Advice on Dry Ferts, maybe LED Lighting?

[Quake2player]

I've gone through several incarnations of my planted tank over the years, and I've found I always "slack off" because I don't keep up with the fertilizer regimen... usually I just don't want to spend the $$, so the plants slip... algae take over and I'm back to figuring it out... LOL.

Anyway, as a long time reader of this forum, I figure it's time to take the next step and buy dry ferts. First, details on my 29 gal tank... I added as many notes on this pic (taken 2/2013, over a month ago... I'll gladly post an updated one):

And just in case, if anyone can't see the pic:
29 gallon, substrate is 90% flourite mixed with gravel, lighting is Coralife CFL 10k 65 Watts, NO CO2, Liquid ferts every other day (Seachem Flourish and Excel).
Plants:
Amazon Sword (goin a 3 yrs at least)
Crypt (don't know what type): also goin 3 yrs
Java Moss (couple of yrs) - totally overun my 2 pieces of driftwood, and wrapped a clump onto a couple of rocks in the foreground.
Java Fern attached to DW (couple of yrs) - - pic shows some "furry" lookin algae... endlers and Otos don't seem to eat the furry alagae growin on the edges of java fern.
New additions late January 2013:
Hornwort:grows fast, have to cut every other week
Wisteria: struggling a bit at first, but has shown growth upwards
Dwarf Sags: in foreground, doin ok

I would like to switch from the liquid ferts to dry... seeking advice here.

And, I think Dr Fostersmith as a sale goin on... thinking of switching to LED lighting?? If the LED lighting will use less power than my 65 Watt CFL, then maybe I can justify the cost?

Oh, and did I forget:
13) Cardinal Tetras (may add another 6), yes I'm keepin this primarily as a Cardinal species tank.
4) Endlers
3) Otos
Various Ramshorn Snails and Malaysian Trumpets

Whew.

 

[Rivercats]

Here is the dry fert package I use... Micro & Macro | Aquarium Fertilizer | Green Leaf Aquariums

I recommend 3 of these dosing bottles... Fertilizer Dispenser | 1000 mL (32 oz) | Green Leaf Aquariums

Here is a good thread to read about dosing PPS-Pro. You only need to read the openning post not all the comment afterwards. The two differences you'll see is they add MgSO4 magnesium sulfate which unless you have very soft water or use RO water you don't need to add in as most tap water has plenty of magnesium in it. Also they use two dosing bottles to mix micro and macro's in but I use three, 1 bottle for nitrate- KNO3, 1 bottle for phosphate- Mono Potassium Phosphate and potassium- K2SO4, 1 bottle for micro's- CSM+B. By having nitrates in one bottle and phosphate and potassium in another bottle it allows you to better custom dose your macro nutrients to how much your tank actually needs. Newbie Guide to PPS-Pro - PPS Analysis and Feedback - Aquatic Plant Central

 

[aqua_chem]

LEDs will use less electricity, at the cost of a significantly higher upfront cost for the light you get. Additionally, most of the lights you see being sold are more fish lights than plant lights, if you know what I mean. On a tank as tall as a 29, you would probably need to put quite a bit of money into LEDs to get the equivalent amount of light as a so-so T5HO setup.

 

[Quake2player]

Thank you both!
Now I need to investigate T5HO lighting.

I'm assuming my algae growth is due to not injecting CO2, though I'm using liquid carbon via Excel. From all the reading here, it seems, some think liquid carbon is a CO2 substitute... I tend not to think it is, though liquid carbon is better than none?

 

[Rivercats]

I have a 220g 100% planted high light tank and only use liquid carbon and don't have algae issues. Also liquid carbon only stays in solution between 12-24 hours so it needs to be dosed daily. Also in tanks that have higher light and or alot of plants a higher dosage of liquid carbon needs to be dosed daily. With the amount of plants you have you need to be dosing at least 1ml of Excel per 5 gallons of tank water daily.

There are alot of different reasons that attribute to different types of algae issues.

 

[eAts]

As for the led light, look at the finnex ray II. I use jt on my somewhat planted tank and I'm trimming the pennywort every two weeks. I have been dosing excel daily and flourish comp once a week. I am also about to order the dry ferts river cats has provided. I have little algea with the 30 inch light on a 44 pentagon

 

[DanTheGuppyMan]

I agree with the Ray 2 if you really want LED lights. I know some people who have Ray 2's on tanks larger than a 29g... Grows plants wonderfully. I also dose PPS-Pro in my tanks for dry ferts and use the GLA feet pack also.

