Low Tech Tank. Plants Doing, Ok?

[CrimsonBoli]

I need of some valuable advice
 
So I have a 200L low tech tank, with 2 18w T8 bulbs (6500K and 10000K), 1000 LPH ext filter, and about 8 plants (about 5-10% tank coverage)
I have never added any ferts or co2 and have 1-2" growth from the Cabomba plants weekly (is that good?) although the lower sections of the Cabomba is pretty sparsely leafed!
All other (non eaten) plants are doing fine and look lovely.
 
Now, I want to add more plants (maybe double the ammount [and remove the browning Cabomba]) would it be a good idea to start dosing ferts and liquid carbon (EasyCarbo?)
 
I don't really want to go down the road of CO2 injection yet (and my lights are not good enough)
 
Also I have a touch of BBA which is slowly going away (after going from 20% water changes weekly to 10% weekly) which I am also hoping to address from these changes
 
Thanks in advanced!

 

[BerryAttack]

you have 36W of light for around a 53 gallon tank.
so you have roughly 0.6 W per gallon.
 
so you have very low lighting.
IMO if you want to have a sucessful planted tank, dirt it and have around 2-3W per gallon of lighting. 
the organic dirt (which is a very easy switch over) will be fast and take around a week before adding in fish.. to allow for safe water stats.
your plants will flourish without any CO2 needed.
 
anymore questions quote me about the dirt tank.

 

[NeonBlueLeon]

It's difficult to gauge lighting on watts per gallon because of a number a things. 
First of all, watts is a measurement of energy, not of light output.  To stick to a wpg rule is to think of light as some kind of fertilizer that can be dosed into a tank.  Obviously, light doesn't behave that way.  Also, 36 watts of light for T8 buls will vastly different than 36 watts of T5HO or 36 watts of LEDs.
Secondly, 36 watts of light can be very different between light that is 30 cm away than light that is 50 cm away.  Light intensity exponentially changes according to distance.
 
So, since we know you have two T8 tubes, what is the height between your lights and the bottom of your substrate?
 
Your cabomba's probably sparsely leafed at the bottom because it's blocked from light by the top of the cabomba.  Cabomba generally do well in medium lighting with some source of carbon (CO2 or liquid carbon).  If you want to start dosing ferts, begin dosing with smaller amounts.  If you put too many nutrients in the tank and the plants don't eat them up, your tank will be prone to algae growth.  Slowly increase the amount to see what works for your plants.
 
I believe if you begin adding liquid carbon to the tank, you'll start to see faster growth.

 

[CrimsonBoli]

you have 36W of light for around a 53 gallon tank.
so you have roughly 0.6 W per gallon.
 
so you have very low lighting.
IMO if you want to have a sucessful planted tank, dirt it and have around 2-3W per gallon of lighting. 
the organic dirt (which is a very easy switch over) will be fast and take around a week before adding in fish.. to allow for safe water stats.
your plants will flourish without any CO2 needed.
 
anymore questions quote me about the dirt tank.

 
Ah sorry I forgot to mention it is dirted from the start (as i knew i wanted live plants all along) with about a 1 inch layer at the bottom of the whole tank. It is some aquarium specific dirt/fert substrate product for plant growth. Then with 2-3 inches of fairly fine gravel substrate on top and sand (2/3 gravel 1/3 sand ontop)
 
I understand my lighting is low (have tried to get low lighting requirement plants) but upgrading to T5 seems a little heafty at the moment. If it makes any difference it has higher wattage ballast in it.

It's difficult to gauge lighting on watts per gallon because of a number a things. 
First of all, watts is a measurement of energy, not of light output.  To stick to a wpg rule is to think of light as some kind of fertilizer that can be dosed into a tank.  Obviously, light doesn't behave that way.  Also, 36 watts of light for T8 buls will vastly different than 36 watts of T5HO or 36 watts of LEDs.
Secondly, 36 watts of light can be very different between light that is 30 cm away than light that is 50 cm away.  Light intensity exponentially changes according to distance.
 
So, since we know you have two T8 tubes, what is the height between your lights and the bottom of your substrate?
 
Your cabomba's probably sparsely leafed at the bottom because it's blocked from light by the top of the cabomba.  Cabomba generally do well in medium lighting with some source of carbon (CO2 or liquid carbon).  If you want to start dosing ferts, begin dosing with smaller amounts.  If you put too many nutrients in the tank and the plants don't eat them up, your tank will be prone to algae growth.  Slowly increase the amount to see what works for your plants.
 
I believe if you begin adding liquid carbon to the tank, you'll start to see faster growth.

I thought some one would say this thats why I included the Kelvin rating for the bulbs (although again is it much help?)
Its fairly tall. about 50cm but i will have to measure it when i get home.
 
Yeh that is what i thought so I removed the Cabomba last night. I will try and get pics up when I work out how.
 
So I should try dosing liquid carbon first and see what happens, then dose ferts if I want more growth/healthier plants?

 

[CrimsonBoli]

 
This is it now after replacing the Cabomba (which was on the left of the bogwood) 

Excuse the state of the tank (floating bits and water marked glass) this was just after changing stuff

 

[BerryAttack]

overall the heath of your plants look great, with plants i usually go with the beginner ones because they are cheap and usually survive before going into the more expensive stuff..
the cabomba looks like a high light plant that needs CO2, just a guess. but if you use the regular more common green cabomba it'll grow for sure.. once it roots and the fish don't get at it.
you could use dwarf hair grass for a ground cover..
for the back any kind of vallisneria plant.

 

[CrimsonBoli]

overall the heath of your plants look great, with plants i usually go with the beginner ones because they are cheap and usually survive before going into the more expensive stuff..
the cabomba looks like a high light plant that needs CO2, just a guess. but if you use the regular more common green cabomba it'll grow for sure.. once it roots and the fish don't get at it.
you could use dwarf hair grass for a ground cover..
for the back any kind of vallisneria plant.

Ok awesome thanks for this! I shall look into the vallisneria options!
 
I have started dosing EasyCarbo. Starting at 2.5ml a day before lights on

 

[BerryAttack]

that's good, start slow at the beginning and it'll lessen the chances of an algae bloom.

 

[CrimsonBoli]

Ok sure, and I was told Clown Loaches are a bit sensitive to it so I am dosing 2.5ml a day