Plant and lighting suggestions

[beerguy9]

Have an established 46 Bowfront tank with the following:

5 long fin Danios
5 Albino Cory's
2 Lamp Eye Tetras
4 Kuhli Loaches 3" or so
25 Ghost Shrimp

Gravel and sand substrate (1/2 and 1/2)
Some fake and some real plants
Magnum 350
sponge filter for recirc system
300w Inline heater
Current Nova Extreme T5 X2 Fresh light, 2x39w, 1 10,000k, 1 6500k

Now for the questions:

Does this translate into a low light or medium light tank?
What types of plants will be good for the tank, and that pull nutrients from the water (not roots)
Can I/should I use a fertilizer? and would it upset the tank balance or affect the Ghost Shrimp?

Thanks for any help you provide, this planted thing gets complicated fast! But it's fun and interesting.

 

[rich311k]

78 watts of T-5 over 46 gallons. I would say medium - medium-high. I think you will be able to grow quite a bit.

 

[newfound77951]

I agree. T5s are pretty strong. You should be able to grow most anything except extremely light demanding plants, but you'll need ferts and CO2 to keep the plants happy and algae under control.

As for the plants, root feeders will be fine in your substrate if you give them some root tabs. So things like swords and crypts would be fine, as well as most any stem plants.

 

[beerguy9]

Thanks for the comments guys! I'm sure I will have more as I get better aquainted with the planted aspect of aquaria.