T8 flourescent light

[Nathenrauch]

I have T8 flourescent lightinh I was wondering if it can grow live plants? If so Whqt kind

 

[DannyBWell]

It depends on how many watts and how many gallons your tanks is

 

[Nathenrauch]

50 watts 55 gallon

 

[DanTheGuppyMan]

You could probably grow the lowest of low light plants lol. What's the substrate?

 

[Nathenrauch]

Sand but I could switch

 

[DannyBWell]

I agree unless you get more watts stick with low light plants if you want to upgrade I believe the requirements for medium and high light plants are 2-3 watts a gallon

 

[DanTheGuppyMan]

WPG is a really bad and inaccurate way to measure lighting in a tank, take a read on this... Lighting an Aquarium with PAR instead of Watts

 

[Dragonwolf]

I'm growing assorted swords, anubias, java fern, bronze crypt wendtii, and crypt balansae with 2 15W T8 bulbs (one per side of my 55gallon). Using gravel substrate and seachem excel and comp.

 

[Oohitsae]

I'm growing just about everything low-moderate light with my t-8 17w on my 28 bowfront.
I'd definitely prefer a higher light, but what you have can do it!

 

[DanTheGuppyMan]

Ah yes I sold a few plants to Dragonwolf in his tank and they seem to be doing fine, so yes you could grow the low light plants such as swords, Vals, crypts, Anubias, java fern, dwarf sag (maybe), just to name a few common types.

 

[Nathenrauch]

What would I all need to grow them?

 

[DanTheGuppyMan]

What would I all need to grow them?

IMO the necessities for a planted tank is proper lighting, substrate, and ferts. Of you've got those, you'll be able to grow them fine. You have lighting, so you can use gravel, it's not the best, but how heavily are you wanting to plant the tank? Then you will need ferts, they just need a source of CO2 whether it be in the liquid form (Excel) or injected into the tank as a gas (CO2 systems) and the correct nutrients to survive...a lot of people use Seachems Flourish Excel for CO2 and Seachems Flourish Comprehensive as the regular fertilizer.

 

[_skyla_]

I have a 41g with a t8 fixture 30watt day grow bulb 6500k. I grow some ludwidgia can't remember which ones exactly, Anubias, amazon swords, crypts, water sprite, vallisneria, java fern, melon swords, tiger lotus and more I don't know the name of. I dose with seachem comprehensive weekly after my water change and have just started using excel at half the dosage recommended daily, as I've heard it can melt Valls. Just want to see if that works. I also use API root tabs but am planning on switching to seachem root tabs when they need replacing. It's very possible for you to have a nice planted low light tank

This is my low light tank, I had only just added the exel for the first time so I'm hoping it makes a positive difference in the plants health and growth

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/members/65790-albums11541-picture53378.html

 

[Nathenrauch]

Do you know a simply cost effective DIY co2 system?

 

[Dragonwolf]

Ah yes I sold a few plants to Dragonwolf in his tank and they seem to be doing fine, so yes you could grow the low light plants such as swords, Vals, crypts, Anubias, java fern, dwarf sag (maybe), just to name a few common types.

Sure did, and Dan is a great seller!

 

[Nathenrauch]

What is your prices?

 

[DanTheGuppyMan]

What is your prices?

I'll PM you