Newbie To Planted Tanks

[rocknurworld2006]

ok guys got one of these today

http/www.onlineaquariumstore.com/acatalo..._arc_tank_L.jpg

now want to do it planted, so what do i need?

would another light of the one it already has be enough lighting?

i want to keep galaxy rasboras in it

what background would be nice?

so what would be best substrate?

thanks alot

 

[Colin_T]

I would have more light on it. Perhaps a twin fluoro along the lines of a high output (HO) T5 and have it running the full length of the tank, not across the tank like in the picture.
Get a dark gravel or sand substrate and a black or dark blue back-ground to show off the fish.

 

[rocknurworld2006]

I would have more light on it. Perhaps a twin fluoro along the lines of a high output (HO) T5 and have it running the full length of the tank, not across the tank like in the picture.
Get a dark gravel or sand substrate and a black or dark blue back-ground to show off the fish.

what kind of light do i get then?

can u show me a pic of one that would do for this tank>??

 

[Colin_T]

sorry I don't know of any websites for lights but the same style of light will be fine just get one that is longer so it runs the length of the tank instead of across the width (narrow section). If you can't get a longer light unit then get a second unit so you have the two units on the tank. Generally the longer the light units and globes, the higher wattage they are the more light they put out.

They also do a high output compact fluro that is like a normal globe that has been folded in half. The fittings are on one side of the globe but they produce a fair amount of light for their length.

get globes that have a Kelvin (K) rating between 5,500K & 10,000K

 

[aaronnorth]

just get another arc pod, that will be enough to grow plants, if you want really high lighting then you could get 3.

colour spectrum is far more important thank kelvin - (red, green & bit of blue)

 

[raptorrex]

just get another arc pod, that will be enough to grow plants, if you want really high lighting then you could get 3.

colour spectrum is far more important thank kelvin - (red, green & bit of blue)

but the Kelvin rating of a bulb, does denote the colour of the spectrum the light works in! though it seems to be getting hard to trust the rating given on many bulbs/tubes. remember the K rating is no indicator if the brightness off the light. indeed as water gets deeper the k rating of any given light goes up, as, slowly all colours except blue are filtered out by the water. so lighting breaks down into three or four areas. K rating, intensity/brightness, duration and with confined space, heat. bulbs/tubes of 4500K up are in the plant growth band. traditional science says that 5500-6000K are roughly optimum, as this corresponds to noon day sunlight, an important fact as we are all trying to help plants with their photosynthesis. duration and intensity have an equally important role to play. but if your bulb is below 4000k, there is little growth likely, even with 20,000 watts of light, left on all day. some people use a twin light set up. one light of a hight K rating to promote growth, and a second lower K rated unit that comes on for viewing the tank. many say this intensifies the colourers of some of the fish. or just makes it more pleasant to look at.

 

[aaronnorth]

but if your bulb is below 4000k, there is little growth likely, even with 20,000 watts of light, left on all day.

Plants will grow under any Kelvin rating, they are not to bothered. The Kelvin values of bulbs as well as the "best" term (5500k - 11 000k) have only to do with what you like to see, not what the plant is capable of assimilating.

colour spectrum and kelvin are different, here is a section of the guide i have written on the UKAPS forum:

(KELVIN) - This is the colour of the tube’s output measured in degrees Kelvin (K). The 'best' colour temperature for plant growth replicates daylight at around noon on the Earth’s equator and is approx. 5500K to 6500K. This is a white light and is normally produced by full-spectrum lamps. There are other tri-phosphor lamps available which give varying colour temps ranging from 3000K to 10000K. The lower the colour temperature the redder the light, the higher the temperature the bluer. I have heard of and experienced success stories with a wide range of colour temperatures. I would recommend having a K between 5500k – 11 000k, but to be honest as long as there is enough light, then don’t worry to much about the Kelvin, The spectrum is far more important (Red, Green and a bit of Blue).

(SPECTRUM) - Widely regarded as the best light for growing aquarium plants is the full-spectrum lamp although no data has been provided to support this. This means that the light output peaks in three (regular T8s peak in two) colours giving a “fuller” light more likely to meet the plant’s photosynthesising requirements. Photosynthesis occurs most efficiently with peaks in the red, green and a bit of the blue parts of the spectrum. Plants are adaptable and will change their pigment distribution and content to adjust to the available spectrum. Most full-spectrum lamps will give a cool white light, ideal for both plants and for viewing and will have a high Colour Rendition Index (CRI) meaning that the illuminated objects will appear in their natural colour, these tubes are not produced for plants, but for the human eye, it is what looks best to you.

also take a look at this thread: http/www.fishforums.net/content/Plants-a...is-thread-too-/

and at the pinned article at the top of this page.