Dwarf anubias...

[zephyr]

Is dwarf anubias a good plant to start with?
Is java moss a good plant to start with?
Which is better, java fern or dwarf anubias?(better as in with the most little requirements)
thanx
Justin

 

[brotherd]

i have had good luck withboth of the Java types.The moss and fern are both fast growers in the right conditions.You don't need to spend a ton of money for light as they will both do well even with as little as 3 watts per gallon.

 

[Chrismac]

You can even suceed with less moss can grow in 1 watt per gall.

 

[mitche8359]

You can even suceed with less moss can grow in 1 watt per gall.

That's what I wanted to hear. For the life of me I can't figure out the wattage of my hood lights. Can't find the specs on them anywhere. I guess I'll take the bulb out and look to see what it is. I'd still like to know the highest watt bulb I can put in the Perfecto hood that I have, but can't find the info on the web anywhere, even at the Perfecto site.

 

[Chrismac]

Crazy usually there is a marking on the bulb where the wattage is written,

I'm a little stumped on what to do with my tanks lighting,
I was thinking about buying a new fixture that will hold two tubes, if i buy it at the lfs it will cost close to 200 bucks plus the cap I want is the wrong width: ( off by a couple inches)
I was thinking of going a different route by buying a fixture that will hold at least two 40 watt bulbs at the lighting shop, and that will fit into the lid without causing outside notice, may find something in the right dimentions but not sure yet?

i'm really sure where to find out what your fixture supports, may want to check the package it came in, or look at the same one at the place you bought it??


Chrismac

 

[mitche8359]

If i build my own hood/canopy, I will buy a lighting fixture from the local hardware store as you're thinking. I'll just make sure that the light is safe from getting wet. I saw the canopies without lights at the lfs too. I was thinking of maybe just getting my own lights and putting them in and a piece of glass or plexiglass for water protection. Not sure yet. A little cold in the garage to do any wood working right now.

I figure I'll just go out tomorrow and get a replacement hood for now. That way I can design a decent canopy instead of rushing it.

 

[Chrismac]

Cool, I wonder if you could find good lighting at a local green house, there are lots of plants out there that do need light to grow I wonder if they could be a help?

 

[mitche8359]

local green house,

That's a good idea I hadn't thought of. Did you checkout that site that Logan offered in the other thread? I'll stop by a nursery to see what they have to offer before buying anything.

 

[Chrismac]

Just a thought they are different different from land plants but you never know what they could offer????

 

[tyler]

mitch, what size is your tank? how long are your bulbs? how many bulbs do you have?

 

[Guest]

I was thinking of maybe just getting my own lights and putting them in and a piece of glass or plexiglass for water protection

I'm not sure here, but aren't lights less effective when they have to shine through glass or plexi? Somethingabout loss of intensity/spectrum change?

I got a retrofit kit from hellolights.com and built my own hood. There is nothing between the lights and the water except air. However, those kind of kits are designed this way (special endcaps for the bulbs, ballast is located away from the hood), so I'm not concerened with water damaging them.

My thinking here is that if you decided to get hardware store lights, just be very careful regarding the super high humidity they will be in, if you enclose them in a hood or canopy.

My 45 gallon has a regular shop light over it (hangs from ceiling by chains), but it is an open top tank, so the humidity can readitly dissipate. Going 2 years how like that, no problems. Well, no problems with the lights, but I have lost a couple fish that jumped.

 

[mitche8359]

what size is your tank? how long are your bulbs? how many bulbs do you have?

My tank is a 55 g with two perfecto hoods. The bulbs are only 18" so thats two bulbs. I found out over the weekend that the bulbs are 15 watts. So that's 30 watts of light for a 55 gallong tank which is not good. I'm thinking of getting two new fixtures from a site that I think Logan posted. The fixtures offer 110 watts of light which would be plenty for the plants that I have bought and intend to buy. I haven't seen much of an alternative at this point.