Plants, anyone?

[HennaHonu]

Hi Guys,

I'm looking for any plants I can get a hold of. I'm just starting a 40 gallon that is nearly empty. I have 2 watts/gallon with 10,000 K, Actinic, and moon lighting. I am happy to pay for shipping.

I also have a 10 gallon, also with 2 watts/gallon and 10,000 K + Actinic. I have 2 nanas in there now.

Thanks!

[black hills tj]

10000K and Actinic lighting is less than ideal for plants. Just so you know...

[HennaHonu]

Oh really? What should I have gotten? Everything I read said it was really good. I looked for actual pigment spectrum data for individual plants and plant groups, but didn't find much.

[kangster]

i think those lights are for saltwater tanks and do very little for the plants...
i heard a bulb with kevin temperature of 5000-10000 is ideal for plants...even though i dont really know what that means this number is usually labeled on the box

[black hills tj]

The 10000k bulbs won't hurt your tank, but the actinics won't be of much use. I run two 10000k bulbs and two 6500k bulbs on my 75g planted tank. Plants can use the light at the lower end of the spectrum better than the high end. A 10000k bulb will produce a more true white light, and a 6500k bulb will produce more of a yellow light.

[kangster]

i just got this new light bulb called "FloraSun" for my 10 gallon and it says it is 5000k with 15 watts...
i had a 14 watt regular fllourecent that came with the set when i bought the tank...
it seems like the light is actually dimmer than the previous one...maybe because the other one was producing more true white light and this one has a peak at blue and red...
well i will have to get use to the dimmer lights if the plants enjoy this...

[FishEggs]

it's not really dimmer it's just a different color. you should switch out the actinic bulbs for 6700k bulbs and the plants will show their appreciation.

[Yellow Eye Tang]

hey since we are on the subject here.... you say the plants use the lower spectrum of light? Is this for ALL plants or a certain type? I have a 20g planted tank running DIY Co2 and just dont seem to see the growth I would expect out of a 10000k/actinic bulb. My bulb is 65w so I assume it is good for the plants even if half the bulb is actinic. Should I go out and invest in a full 10,000k bulb or do they make them strictly for plants? I'm also using Florish Excel as a fert.

[FishEggs]

first off flourish Excel is a liquid carbon source and if you have DIY co2 you dont need to use Excel. you're basically double dosing co2. i dont think there is any harm in that but without the other ferts, your plants wont grow any better. you need to use Flourish Comprehensive (it should be a brown liquid) with the diy co2 and also might need potassium if your plant leaves develope holes in them.

it's all basically a balancing act between Light, Ferts and Co2. the more light you have the more ferts and co2 you need for the plants to grow faster but if you get one of them out of balance the algae creeps in to use up the excess.

[Yellow Eye Tang]

just out of my curiosity... what natural elements in a tank are there naturally? Do you have to dose these things or are they there by any other means?