Newbie W/ Planted Tank

[jridge]

OK....Hello everyone.....I'm new to the planted tank deal so I have some questions....First of all, some background:

29 gallon freshwater tank
Emperor 280 w/ biowheel filter
T5 flourecscent dual lights (18w 6700k and 18w 10000k)
Gravel substrate
1 Angelfish, 7 tetras, 3 african frogs, 5 danios, 1 guorami, 2 redtail sharks
2 anubias, 1 micro sword, 2 moneywort, 1 unknown, 2 java ferns

The questions:

1) I want to add more lighting (wattage), but I don't want to have to go to CO2......Can I go to a 65w single power compact (6700k) and be ok?

2) I love the way actinic 03 lighting looks in my tank.......Does the actinic provide any benefit to my plants?

Thanks in advance for any advice....My plants are doing ok, but they are not what I would call "thriving".....

 

[George Farmer]

OK....Hello everyone.....I'm new to the planted tank deal so I have some questions....First of all, some background:

29 gallon freshwater tank
Emperor 280 w/ biowheel filter
T5 flourecscent dual lights (18w 6700k and 18w 10000k)
Gravel substrate
1 Angelfish, 7 tetras, 3 african frogs, 5 danios, 1 guorami, 2 redtail sharks
2 anubias, 1 micro sword, 2 moneywort, 1 unknown, 2 java ferns

The questions:

1) I want to add more lighting (wattage), but I don't want to have to go to CO2......Can I go to a 65w single power compact (6700k) and be ok?

2) I love the way actinic 03 lighting looks in my tank.......Does the actinic provide any benefit to my plants?

Thanks in advance for any advice....My plants are doing ok, but they are not what I would call "thriving".....

Welcome to TFF!

I would suggest CO2 injection with 65w over 29 gal. DIY is easy or there are good off-the shelf yeast-based systems. If you insist on non-CO2 and 65w then you would need to plant more heavily with fast growing stems to avoid algae and fertilise regular with a good trace i.e. Seachem Flourish. I would also consider changing your bio-wheel as these drive off valuable CO2.

Actinic provide no benefit to plants, only algae.

To acheive "thriving" plants I recommend getting your 65w and taking the CO2 route. If and when you do upgrade lighting ensure you add more plants as these will help deal with potential algae due to the sudden boost in light. Currently you are stocked very lightly with slow-growers so algae would be inevitable. More plants = less algae. As I mentioned a decent fertiliser is essential too if you take this route.

 

[jridge]

Thanks for the input, George.....May I present a follow-up question(s)? Could I just leave my lighting as is, and add the Flourish, and sucessfully grow my existing plants? Would you recommend a gravel additive?
Also, my Emperor filter cartridges contain charcoal.......Does the charcoal remove the trace elements I am putting in with the Flourish?

Thanks again......

OK....Hello everyone.....I'm new to the planted tank deal so I have some questions....First of all, some background:

29 gallon freshwater tank
Emperor 280 w/ biowheel filter
T5 flourecscent dual lights (18w 6700k and 18w 10000k)
Gravel substrate
1 Angelfish, 7 tetras, 3 african frogs, 5 danios, 1 guorami, 2 redtail sharks
2 anubias, 1 micro sword, 2 moneywort, 1 unknown, 2 java ferns

The questions:

1) I want to add more lighting (wattage), but I don't want to have to go to CO2......Can I go to a 65w single power compact (6700k) and be ok?

2) I love the way actinic 03 lighting looks in my tank.......Does the actinic provide any benefit to my plants?

Thanks in advance for any advice....My plants are doing ok, but they are not what I would call "thriving".....

Welcome to TFF!

I would suggest CO2 injection with 65w over 29 gal. DIY is easy or there are good off-the shelf yeast-based systems. If you insist on non-CO2 and 65w then you would need to plant more heavily with fast growing stems to avoid algae and fertilise regular with a good trace i.e. Seachem Flourish. I would also consider changing your bio-wheel as these drive off valuable CO2.

Actinic provide no benefit to plants, only algae.

To acheive "thriving" plants I recommend getting your 65w and taking the CO2 route. If and when you do upgrade lighting ensure you add more plants as these will help deal with potential algae due to the sudden boost in light. Currently you are stocked very lightly with slow-growers so algae would be inevitable. More plants = less algae. As I mentioned a decent fertiliser is essential too if you take this route.