New Setup and looking for some good advice

[roscoe]

Planing to upgrade lighting on a recently purchased Eclipse 1 hood. Read of many available options but looking for advice. The 2 x 13 watt Deluxe Bright Kit (http://www.ahsupply.com/twox.htm) looks great but will it fit? Also if i get the 32 watt PowerCompact retrofit will i need to worry about co2? Filtration modifications?

I currently have a brackish setup [acronym:88166347d0="Specific gravity"]sg[/acronym:88166347d0] 1.012
10 [acronym:88166347d0="Gallon"]gal[/acronym:88166347d0] 20"x10"x11"
15 watt powerglo bulb
50 watt heater
2" natural gravel
tetratec ap200 air pump w/ air stone

Java fern
Anubias
1 unknown
some drift wood

spotted puffer
3 feeder guppies

I was told some hardy plants will do alright in a brackish tank. So i grabbed a few. The plants where just recently added to the tank but they seem to be doing fine with a [acronym:88166347d0="Specific gravity"]sg[/acronym:88166347d0] at 1.012 and the [acronym:88166347d0="power head or Measure of the concentration of hydrogen ions, depending on context"]ph[/acronym:88166347d0] at 7.8. The nitrates tend to get high but i was told once the tank gets established i can lose the Bio-wheel and stop the nitrates. With out the bio-wheel will the plants handle the bio load?

I am thinking about adding co2.

Have you heard of creating co2 using a 2 liter bottle, sugar and yeast? Does it work? Read that on a web page (http://www.thekrib.com/Plants/kelly-intro.html) check it out. What to you think?

I also got some misc aquarium plant bulbs from the [acronym:88166347d0="Local Fish Store"]LFS[/acronym:88166347d0].Only 5 of 10 sprouted and do not seem to be doing very well but hope to kick start them with some new lighting.

[betowess]

If thats a ten gallon tank, the 32 AH Supply will be a great light. But I don't know if its reflector will fit in the hood or get too warm. You could talk to Kim at AH. I have two 32 watt AH lights on a ten and an 18 and the plants grow great. I built my own wood enclosures per AH design plans.

Personally, I think tens are too small for much of a planted tank. The [acronym:60a938d2b1="Carbon dioxide"]CO2[/acronym:60a938d2b1] will work great. Just get a Hagen ladder for about 5 or 6 bucks and some airline hose and silicone to seal the drilled hole in the cap. the recipe for 2 liters is 2 cups of sugar. 1 teaspoon each of baking soda and bread yeast, with 6 cups of H2O. Good Luck and welcome to AA!

Brackish plants, from what I've read:

Anubias, barteri, barteri nana
Valiseneria americana, (jungle val, way too big for a 10 gallon)
Saggitaria subulata , one other can't recall right now
Java Fern
Water Sprite
Green Hygro
Giant Hygro