Will I need additional lights and/or CO2?

[jpmurphy]

Hi all,

I'm picking up a 12 gallon tall tank (Fluval Edge) and want to start a planted freshwater tank (because live plants are so much cooler). I'm thinking a carpet of Eleocharis parvula (info/pic), and a background of tall Vallisneria nana (info/pic). I'm hoping I won't need extra equipment since they're both low-light plants?

Two questions:

1. Will I need more light than comes with the 42 LEDs (2wt each) that come standard with my tank? Will I need CO2?
2. Will my glowlight tetras and blue pearl shrimp have any 'compatibility" issues with the plants I've chosen?

 

[maxwellag]

1. Although some have had sucess with the LEDs that come with the edge tanks, the stock lighting is not ideal for plant growth. Yes, I would use co2. Even with the stock lighting, you may be able to get parvula and val nana to grow with fertilizer dosing and co2.
2. No, fish and invertebrates don't typically have any issues at all with plants, although many larger cichlids eat plants. I recommend keeping the glowlight tetras in a larger tank, since the 12 gallon edge is a bit small for them. They'd be better in a 20g long IMO.

 

[Rivercats]

We have 2 Fluval Edge 6g tanks and one Fluval Edge 12g tank. I can tell you that the Corkscrew Val didn't work in the tank, not enough light. I'm sure the other won't work either without additional light. Watersprite works great with the stock lights as does Crypt Wendti, Bolbitus, and Java Fern Wendilov. The tank is deep enough that only plants like the last 3 I listed thatt are very low light tolerant. I don't use CO2 but do use a liquid carbon.

 

[jpmurphy]

Thanks to both of you (Rivercats and maxwellag) for your thoughtful responses

That's a shame about the glowlights. I'm assuming, from what I've read, the tank I have in mind is too narrow, not necessarily too few gallons? Max, is there another fish (other than glowlights) that you'd recommend for the upper layers of my tank? It'd be a shame to have happy shrimp on the bottom and see empty middle and top layers ::tear::

River, I've heard good things about Java Fern from a bunch of sites, that might be the go-to plant for this tank then. I'm going to research the wendti and bolbitus on the morrow. Is there a big (price) difference between CO2 and liquid carbon?

 

[Rivercats]

In a low light tank most don't use CO2. Liquid carbon is more often the choice and I have found it to work quite well in low light. In our 12g Edge we have Endlers for top movement, harliquens for mid swimmers, and dwarf cories. The Endlers love the water sprite which just fills the entire mid to upper level. Then in the shaded area below is perfect for the crypt wendtii, bolbitus (one of my favorite plants), and java fern (wendilov is my favor type of java fern).

 

[armymp327]

Hi all,

I'm picking up a 12 gallon tall tank (Fluval Edge) and want to start a planted freshwater tank (because live plants are so much cooler). I'm thinking a carpet of Eleocharis parvula (info/pic), and a background of tall Vallisneria nana (info/pic). I'm hoping I won't need extra equipment since they're both low-light plants?

Two questions:

1. Will I need more light than comes with the 42 LEDs (2wt each) that come standard with my tank? Will I need CO2?
2. Will my glowlight tetras and blue pearl shrimp have any 'compatibility" issues with the plants I've chosen?

if you want/need more light the easiest thing to do is put a desk lamp by the tank with a CFL bulb in the 6000k temp range pointing to the tank, though this is not a very attractive look you can also go with this, it may or may not fit on the tank, though you can mount it to the wall if your tank is by one.

Amazon.com: Fluval Mini Power Compact Lamp - 13W: Pet Supplies

even 1 of those id imagine would be much better then the LED lights.

 

[jpmurphy]

River, Endler's are a great idea! From what I've read, they don't leave much of a bio-footprint. May I ask how many you have stocked? Would I run into stocking issues with 6 or 8?

Also, thanks for the link, army! Since the 21 watts or so from the standard LEDs sound like they won't be enough, that extra Fluval light might come in handy.

I'm curious about liquid carbon. A might be the next step in my research

 

[armymp327]

well 21 watts of led and 13 watts of PC is a big difference, being that the PC light will be much brighter and have a higher PAR value

give this a read, its all about lighting and PAR values, very informative.

Lighting an Aquarium with PAR instead of Watts

 

[jpmurphy]

Whoa! I didn't expect so much physics The last graph seems to say that 20 watts of LED will give me slightly-above low light levels through most of my tank. Back to the books to make sure the fish and shrimp and plants are all good with around those levels.

EDIT: I don't want to have too much light, since the Enders like lower amounts (or diffused amounts) of light.

 

[armymp327]

well thats for AH supply LED lights that are pretty high quality, i have the fluval spec 5.6 gallon, and i can tell you those LED lights just barely keep my Anubis alive.

however im no expert so its your call, always worth a shot to try the LED lights they come with and see if it works or not. good luck!

 

[jpmurphy]

Yea, I've read that the LEDs on the smaller EDGE are pretty wimpy (and leave the sides pretty dark). I'll probably so as you suggest: try the LEDs that come with it and add something like the Fluval you linked at the first sign of "trouble."

 

[Rivercats]

That many Endlers would be fine. We keep only males for the brighter colors and have 8 in a 12 gallon with Harliquen Rasboras and pygmy cory cats.

 

[jpmurphy]

Thanks for the advice, River I'm concerned the Rasboras might make meals of my shrimp. Going with only the shoal of Ender's might give me a larger margin? And hopefully the java fern comes up well.