t-5,t-8,t-12
- Thread starter TheFishJunky
- Start date
I hear ya bro.Im trying to get it the best I can.Like i said,most atricles and stuff I come across haven't really been geared to the beginner though.But I am learning a little at a time.duke33;2801554; said:
duke33;2801554; said:
itsbadlands;2801762; said:
lol I'm with you guys. I would love to start a planted tank or turn one of my tanks into a semi-planted, but everything is confusing.
a UV light is only gonna affect free floating algae, the kind that causes green water. other than that, its wont help with the algae thats attached to plantsbl00;2800887;2800887 said:
and its not that bad guys, really! let me give you a quick crash couse 
what you need to keep in mind is, that you have to balance 3 things in a planted tank; lighting, co2, and ferts. it is possible to do a planted tank with low light, no co2 and no ferts, but you are limited to low light plants like anubias, java fern, mosses, etc.
LIGHTING:
these are the categories of lighting in my opinion:
- high light: 2wpg of T5HO lighting, or 3+wpg of normal ouput fluorescent (regular strip bulbs)
- low light: >1wpg of T5HO, or 1-2wpg of normal output bulbs
if you are in the high light category, youre going to need to add co2 and start a dosing routine. otherwise, you will have endless algae problems
CO2:
there are three main ways to add co2:
1) pressurized co2
2) DIY co2
3) carbon supplement like Flourish Excel
pressurized co2 is best suited for high light setups. low or moderate lighting would work with 2 and 3.
Ferts:
cheapest and easiest way to start a dosing routine is to use bulk dry fertilizers and dose daily under the EI method (estimative index).
a dosing routine needs to cover all the nutrients; N,P,K and trace elements (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium).
you can also use Seachem's line of bottled products, but this can get expensive. if youre gonna add ferts, you need to be comprehensive and include all. you cant pick and choose what you wanna add.
Now, please note that this is a very very limited explanation. i spent months reading before i even made my first planted tank purchase. you also need to know that ALGAE is something you have to live with. ive had every type of algae out there. its part of the learning curve. now, i have a algae-free tank with crystal clear water. and if you ever screw up and mess up that balance i mentioned earlier, mother nature will be there to let you know. and how will she let you know? with ALGAE!!!!!
algae is the #1 indicator that something is wrong and out of balance. normally its caused by low levels of co2, new tank, or too much lighting. when in doubt, increase your co2. lighting is your gas pedal.
I highly recommend that you guys read the articles at www.rexgrigg.com they are great and full of easy to understand info. no BS with this guy!!!
if you put in the time, effort, and patience, this will be the end result. good luck fellas. let me know if you have any specific questions and ill be glad to help
what you need to keep in mind is, that you have to balance 3 things in a planted tank; lighting, co2, and ferts. it is possible to do a planted tank with low light, no co2 and no ferts, but you are limited to low light plants like anubias, java fern, mosses, etc.
LIGHTING:
these are the categories of lighting in my opinion:
- high light: 2wpg of T5HO lighting, or 3+wpg of normal ouput fluorescent (regular strip bulbs)
- low light: >1wpg of T5HO, or 1-2wpg of normal output bulbs
if you are in the high light category, youre going to need to add co2 and start a dosing routine. otherwise, you will have endless algae problems
CO2:
there are three main ways to add co2:
1) pressurized co2
2) DIY co2
3) carbon supplement like Flourish Excel
pressurized co2 is best suited for high light setups. low or moderate lighting would work with 2 and 3.
Ferts:
cheapest and easiest way to start a dosing routine is to use bulk dry fertilizers and dose daily under the EI method (estimative index).
a dosing routine needs to cover all the nutrients; N,P,K and trace elements (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium).
you can also use Seachem's line of bottled products, but this can get expensive. if youre gonna add ferts, you need to be comprehensive and include all. you cant pick and choose what you wanna add.
Now, please note that this is a very very limited explanation. i spent months reading before i even made my first planted tank purchase. you also need to know that ALGAE is something you have to live with. ive had every type of algae out there. its part of the learning curve. now, i have a algae-free tank with crystal clear water. and if you ever screw up and mess up that balance i mentioned earlier, mother nature will be there to let you know. and how will she let you know? with ALGAE!!!!!
algae is the #1 indicator that something is wrong and out of balance. normally its caused by low levels of co2, new tank, or too much lighting. when in doubt, increase your co2. lighting is your gas pedal.
