New And Doing Research

[des22]

Hi All

Im new to fish keeping and at the moment im just doing research into everything. I am planning on having a planted tank and have a few questions.

I am planning on having around a 240L tank.

Some of the plants im looking at, Lilaeopsis brasiliensis. Echinodorus, Alternanthera, Bacopa, Rotala, etc.

Questions
1. You need around 1w per liters correct?
2. I understand 6500K is the correct temp for plants? What if I use 5500K or 7000K at the same time just as an example will it still be fine?
3. Can you “over” light your tank, can you have to much light and hurt the plants or the fish? Example something silly like 20W per letter will that hurt anything?
4. Compact fluorescent lamps (CFL) / Energy saving lamps, be good enough for the tank. Example the types you get from Osram or Phillips they say they use only like 20w but give off the same as Incandescent lamps of 100w 150w and 200w etc.
So if you use two 20w CFL’s at the right color temp. I will have something like 300w worth of light.

Example of bulb
<a href="http/www.lighting.philips.com/gl_en/glob...ral&lang=en" target="_blank">http/www.lighting.philips.com/gl_en/glob...ral&lang=en</a>

5. Are CFL'S safe to use in the tank and get wet?
6. What do I use as substrate?
7. How do you get that brighter fresh green effect in plants I see in pics on the web? Some kind of light to bring out the color?
8. Is 7 hours of light enough for the plants?

Which plants do you recommend for a grass foreground effect? And plants for mid and back ground?

I know its a lot of questions but thank you for taking the time.

 

[aaronnorth]

1) 1w per litre is a lot, a 2 x 54w T5 will e plenty on that tank.
2) Any Kelvin will be fine, just choose a combination that brings out the colours of the plants & fish best.
3) Yes, too much light means you will not be able to keep up with CO2 and nutrient demand which = algae.
4) I am always unsure of those bulbs. I have a few around the house, an 11w just behind the PC infact which is supposed to be equivelant to 100w but i can gurantee it is no where near that!
5) It is the connection that should not get wet, the tube itself should be fine. Aquarium tubes/ ballasts are made waterproof.
6) There are many options. Are you wanting a complete, stand alone substrate or one that needs to be capped with sand or gravel? Do you have a budget?
7) yep, see here for details on cheap tubes which shows the colours too: http/www.theplantedtank.co.uk/lighting.htm
8) Yes,

see the pinned thread "common plants" for info on different plant specie and their placment in a tank

 

[des22]

Thank you for the reply

2) Any Kelvin will be fine, just choose a combination that brings out the colours of the plants & fish best.

6) There are many options. Are you wanting a complete, stand alone substrate or one that needs to be capped with sand or gravel? Do you have a budget?

You say any kelvin will be fine? Though the plants need a kelvin of around 6500K? So if i use something of around 5500 will it still give the plants the right color of light to grow?

Was thinking maybe somthing that i can cap with sand and gravel. Which would you reccomend that is good but does not cost to much. Also im in South Africa so it will have to be somthing thats easy to get. And that might be sold here.

Whats best to use to cap the substrate?

 

[aaronnorth]

6500k is often reccomended as it is supposed to assimilate the spectrum of the sun. any K can be used. I have grown plants under 18 000K lights.

I would reccomend tropica substrate, or JBL aqubasis+
I am unsure what products are available to you though, Aqua Essentials ship worldwide so they might be an option.

Sand is easier to plant into than gravel, but gravel lets waste fall down and provide nutriens to roots. However, because you will have a nutrient rich substare inderneath, it wont make that much difference.

 

[des22]

Is there any type of diy mix you can recommend that is not bad for the fish or cause alge?

Also ive read about you can put plants in clay pots is the true and can it work?

 

[aaronnorth]

Is there any type of diy mix you can recommend that is not bad for the fish or cause alge?

Also ive read about you can put plants in clay pots is the true and can it work?

DIY what? substrate or fertiliser?

It depends on the size of the pots. Using large (garden) pots is ok as there is plenty of room for the roots to spread, however i wouldnt reccomend the little ones sold for aquatics. If you do want small pots then use the plastic pots which have holes in to allow the root to spread.

 

[des22]

Sorry DIY substrate for the plants to grow in. Im thinking maybe using pool filter sand to cap with.

 

[aaronnorth]

Rather than DIY, you could buy a bag of akadama (£18 posted for 14L). There should be enough there. There is a good write up here: http/www.theplantedtank.co.uk/akadama.htm

It is available from "kaizen bonsai"