Oops, Wrong Bulb

[shortymet55]

I also bought some Seachem Flourish and FloraPride. Those the ferts I will be adding. My water circlation is just from my filter, Whisper 30. And I dont want to add CO2 if at all possible. If this light isnt good for what I have now, can you suggest a better one?

Thanks

 

[Wolfenrook]

If you up the lighting to that 65 watt one you are going to need some source of carbon, if not CO2 then at the least a product like flourish excel or easylife easycarbo. A lot of people forget that one of the nutrients that plants using during photosynthesis is carbon. Push up the lighting levels and the plants use more of all the nutrients, and so start to need additional carbon in addition to what they can get from natural processes.

If you don't want the extra bother, then just stick with the lighting you have now, just switch your tube for a daylight tube, and select your plants to suit, using plants like java fern, anubias, mosses, marimo balls and the like. These will all happily grow in fairly low light, and require less maintenance and ferts than more demanding plants.

Ade

 

[shortymet55]

Thanks a ton for your help. I guess Ill buy some Excel when I buy the fixture. I really want a variety of plants, including some other than green for adding color to the tank (and I read that the redish and lighter green plants require more light.)

Thanks again

 

[Wolfenrook]

There are some nice red plants that don't need higher lighting. Nyphae Stellata "Rubra", echinodorus 'ozelot' and ludwigia natans all have red colours in them and will grow in lower light. I have also grown ammania senegalensis in low light, despite it been listed as needing high light, and when starved of nitrates it goes a lovely deep salmon colour.

Ade

 

[shortymet55]

I went ahead an bought the fixture with Excel. Thanks for all the help!