WPG is not really a good rule to go by for a 10gal tank... it just doesn't apply to really small or really large tanks. Also, the wattage for screw in CFLs is going to be screwy anyway. If you just get 2 regular screw in cfl daylight bulbs, you should be fine. That isn't going to be so much light that CO2 injection is a requirement. It will provide light though in the spectrum your plants need to grow.
What kind of plants are these?
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daileene
Planted Tank Addict
that sounds even better...i can definitely do that.
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daileene
Planted Tank Addict
LOL..okay I didn't know that...thanks. You are a life saver...
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daileene
Planted Tank Addict
I know...that made me laugh...
Let me expand a little bit on the WPG rule...
For medium sized tanks (say 20-65 gal or so) it is a really good rule to follow... it works out well. If you have a 55Gal tank for instance, 1 to 1.5 WPG works out really well for low light plants. 2-2.5 WPG works out really well for medium light plants. 3+ works out well for high light plants (with CO2 injection and fertilizer dosing).
Now, let's try and apply it to a 5 gallon tank: 1 WPG is 5 watts total lighting. This won't be enough to even really grow algae. 3WPG on a 5 gal tank is 15 total watts... this would be good for low light plants... and so on. The same is true of really big tanks: If you have a 100Gal tank, putting 300 Watts of lighting over the tank is overkill... although it is only 3WPG. So it just can't be applied to small or large tanks. But again, it is a great guideline/rule of thumb for most "normal" sized tanks in the hobby.
The other thing too, is different kinds of lighting provide different amounts of useable light. PAR, Lux, spectrum all become important, and different bulbs put out different amounts, so it can kind of mess with the whole WPG thing. For example, T5HO lights, which are very popular, put out almost twice as much usable light as a standard T-8 florescent bulb of the same wattage. So, 2WPG of T5HO lighting is far more powerful than 2WPG of T8 florescent lighting. Again... all just food for thought... but things get murky quickly with lighting (another aquarium reference, score
). I guess the bottom line is, WPG is a good starting point, but there are a lot of factors that determine how much light you have, and what is good, bad, etc.
For medium sized tanks (say 20-65 gal or so) it is a really good rule to follow... it works out well. If you have a 55Gal tank for instance, 1 to 1.5 WPG works out really well for low light plants. 2-2.5 WPG works out really well for medium light plants. 3+ works out well for high light plants (with CO2 injection and fertilizer dosing).
Now, let's try and apply it to a 5 gallon tank: 1 WPG is 5 watts total lighting. This won't be enough to even really grow algae. 3WPG on a 5 gal tank is 15 total watts... this would be good for low light plants... and so on. The same is true of really big tanks: If you have a 100Gal tank, putting 300 Watts of lighting over the tank is overkill... although it is only 3WPG. So it just can't be applied to small or large tanks. But again, it is a great guideline/rule of thumb for most "normal" sized tanks in the hobby.
The other thing too, is different kinds of lighting provide different amounts of useable light. PAR, Lux, spectrum all become important, and different bulbs put out different amounts, so it can kind of mess with the whole WPG thing. For example, T5HO lights, which are very popular, put out almost twice as much usable light as a standard T-8 florescent bulb of the same wattage. So, 2WPG of T5HO lighting is far more powerful than 2WPG of T8 florescent lighting. Again... all just food for thought... but things get murky quickly with lighting (another aquarium reference, score
). I guess the bottom line is, WPG is a good starting point, but there are a lot of factors that determine how much light you have, and what is good, bad, etc.
Shrimp fan
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
I have a similar amazon sword it's echindoras radicans. If it the same plant I hope you have a big tank. The stalks on the leaves were at least 18 inches then the leaves were huge as well. If started to grow out the tank it got so big.
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daileene
Planted Tank Addict
Let me expand a little bit on the WPG rule...
For medium sized tanks (say 20-65 gal or so) it is a really good rule to follow... it works out well. If you have a 55Gal tank for instance, 1 to 1.5 WPG works out really well for low light plants. 2-2.5 WPG works out really well for medium light plants. 3+ works out well for high light plants (with CO2 injection and fertilizer dosing).
Now, let's try and apply it to a 5 gallon tank: 1 WPG is 5 watts total lighting. This won't be enough to even really grow algae. 3WPG on a 5 gal tank is 15 total watts... this would be good for low light plants... and so on. The same is true of really big tanks: If you have a 100Gal tank, putting 300 Watts of lighting over the tank is overkill... although it is only 3WPG. So it just can't be applied to small or large tanks. But again, it is a great guideline/rule of thumb for most "normal" sized tanks in the hobby.
The other thing too, is different kinds of lighting provide different amounts of useable light. PAR, Lux, spectrum all become important, and different bulbs put out different amounts, so it can kind of mess with the whole WPG thing. For example, T5HO lights, which are very popular, put out almost twice as much usable light as a standard T-8 florescent bulb of the same wattage. So, 2WPG of T5HO lighting is far more powerful than 2WPG of T8 florescent lighting. Again... all just food for thought... but things get murky quickly with lighting (another aquarium reference, score
Very good information especially for people like me who just started out doing planted aquariums. I will definitely save this info just in case I will go add another bigger tank and go planted again. I love looking at them real plants. Fake ones is not fascinating. But I know a lot of work comes with it, but beauty always comes with labor. So, I will follow all the good advices in here.
Shrimp fan
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
Hopefully. I got 5 mail order,the magazine said the would only reach a foot high. Yeah right.
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daileene
Planted Tank Addict
Hello Shrimp fan, I thought so too..but I wasn't sure. Thank you. I only have a 10G tank so I guess I have to transfer them.
It still fits my tank but if it's true that it will get bigger, then I have to make a choice fast.
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daileene
Planted Tank Addict
so this is aquatic though if it's amazon?
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daileene
Planted Tank Addict
yayyy thank you...but yeah, i guess that is a good excuse for another tank several months from now...i am going to have the MTS syndrome, am telling yah! LOL
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daileene
Planted Tank Addict
very true....
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daileene
Planted Tank Addict
Okay, so I took a picture of my plants in my 10G tank this morning and it's all here in this link:
http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/members/33270-albums1281.html
Please let me know if you have any idea what kind of plants that are unknown in this album and if any of them are non-aquatic.
Thank you all in advance.
http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/members/33270-albums1281.html
Please let me know if you have any idea what kind of plants that are unknown in this album and if any of them are non-aquatic.
Thank you all in advance.
Crepe
Aquarium Advice Addict
This doesn't look aquatic. Variegated plants are generally not aquatic unless it's a hygrophila.
doesn't seem aquatic either but it looks like something I've seen before. Know the name?
Everything else is fine. The java fern shouldn't be planted though. Its rhizome must remain above the substrate. It does best attached to rocks or wood.
saltwatertogo
Aquarium Advice Activist
Pretty sure it looks like an (Encinodoris) of some sort, It looks what is commonly call a melon sword. hope this helps.
Fisman
Fisman
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daileene
Planted Tank Addict
since I have that one though, it has been okay...no rotting, no yellowing..so i assumed it was aquatic
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