Looking into more live plants

[blueshoe32]

Hello I would love to add more live plants but when I add a few to get started they get pretty narly and fast. I was wondering if some of you who have had success could give me some ideas. My tank is a 20 hex and I know I need better lighting. I am thinking about going simple with a desk light, but what bulb? Also any ideas on low light plants that do better in pea sized gravel ? I know its possile just need to figure out how !!!

Any advice wold be helpfull.

 

[TMaier]

Needle leaf Java fern. Tie it to rock or wood. Don't bury the rhizome. I had some growing under an led desk light from Walmart.

 

[flchamp89]

If I remember right you have about 20 in depth. Youll need some power at that depth if im correct.

 

[blueshoe32]

Like a air stone or o2 ? Or a more powerful filter ? I already have thought about getting a step or two gallons higher . As of now I customized mine so the tube is about 8 inches from the bottom and I don't have as much trouble as most talk about when filtering a hex

 

[flchamp89]

No...need to consider par at 20in depth. Hex are odd sizes. Not as easy to find fixtures.

Ive seen a nice build thread on a 20 hex running two finnex clips.

 

[whatsgoodm8]

Is this a 20 gallon or 20 litre tank? Is it taller than it is wide?

 

[blueshoe32]

The foot print is 20 x 16 . It's a 20 gallon

 

[whatsgoodm8]

Alright so you can use a desk lamp. Go to a supermarket and look for a "compact fluorescent" bulb (search on Google Images if you don't know what it looks like). On the box of that bulb a few things are mentioned. Try to get one around 25 and 35W (that's how much electricity it uses, so typically if a bulb has a higher wattage, it means it'll be brighter because it uses more electricity). Then on the back or on the bottom in small font usually the "colour temperature" is mentioned. The unit for colour temperature is Kelvin, so somewhere on the box it'll mention something like "6500K". Just make sure it's around 6000 something that means it's a white bulb. For example, 2700K is a yellow bulb. With this type of lighting and gravel that you mentioned you are using, you should stick to beginner plants. I wouldn't recommend dosing fertilisers or using CO2 because if you don't do it properly, you're probably going to get algae. People usually recommend Anubias and Java fern as beginner plants but those can be very slow growers so I recommend that you look for Amazon or rangeri swords, cryptocoryne and cabomba. These are faster growers and I like them because you can actually see them grow after a few days. Stem plants like cabomba need to be planted properly. Take them out of the pot they typically come in and separate each stem. You should plant each stem separately simply by grabbing one stem and pushing it an inch or two deep into the gravel. Do the same with the other stems. Don't plant 10 stems in the exact same spot (each stem should be an inch or two away from the other when planted) so that light isn't blocked from reaching the lower leaves. Make sure you don't have any fish that eat live plants and especially stay away from crayfish. Keep you light on for around 10 hours a day. If you need anymore help let me know

 

[blueshoe32]

You are wonderful thank you. That's clear cut info I can work with.