These plants, this light, will it work?

[Deep Seven]

My tank is aprox 24" x 12" and 14.5" high, 66L or just over 17g, with a dual 24" T5, using one actinic and one 6700k bulb. I'll be using eco-complete planted red. Plant list:

• Cryptocoryne Wendtii
• Cryptocoryne Willisii
• Hygrophila Difformis - Water Wysteria
• Limnophila Sessiliflora - Dwarf Ambulia
• Rotala Rotundifolia - Dwarf Rotala
• Vesicularia Dubyana - Java Moss

Any comments? Enough/too much light for the plants? Should I use ferts and CO²? Would my tank be considered low light, medium light, high light? I have a millions questions but I'll refer back to my first question and leave it at that.

 

[daileene]

I would say you would be a low-medium light setup...how many watts do you have? I am not sure about the actinic one...I've heard that it will not benefit the plants. I could be wrong...

 

[fort384]

I think you will be ok. I don't think you will see huge growth out of the ambulia or the rotala. Both of them will thrive with a bit more light than that.

FYI, there is nothing dwarf about rotala R. It will grow all the way to the top of the tank.

 

[fort384]

I am not sure about the actinic one...I've heard that it will not benefit the plants. I could be wrong...

Thats correct... the actinic does not provide usable light to plants.

 

[Crepe]

If you switch the actinic out for 6700k or one of those pink lights (waiting for my bulbs to expire before I try it out) you'll be up there in high light, meaning CO2. I'd say you could grow everything there, it won't be very colorful though, just green.

 

[fort384]

Agreed, if you swap the actinic, CO2 would be required, but you could grow just about any plant.

 

[Deep Seven]

Well from some of the research I've done, my plant list will give me some red colour with high light and/or nutrient manipulation. The actinic is just for viewing colours and occupying the slot so I don't have too much light. I'm hoping to get the tank setup and growing with the one grow light, and in the future when I have CO² ready, I want to swap the actinic for another grow light and get Rotala Macrandra (Giant Red Rotala). If I need more colour for viewing I have room to add another T5 single or dual bulb.

 

[BigJim]

Is it a T5 or a T5HO light? Two non-actinic T5 bulbs would put you in the medium light range. Two non-actinic T5HO bulbs would put you in the high light range.

 

[Deep Seven]

T5HO