It's Here My 55 Gallon Tank Some Quick Questions

[phishstixx]

Just got my 55 gallon tank kit came with the basic light/hood, 200 watt heater, and whispher powerfilter, all which I'll be upgrading slowly but surly. Ordered Eheim Model 2224 Professional Canister Filter for 100 dollars but i'll be moving my eheim 2213 over to the 55g for now. Just have no idea what lights to buy. I'd like to have a low light level with medium planted tank and the lights I've been looking at are fluorescents T8 32watts and these number i don't understand. there's 5500k, 6500k, 8500k. basically which k number should i go with and the light fixture hold 3 bulbs. and can i add flourite substate to existing gravel. when i get it or should i just wait to get the flourite. Can wait til everything is fully set up. Can really mess with it this weekend cause the misses would kill me. and it's memorial weekend time to start the summer off.

 

[darkwolf29a]

Everything I read says....2 watts per gallon, minimum to raise plants. I have been doing some research for my own 55 gallon that's going to be up soon, and what I am doing...investigating the plant species to figure out what their light requirements are. I don't like really bright tanks, so I am looking for lower light plants.

Good Luck

 

[cheesy feet]

6500k is supposed to be best for plants.

 

[Yetti]

I bought the same kit a while back, and what I did was get another set of the lights that came with the tank and placed them in the place of the lid covers. I have a bit over 1 wpg and I noticed that plants grow in there fairly well. The plants that I have are 4 Anubias, 1 giant Anubia, 2 crypts, 2 java swords that were supposebly hard to grow in low light, about 30 ludwigas of two types, some java ferns, vals, a huge Red Rubin and a lot of water wisteria. All of the plants are doing better than I had expected, and tomorrow I have to take most of the wisteria and val out because there is just too much of it.

 

[cheesy feet]

Everything I read says....2 watts per gallon, minimum to raise plants. I have been doing some research for my own 55 gallon that's going to be up soon, and what I am doing...investigating the plant species to figure out what their light requirements are. I don't like really bright tanks, so I am looking for lower light plants.

Good Luck

2wpg is highlight in large tanks (say 150gal plus).Hardy species can grow in light just under 1wpg.

 

[phishstixx]

So far put in 20lb bag of echo-complete and 25lb bag of plain gravel together and filled tank bout half way and have a couple of box filters running to just help clear the water up for know. Should be receiving my Eheim professional filter late next week and as soon as that's received I'll order my lighting filter. Have a few misc. Plants in my current tanks that's will be moving to new tank and can't wait to see how they will start growing being that they have been doing okay with really low light. And maybe for Christmas I'll work on a custom tank to put under my 55 will be slightly smaller about 44X11X17(that would be around 36gallons). I believe I may have MTS and my girl is going to kill me.

Quick question! Is 45lbs of substrate 25 gravel/20lb eco complete enough or should i get 20lb of eco complete.

Moved all my fishes a total of 22 from a 20 gallon high ( 7cories, 2bn, 3 guppies, 7 molly fry, 1 tux platy, 2 rapheal) with filter and all. everyone seems fine with their new arrangement.

 

[phishstixx]

went to grab another bag of eco complete from my lfs and ask him how much I would need being that i already have 45lbs of eco complete and gravel in my tank and told me i would need another 2 bags. 85lbs of gravel is that right? I thought I'd need maybe one more bag not two so is that right? besides that tank is up and running took aqua clear from the other tank to run with the 55gallon til I get my eheim in.