Lighting?

[guppymonkey]

I want to get real plants for my tank but I am not sure how much light they need. I read in a book that its supposed to be 5 watts per gallon of water, but that would seem to blind the fish with the brightness!

 

[AquaNut]

This is a hotly debated topic. Five wpg would be an extreme amount of light, imo. Most people say you need somewhere in the neighbourhood of 2 - 3 watts per gallon to grow most aquatic plants. I feel compelled to tell you, however, that my tanks are all quite heavily planted, and none of them have anywhere close to that amount of light, so there are ways around it.

 

[joshua]

hmm was just wondering if fish could sleep in light

 

[guppymonkey]

I usually keep the light while I am sleeping and turn it off a little after I wake up. They might as well sleep while I am not there.

 

[Alien Anna]

I usually keep the light while I am sleeping and turn it off a little after I wake up. They might as well sleep while I am not there.

I'm not sure if that would work - because unless you put the tank in total darkness during the day they're still getting daylight.

 

[Moe]

I am growing low light plants in my 20G. If you search the web you can find lists of low light or hard to kill plants. I have Coffeefolia, wendtii red, contortion vals, java fern and marimo/moss balls. They are all doing really well in regular gravel with 30watts and almost no fertilization (because I always forget).

 

[guppymonkey]

I'm not sure if that would work - because unless you put the tank in total darkness during the day they're still getting daylight.

Actually they are in total darkness. I live in the basement so I get to control even that aspect of their lives. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

 

[Alien Anna]

Actually they are in total darkness. I live in the basement so I get to control even that aspect of their lives. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Feel better now? I think you should lie down in a darkened room... oops! Sorry, you are already in a darkened room

 

[guppymonkey]

That was mean.