanoluteus, these will not outgrow you your tanks
P (formerly Archocentrus) panamense also grow slow and not outgrow your tanks for a long time
any Vieja, Parachromis and many other will outgrow your tanks in a year, maybe less.
Others (although may be hard to find), that has done well for me with plants are cichlids of the genus Theraps
below Theraps lentaginosus
