How Good Is My Lighting For A Planted Tank?

[Dan-CR4]

I have a juwel 180 tank, Volume: approx. 180 Litres, Measurements: 92 x 41 x 55 cm

my lights are:

1x Juwel Day-Lite T8 25W 742mm
1x Juwel Warm-Lite T8 25W 742mm

I tried my hand at a planted tank when I first started earlier this year but failed terribly got a real bad case of BBA, serves me right for jumping into quick before asking questions.

Now I want to try again and hopefully get it right this time, so is my lighting ok for plants? and do I need co2 of some sort?, if so which would be best?, (yeast co2, co2 tank and regulator etc or something else?)

I dont really want to upgrade to a new t5 light unit as it will set me back around £80 and im hoping to get a new tank built in the new year, if funds allow

any help is really appreciated.

Danny

 

[KittyKat]

Quite low lighting, you can try plants such as Anubias spp. and Java moss: I have had good success with both of those in low lighting set-ups. Some Crypt species might also work..

Lighting, fertilisers and CO[sub]2[/sub] are all directly related: if you have more of one, you need more of the rest. Because you have low lighting, without changing anything, I would recommend bypassing the CO[sub]2[/sub] and fertilisation for the moment. If the plants start needing it, you will notice.

 

[lljdma06]

You can have a lush, planted tank with less that the lighting you have. Anubia, java fern, mosses, Bolbitis (if kept under a current), swords, vallis, aponogetons, Crypts, sags, Pelia, marsilea have all done well for me with around that lighting or even less. I've had some luck with stems at those lighting levels too, but I tend to not have luck with stems anymore because of water chemistry issues, not lighting. Can't grow stems to save my life now... Used to grow fabulous stemplants, but they changed my municiple water between 2008 and 2009 and now I can't grow them anymore to save my life...

Lots more on the list than you think...

Read through PARC

CO2 is an option, but you'll get nice results if you have it. I like CO2.

 

[Dan-CR4]

so without buying a new T5 light setup is ther any way i can improve the lighting, would some white leds like the ones seen on ebay help in anyway?

 

[RadaR]

so without buying a new T5 light setup is ther any way i can improve the lighting, would some white leds like the ones seen on ebay help in anyway?

You dont need more light.
If you want better growth then focus on good CO2 and nutrient dosing. Combine this with an efficient flow rate + circulation and you are on the right path.

 

[FishyWishie]

You dont need more light.[/b]If you want better growth then focus on good CO2 and nutrient dosing. Combine this with an efficient flow rate + circulation and you are on the right path.

Amen once I stopped buying high light plants without checking there reqs Ive had success growing a wide range of stuff (Just not valis lol)