 

[farnaby]

I third the Finnex Ray 2 recommendation. I use the Finnex Fugeray on my 29 lowtech and I'm getting good growth so far with excel and liquid ferts (I, too, am thinking of switching over to dry ferts).

 

[Quake2player]

Rivercats: When I purchase the dry ferts, would I still need to supply Carbon via liquid Excel?

Hmm, it's hard to ignore Finnex Ray LED lighting with more than a few recommendations I read elsewhere. My 29 gal is about 30 inches long, thus I found this on AMZN (wasn't too sure if I'm allowed to post a link), thus here's specs:

Finnex Ray2 Aquarium LED Daylight, 30-Inch
Finnex High Output Unibody Ultra Slim LED, High PAR
Dual 7000k LEDs
20 Watts: 192 HO LEDs
Dimensions: 30" Long x 3" Wide x 1" High
I would assume this would suffice? This is going for about $97 with free shipping.
I am surprised unless I'm missing it, but I don't see Finnex Ray2 on Dr FosterSmith site. I see a marineland double bright LED going for around $90 there. Then there's AquaticLife brand, but I don't see one at 30" Length.

 

[Rivercats]

Yes you still need to use liquid carbon with the dry ferts. Sorry I can't comment on the lights since I don't use LED's.

 

[Cichlid Kid]

I do alot of shopping at drs. Foster&Smith also. No they do not have the finnex leds. I however did purchase the marineland aqua plant w/integrated timer, 24-36"
I have it rite now on a 40g breeder heavily planted tank along with 4- 6500k cfls.

I'm so far, happy with the marineland led. As you said though it is hard to ignor all the great reviews Finnex has.

 

[farnaby]

The Ray2 is going to give you too much light for a non-c02 tank. Not sure excel would help keep the algae at bay.

Try this fixture:
Amazon.com: Finnex FugeRay Aquarium LED Light Plus Moonlights, 30-Inch: Pet Supplies

I can't imagine paying marineland prices when better options can be had for less.

 

[Cichlid Kid]

I agree marinelands leds are overpriced. Mine was a gift from my sister who'd seen an old "wish list" of mine.
As far as the algae issue and no co2 are concerned, liquid carbon will do basically the same thing for high light situations. I have dual t5ho on a 20g long and have no algae issues while dosing excel. Rivercats has metal halide and t5ho while dosing glut with no algae issues.

 

[farnaby]

I've heard both sides of the excel/algae argument so I played it safe with the Fugeray. There are times I wish I had gone with the Ray2 just to see though.

 

[Quake2player]

The Ray2 is going to give you too much light for a non-c02 tank. Not sure excel would help keep the algae at bay.

Try this fixture:
Amazon.com: Finnex FugeRay Aquarium LED Light Plus Moonlights, 30-Inch: Pet Supplies

I can't imagine paying marineland prices when better options can be had for less.

Would I need to take away my glass top for this fixture? I think I read that in one of the AMZN user reviews.
And, not to get too sidetracked... but does anyone know if there's a big difference between the Aqueon Versa Glass tops vs. Marineland glass tops?

Thanks

 

[TXaggie]

I've just ordered the Finnex Fugeray 30" for my 29 g tank, should get here tomorrow! Mine is low tech, so that's why I went with the Fugeray instead of the II. We'll see how it works out!

I'm a bit of an aquarium noob, just got into the hobby a year ago so take my advice for what it's worth. My choice is just the result of online researching. The Planted Tank forum has a good thread on LED lighting, most of the info is above my level of understanding though.

 

[farnaby]

You do not need to remove the glass top. I sit mine directly on the top so that I get better light at the substrate, but you can also use the provided legs to sit it above the tank. That said, the glass top will prevent you from tightening down the legs on one side of the aquarium, but it's really not that big a deal (unless maybe you have children or poltergeist?). The legs will still sit over the rim, but you'll be able to move them.

I use the versatop and I enjoy it. Petco has them pretty cheap.

 

[Quake2player]

So the next million dollar question that popped into my head is...
Compared to what I am using now, which is a Coralife CFL 10k 65 Watt, how much more light till the Ray2 and FugeRay provide compared to it?

Ok, thanks Farnaby... that makes sense. The Fugeray will sit ontop of my glasstop just as my Coralife CFL fixure does right now.... it's not secured on in any way.

 

[farnaby]

If you dig through these links, you might be able to find that information:

Lighting an Aquarium with PAR instead of Watts

LED Lighting Compendium

The second link will point you towards lighting information about Finnex as well.

 

[DanTheGuppyMan]

I have that second link in my signature lol. Great link, it has all the lighting. I think it talks about the Finnex FugeRay and ray 2 nearing the middle of the post.