I highly recommend that you guys read the articles at www.rexgrigg.com they are great and full of easy to understand info. no BS with this guy!!!
if you put in the time, effort, and patience, this will be the end result. good luck fellas. let me know if you have any specific questions and ill be glad to help
The whole bulb light thing really isn't that difficult.
There are 3 major types of lighting in our hobby (in no particular order):
1. Flourescent
2. Power Compact
3. Metal Halide
Each has advantages and disadvantages.
Under fluorescent lighting, there are 3 different types of fluorescents:
- NO or Normal Output
- HO or High Output
- VHO or Very High Output
The Tx numbers like T5,T8,T12, etc. refer to nothing more than the diamater (thickness) of the bulb. The new kid on the block is T5 and it is more efficient than the others.
When choosing between fluorescent, powercompact and metal halide, you need to determine a few things first:
- Do you have a deep tank >24":
If so, you'll want Metal Halide or some bright ass Fluorescents, as these usually penetrate better than Power Compact.
- Will you have a CO2 source:
Plants are 80% carbon. If you want them to grow and grow quickly, you'll need a carbon source. CO2 injection or Excel and the like.
- If you want a "low-tech" tank, you'll want minimal lighting.
DO NOT EXCEED 1.2-1.5wpg if you don't want to deal with carbon supplementation.
Think of your lighting as a gas pedal. The bighter and more intense your lights, the faster the plants will grow. If you have too much light and not enough CO2 or nutrients (Nitrogen, Phosphorous, Potassium and various micro nutrients), you'll have an algae farm. You need all 3 parts of the pie in balance if you want to have a successful planted tank.
If you can't provide the nutrients, dial back the light. No carbon, dial back the light. You don't run into many (if any) issues if you don't have enough light. Just make sure that if you choose to run low (less intense) lighting, you pick your plant species accordingly.
Excellent resources for planted tank setup and maintence:
www.PlantedTank.net
www.AquaticPlantCentral.com
Excellent plant resources:
www.PlantGeek.net You can search for plants by aquascape placement, lighting requirement, geographical location, ease, etc.
There are more, but I have to get to class.
p.s. I went with T5 lighting because they're more efficient. You can get great penetration with less wattage = lower electric bill, and less heat.
There are 3 major types of lighting in our hobby (in no particular order):
1. Flourescent
2. Power Compact
3. Metal Halide
Each has advantages and disadvantages.
Under fluorescent lighting, there are 3 different types of fluorescents:
- NO or Normal Output
- HO or High Output
- VHO or Very High Output
The Tx numbers like T5,T8,T12, etc. refer to nothing more than the diamater (thickness) of the bulb. The new kid on the block is T5 and it is more efficient than the others.
When choosing between fluorescent, powercompact and metal halide, you need to determine a few things first:
- Do you have a deep tank >24":
If so, you'll want Metal Halide or some bright ass Fluorescents, as these usually penetrate better than Power Compact.
- Will you have a CO2 source:
Plants are 80% carbon. If you want them to grow and grow quickly, you'll need a carbon source. CO2 injection or Excel and the like.
- If you want a "low-tech" tank, you'll want minimal lighting.
DO NOT EXCEED 1.2-1.5wpg if you don't want to deal with carbon supplementation.
Think of your lighting as a gas pedal. The bighter and more intense your lights, the faster the plants will grow. If you have too much light and not enough CO2 or nutrients (Nitrogen, Phosphorous, Potassium and various micro nutrients), you'll have an algae farm. You need all 3 parts of the pie in balance if you want to have a successful planted tank.
If you can't provide the nutrients, dial back the light. No carbon, dial back the light. You don't run into many (if any) issues if you don't have enough light. Just make sure that if you choose to run low (less intense) lighting, you pick your plant species accordingly.
Excellent resources for planted tank setup and maintence:
www.PlantedTank.net
www.AquaticPlantCentral.com
Excellent plant resources:
www.PlantGeek.net You can search for plants by aquascape placement, lighting requirement, geographical location, ease, etc.
There are more, but I have to get to class.
p.s. I went with T5 lighting because they're more efficient. You can get great penetration with less wattage = lower electric bill, and less heat.
good stufft0p_sh0tta;2801965;2801965 said:
everybody here should be a pro now lol! its funny, you said "lighting is your gas pedal" also. we must be reading the same articles 