libertybelle
Aquarium Advice Addict
Hey planted tank experts!
My 29 gallon has been running for a few years with just the basic lighting that came with the tank. Your basic t8 floragro 17W bulb that is way below low lighting. With that light I've grown what was advertised to be amazon swords (would they just stay small under that low of light? They look healthy but way too small to be amazon swords ...) Anubius nana, crypts, and java moss. They've been slow (obviously) but healthy. I even had water wisteria growing out the wazoo for a while which was odd... In retrospect I suspect it was getting afternoon sun from the skylight because when I moved the tank the wisteria died way back!
I finally decided I wanted to add some more interesting plants and maybe increase growth a bit (though I still don't want to mess with adding C02). So I added a duel t5 aqueon fixture with two 14W t5 bulbs to run alongside the old t8 fixture. One bulb is a colormax and one is a floramax. I know colormax isn't the 'right color' for plants but i didn't like the color of the tank running just plant bulbs. Since then I've added Crinum Calamistratum (so pretty) and Red and green tiger lotus.
I do fertilize, though not much because I think the light is still on the low side. The maybe-swords, crypts, and Crinum Calamistratum have flourish root tabs every 6 months.
I also dose the water column with
~excel a couple times a week (I've been trying to remember to do it daily but I haven't been lately).
~Flourish comprehensive 1/week
~API plant zone (K and Fe) 1/week
I do have a phosphorous supplement which I've used a couple times if I suspected a deficiency but I don't use it regularly. I know with a fully stocked tank and low to medium lighting N and Ph are unlikely to be the limiting factor.
So here are the questions. Can anyone tell me if this tank is low or medium light? I know ... sounds silly! I want to grow appropriate plants but I find myself confused on all the differing measurements of tank lighting. Also, do you guys think this level of fertilization is ok for my plants/lighting? Too much/ not enough?
Thanks for reading this ridiculously long post!
My 29 gallon has been running for a few years with just the basic lighting that came with the tank. Your basic t8 floragro 17W bulb that is way below low lighting. With that light I've grown what was advertised to be amazon swords (would they just stay small under that low of light? They look healthy but way too small to be amazon swords ...) Anubius nana, crypts, and java moss. They've been slow (obviously) but healthy. I even had water wisteria growing out the wazoo for a while which was odd... In retrospect I suspect it was getting afternoon sun from the skylight because when I moved the tank the wisteria died way back!
I finally decided I wanted to add some more interesting plants and maybe increase growth a bit (though I still don't want to mess with adding C02). So I added a duel t5 aqueon fixture with two 14W t5 bulbs to run alongside the old t8 fixture. One bulb is a colormax and one is a floramax. I know colormax isn't the 'right color' for plants but i didn't like the color of the tank running just plant bulbs. Since then I've added Crinum Calamistratum (so pretty) and Red and green tiger lotus.
I do fertilize, though not much because I think the light is still on the low side. The maybe-swords, crypts, and Crinum Calamistratum have flourish root tabs every 6 months.
I also dose the water column with
~excel a couple times a week (I've been trying to remember to do it daily but I haven't been lately).
~Flourish comprehensive 1/week
~API plant zone (K and Fe) 1/week
I do have a phosphorous supplement which I've used a couple times if I suspected a deficiency but I don't use it regularly. I know with a fully stocked tank and low to medium lighting N and Ph are unlikely to be the limiting factor.
So here are the questions. Can anyone tell me if this tank is low or medium light? I know ... sounds silly! I want to grow appropriate plants but I find myself confused on all the differing measurements of tank lighting. Also, do you guys think this level of fertilization is ok for my plants/lighting? Too much/ not enough?
Thanks for reading this ridiculously long post!
