Mosses??

[Islander009]

Hi all. I'm just starting to get into this planted tank addiction and have fallen for all the different types of mosses and well all the various plants in general. Could someone let me know what would work best for a 37 gallon tank with no co2 and with Eco complete and a t8 24" 8000k daylight hoodlight? I would assume since this hoodlight came with my tank package it's not the best so is it considered low light? Or should I end up swapping this out? Trying to save up for a pressurized co2 setup so no chance I can get that right off the bat. Well anyways any help would be awesome!!

 

[fort384]

CO2 injection isn't going to do a whole lot for the tank with that light. It is pretty low light. That being said, it will grow most aquatic mosses with no problem, albeit a little slow.

If you want to upgrade and inject CO2, I would start looking at T5HO fixtures and save up for both the CO2 and light.

fish need it;lights; food;Sponge sells affordable decent quality t5ho fixtures. A dual t5ho fixture would afford you a lot of options for plants, especially if you are injecting CO2 as well.

 

[Atxpunx]

I think I've read on this forum that putting co2 in a tank allows the plant to utilize all the light. It would make better use of your lowlight fixtures. I believe aqua chem made note of this.

 

[fort384]

I wouldn't argue with anyone who wants to inject co2. It makes a tremendous difference if all else is in balance. However, I think the op would see far more benefit from upgrading the light first and then look at co2. Pressurized co2 is a big investment for a FW tank and the noticeable differences would be less than stellar with a very low light setup.

 

[Sake]

While no expert, I'm going to have to agree with fort. You need a combination of all 3, light, co2, and ferts. If you just add one of the 3 you won't get nearly as much benefit out of it.

 

[CorallineAlgae]

If you're trying to grow moss your light is just fine (unless the bulb is really old). If you want to grow a wide variety of plants you really are going to want more light and possibly co2. Moss doesn't need bright lights, co2 or much ferts, unlike many other plants. Just remember that low light plus low plant nutrients seriously limits you on the types of plants you will be able to keep and also how many the tank will support, but it doesn't mean you can't grow the easy ones.

 

[Islander009]

Hi all thank you for your valuable information. I have decided that at this time I will pick up a t5 ho light. Have any of you all used zoo med, coralife, or solarmax lights? Which is known to be durable, reliable and well most effective?

 

[rkilling1]

I'm glad you came here and asked for the information before just jumping in.

IMO, you either need to slowly build up to a tank full of plants or you go all in. What I mean is, you cannot just add one thing without the other in extremes. Say you add a T5HO fixture, but not ferts or CO2, you will have issues. You either build up to needing the others, only one T5 running at a time, or you purchase all the equipment and install it at the same time.

It's way to early for me to intelligently explain what I mean!

 

[fort384]

I don't think there would be much of a demand on the system with a dual t5ho on a 37 gallon tank. It could be run without co2 for awhile. But yes I get your meaning and it is kind of my point too. It all has to be looked at from a standpoint of balance.

 

[CorallineAlgae]

It's a lot like growing plants in a garden. In a garden you have to give the plants a spot where they have the tight light, water them when they're dry, add fertilizer if the soil isn't rich or you want them to grow better, etc. In your tank, instead of water (aquatic plants get all they need of that) the plants use co2, you fertilize the gravel with root tabs, and the water with liquid ferts. Look at it like that and it'll make sense. if you give a plant what it needs, weather outside or in a tank, it'll grow.