small tanks w/ plants

[tinkerbell]

So, I am seeing topics on people using 2.5 and 5s for planted tanks. But the way I read the stickies yuo need certan lighting and the regular tube blubs don't cut it. But yet isn't that what these people posting are using? I am seeing them say 8W and such. My tank can use up to 25W, I thought more was better.

I was thinking about diong plants, but drew it out of question with the lighting in such a small tank. Maybe I could just go lowlighted plants. I am extermely new to this. I understand plants a lot. I took Horticultre for 2 years, but know nothing on aquatics. Sorry if my questions seem rather dumb.

So what plants can I use? And what have you or others used in such small tanks? I have a 5gal, what bulb should I purchase?

 

[ringfinger]

What are the dimensions of your 5 gallon? Did it come with a lighting fixture, and if so what kind?

 

[tinkerbell]

It's a MiniBow 5gal and the lighting is jus the top lid with an incadescent light(20W) that it came with right now.

 

[azn_fishy55]

Instead of the incandescent you can buy the screw in compact fluorescent at
http://drsfosterandsmith.com .That will allow you to keep some plants that need higher lighting levels.But with higher lighting levels you will need to have a good substrate and dose CO2.You can use eco-complete or flourite since those will provide enough nutrients for your plants. and you will have to dose Flourish Excel to provide carbon for your plants,For fertilization I would order dry ferts from Greg Watson.I really reccomend to keep shrimp in your five gallon,preferrably cherry or crystal red shrimp.You can actually breed them in you tank.They will eat algae and other foods intended for FW inverts.HTH

 

[Wizzard~Of~Ozz]

Incandescent is one of the worst types of lighting to grow plants with, the reason your wattage is so high is because the bulb is inefficient. a 9w PC bulb is the equivelent to a 40w incandescent and more of the spectrum is what's required for photosynthesis.

 

[malkore]

Small, low light tanks aren't hard to setup. I ran a 5gallon betta tank with one 10watt AllGlass screw-in power compact, and it went well. Crypt wenditti, affinis and lutea all grew fine, as did java ferns.

So that was 2wpg on a tiny tank and my low light plants did ok. I dosed flourish and excel when I remembered.

 

[Jchillin]

I'm sure TankGirl will forgive me but you can get some great information from what she was able to do here: http://www.aquariumadvice.com/viewtopic.php?t=62994&start=0

 

[An t-iasg]

I have this light fixture over two of my regular All-Glass 5.5 gallon tanks:

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Product/Prod_Display.cfm?pcatid=11382&N=2004+113345

I removed one of the bulbs, so I have 9 watts PC over the tank. I can grow medium-light plants, and I do have enough lighting intensity with just the one bulb to need CO2. The reason I removed one bulb is because these are betta tanks, and bettas don't like bright light. I am able to grow the plants I like with just one bulb.