10g Planted shrimp tank build

[Sillyfishies]

Currently have

1x 10 gallon tank (halfway through resealing)
1x dual CFL light fixture (need help with)
1x t8 light if needed.
1x aqueon quietflow 20
1x 15 pound bag of floramax (will I need more?)
2x sandblasted manzanita branches
1x 50w heater
Fauna-
Neocardina shrimp of some sort. My water is too alkaline for cardinas...

I will be dosing PPS-Pro and metricide. Flora is undecided.

Questions-
Will 15lbs of floramax cut it? Or do I need more?
What wattage of CFL do I need for medium-to highlighting
Are shrimp sensitive to liquid carbon? Will the doses needed for highlight affect them?

Thanks everyone. I will update when I finish resealing and get everything in.

 

[liberator123]

well rule of thumb with cfl is 2watt/gallon for medium lighting. So, id say getting two 13watt bulbs will give you the lighting that you wanted. 20 watts will give you mod, 30 watts will give you high. I personally don't believe in this rule, but its a good start to get an idea where your at.
What plants are you getting that will require high lights btw? I don't think shrimps are sensitive to liquid carbon (but don't take my word as I have yet to successfully taken care of shrimps properly yet, just started my own shrimp tank myself)
As for the floramax, it really depends how you are going to scape it. 15 lbs is actually more than enough tho for a 10gallon.

 

[Pezzep]

I double dose excel in my shrimp tank and they all seem to be doing fine. I have medium-high light I believe, two 13w CFLs on a 7.9g cube. Plants grow great shrimp look good, breeding well. Just cherries though. Wanting to try some golden bumblebees soon.

 

[Sillyfishies]

Thanks! I'm going to figure out if the CFLs on my 30 gal are 23 watt or 13. If 13 watt, ill put those on my 10g and upgrade to 23 on my 30 gallon.

 

[Sillyfishies]

Would 2 23 watt CFLs over a 10g be too much?

 

[liberator123]

Would 2 23 watt CFLs over a 10g be too much?

that will bring you to high light i beleive. remember, more light you have the more co2 required. need to find the perfect balance or youll have algae. i think that is how it works.
ime high light tanks are hard to mantain, if your doing it cuz of just one plant (but the other plants dont require it), i would just forget about that one plant and find a leas demanding light plant. up to you anyways, if your successful then its well worth it. i had to fight so many different algae before i was able to get a good balance with my high light 10 g tank.

 

[Sillyfishies]

that will bring you to high light i beleive. remember, more light you have the more co2 required. need to find the perfect balance or youll have algae. i think that is how it works.
ime high light tanks are hard to mantain, if your doing it cuz of just one plant (but the other plants dont require it), i would just forget about that one plant and find a leas demanding light plant. up to you anyways, if your successful then its well worth it. i had to fight so many different algae before i was able to get a good balance with my high light 10 g tank.

I've had low tech low light tank and a moderate light tank. I want a new challenge.

I feel like 2 23 watts would be TOO much.

 

[Sillyfishies]

Resealed and filled! Floramax and manzanita in! The lights are held up by coat hangers!

 

[Sillyfishies]

Anyone have experience with LED flood lights. For 11$ shipped I would be getting 40+ par at substrate (51 par right under).

What lighting would that get me?

Or I could get a 20w and just raise it to get desired par.