40 Breeder Planted Tank

[kriben]

I am setting up a 40 breeder soon, and it will be a planted tank. I have a 46 gallon bow which is meeting wear and tear(silicone seams are losing strength) so I am switching to the 40 breeder. I am going to be using the equipment I have on the 46 gallon on the 40. I have a Emporer 400 filter, 100 watt Marineland heater, and a 36" Coral Life Dual bulb fixture(2x 96watt power compact bulbs). I do not have any way of adding CO2 to my tank. When the 46 was set up, I went to the lfs and asked what I needed to get a planted tank going. For substrate they had me put down a thin layer of dirt gold or something like that. Over it they said lay down some paper towels to keep it from going into the water coulumn then came a 3" layer of finer gravel. It worked in a way, but I don't think it is doing much for the plants being down at the very bottom of the tank and all. So on the 40 breeder I was thinking of mixing EcoComplete and some pool filter sand to allow the plants to get nutrients from other places besides the bottom of the tank. I currently have 3 amazon swords(1 has two runners growing on it) and 8 crypt plants which are all fairly small. I also have 2 clumps of java moss, which one was torn apart by my pair of kribs so it is in maybe 5 different places. I will add a CO2 system to the tank. How many pounds of the EcoComplete should I get to mix with the pool filter sand? And is there anything I should be adding or consider for the tank? My last question would be, should I run both lights or just one? I do plan on adding a purple flowering plant and some of the red colored plants so it isn't all green.

 

[HalfMoon B]

If you run both bulbs you will need CO2 to help combat algae. I used 4 bags of Eco complete on my tank, and I have a DIY CO2 system, and a dual bulb t5ho fixture, and I couldn't be happier with their growth and color.
I would say 2 bags of Eco with your PFS and you shroud be golden.

 

[kriben]

Thanks! I noticed that running both bulbs causes an algae problem on my 46 gallon tank. The whole back wall and both sides were caked in brown and green algae and the front was starting to get some as well. It wasn't anything the addition of 2 otos and a chinese algae eater couldn't handle. The back is clean for the most part, just some green algae dots(must be too hard to remove for the little otos). So I am going to use CO2 on the 40 breeder to allow myself enough light for the more demanding plants.

 

[HalfMoon B]

Sounds like a plan! Let us know how it goes!
P.S. We like pics!