Plants

[fatheadminnow]

so if you don't go above 2wpg then you don't have to add anything to help them grow? or?

going above 2wpg needs CO2, and heavy fertilisation.
medium lighting (ie 1.5wpg) doesnt need CO2, but it will need fertilisation
low lighting (1WPG) wont need CO2, and possibly no fertilisers. Maybe an addition of a fert once a week will do as generally the fish will provide everything.


Go for a kelvin between 6000-11 000k
I am saying a bit higher than FHM simply because i feel that 2800k is to red/ pink unless you have 2 tubes, so you can mix it with a white tube (8000k) to balance it out.

Also, the daimeter ('T' rating) can knock the wpg guideline way off the charts. 1wpg of T5 will be similar to having 2wpg of T8. Due to T5 giving more watts per square inch. T5's also penetrate deeper into the water column.

I agree, the 2800k bulb I have is pretty red, and I am liking to get another tube (2 total) of like a 11,000k bulb to even it out. So will have my 2800K bulb, and then around a 11,000K bulb. But like aaronnorth said, go for a K rating of around 6,000-11,000K.

Well written response aaronnorth!

-FHM

 

[fishnoob88]

what is a kelvin 11000k ? all this is jibberish to me lol

 

[aaronnorth]

it is the colour temperature of a tube. generally speaking:

2000-4000k = pink (ideal for bringing out reds in plants & fishes)
4500-7000k = yellow-green (ideal for green colours)
7500-11 000k = white (ideal as a general, broad spectrum.)

 

[joshjames]

12 cichlids and 1 shark in my 40 gallon, Ph 7.8, temp 77, 30watts light

you have 12 cichilds in a 40 gallon???
sorry to hijack a thread but what cichlids are these???

 

[fatheadminnow]

12 cichlids and 1 shark in my 40 gallon, Ph 7.8, temp 77, 30watts light

you have 12 cichilds in a 40 gallon???
sorry to hijack a thread but what cichlids are these???

It is not uncommon, nor is it a bad thing to over-stock a tank with Cichlids.

Actually it is preferred to over-stock a Cichlid tank.

Overstocking a Cichlid tank is going to spread the aggression out, and not allow the dominant Cichlid to pick on just one other fish.

So actually 12 Cichlids is not a bad thing at all. They are still small, so maybe when they get bigger he will re-home a few, or get a bigger tank, though not necessary.

As of right now I know he is not having any aggression issues, which is a good thing!

-FHM

 

[fishnoob88]

12 cichlids and 1 shark in my 40 gallon, Ph 7.8, temp 77, 30watts light

you have 12 cichilds in a 40 gallon???
sorry to hijack a thread but what cichlids are these???

It is not uncommon, nor is it a bad thing to over-stock a tank with Cichlids.

Actually it is preferred to over-stock a Cichlid tank.

Overstocking a Cichlid tank is going to spread the aggression out, and not allow the dominant Cichlid to pick on just one other fish.

So actually 12 Cichlids is not a bad thing at all. They are still small, so maybe when they get bigger he will re-home a few, or get a bigger tank, though not necessary.

As of right now I know he is not having any aggression issues, which is a good thing!

-FHM

I think it depends on "what cichlids" are in there. It could be 12 jd's or gt's for all we know

 

[fatheadminnow]

They are Malawi Cichlids.

-FHM

 

[rewlyn]

12 cichlids and 1 shark in my 40 gallon, Ph 7.8, temp 77, 30watts light

you have 12 cichilds in a 40 gallon???
sorry to hijack a thread but what cichlids are these???

It is not uncommon, nor is it a bad thing to over-stock a tank with Cichlids.

Actually it is preferred to over-stock a Cichlid tank.

Overstocking a Cichlid tank is going to spread the aggression out, and not allow the dominant Cichlid to pick on just one other fish.

So actually 12 Cichlids is not a bad thing at all. They are still small, so maybe when they get bigger he will re-home a few, or get a bigger tank, though not necessary.

As of right now I know he is not having any aggression issues, which is a good thing!

-FHM

I think it depends on "what cichlids" are in there. It could be 12 jd's or gt's for all we know

if you want to see pics go to "pics, 40g tank" in the "Member's Aquarium and Fish Pictures" forum

 

[fishnoob88]

ahh if its malawi, then thats fine. cool

 

[rewlyn]

ahh if its malawi, then thats fine. cool

did you check the pics, i think youll like em

 

[fatheadminnow]

Hey rewlyn, I just got a 55 gallon tank, I am picking it up tomorrow!

-FHM

 

[joshjames]

ok sorry jumped to the wrong conlusions...
have no clue about malawi cichlids so leave it to the experts

 

[fishnoob88]

ok sorry jumped to the wrong conlusions...
have no clue about malawi cichlids so leave it to the experts

malawi are awesome, and very colorful, and you have to keep them in high numbers, to keep aggression down. they are kept in tanks with lots of caves/rocks, one day i will have a malawi set up

ahh if its malawi, then thats fine. cool

did you check the pics, i think youll like em

yeah, great looking fish . though I do have one question. Why is the tank so empty? as in, the water level? It seems awful low?

 

[rewlyn]

ok sorry jumped to the wrong conlusions...
have no clue about malawi cichlids so leave it to the experts

malawi are awesome, and very colorful, and you have to keep them in high numbers, to keep aggression down. they are kept in tanks with lots of caves/rocks, one day i will have a malawi set up

ahh if its malawi, then thats fine. cool

did you check the pics, i think youll like em

yeah, great looking fish . though I do have one question. Why is the tank so empty? as in, the water level? It seems awful low?

im currently doing a fish-in cycle