Lighting, Co2 & Plants - 3 Questions

[chrism]

I'm getting a 42g/150l tank on saturday, the only thing i've bought so far is the filter, fluval 304.

It's going to be an angel fish tank, but will also be housing a common plec, i recently posted a topic on what plants ppl kept with large plec so i could get a better idea of what i could keep.

I've bought some 'APONOGETON longiplumulosus' which (acording to plantgeek) requires medium light... so about 1.5 - 2.5 wpg I would also like to keep some or all of the following, Corkscrew vals, Crinum natans, Orchid lilly, Black Sword plant, Anubias nana, and maybe one of the following Cryptocoryne willisii / Dwarf water clover / Ranalisma rostrata / Pygmy crypt. I have ordered a floating plant (going to keep hatchet fish) but cant remember which one it is now...

Money is an object but i'm not on a real tight budget, got about £300 to spend on the rest (not inc fish)

my question:

1) What lighting system would you recommend? PC? T5?
2) I'm assuming i'll be needing co2, and would rather a presursised system - any recommendations? Do they come in complete kits?
3) Any thoughts on the plants i've chosen? Havent really had any experience with them apart from the vals and Anubias - theyre a piece of cake!

thanks in advance!

 

[Xzap]

If you can afford it, this is a great "complete" co2 system, minus the cylinder.
Drs. F&S

dave

 

[workfortheman]

Wow Dave, that is crazy. Definitely over the top for my tastes, until I win the lottery!

chris,
I'm a big fan of PC fluorescents over NO, so they have my vote. Does the tank come with stand and/or canopy? If canopy is included, check out retrofitting a PC unit to it. Otherwise some of the free-standing ones are pretty kewl. (check out www.drsfostersmith.com)

For co2, you really only need a tank, regulator, needle valve, check valve, tubing, and diffuser. A solenoid is nice if you want to put it on a timer, or eventually get a pH meter. (I'm saving up for a Milwaukee system MA957 regulator and SMS122 pH meter)

Can't help you with those plants much! GL

 

[TankGirl]

If you keep your lighting around 2wpg you don't need CO2 necessarily - and the plants you have chosen should do fine without it.

Captivereefs.com has good deals on PC light fixtures, like the USA Current series.

 

[chrism]

hey thanks for all the input guys, think what i'll do then is leave off the co2 although that is one funky system up there!! hehe and see how my plants / algae goes lol

My tank comes with a hood, but there's no light fittings or anything inside it, so i think i'm pretty flexable with what i choose, and i seem to have quite a bit of space between the top of the hood and the glass 'splash guard?' or whatever its called over the top of the tank