First planted tank.

[Animag771]

I got my first fish tank a few days ago and am currently doing a fishless cycle on it. It is a Top Fin 20g high tank. So far the tank only has small gravel lining the bottom, some Pygmy Chain Swords, Dwarf Hair Grass, and what I think is Water Hyssop.

My Water Hyssop doesn't look too healthy and I am concerned that this tank does not have enough light to support their growth. The tank came standard with LED lighting, but it doesn't show the wattage. It has 5 strips of 3 LEDs for a total of 15 LEDs, they look to be in the 6,000K color temp range.

Since this is my first tank I plan to keep it low-tech. Will I need more lighting to support these plants or do I just need to give them a bit more time and see where they are at? Or maybe I'm missing something other than lighting?

 

[Mebbid]

You will definitely need more lighting to support those plants sadly. For a 20g tall I would think 2t5ho bulbs would be sufficient to grow it all. You would be looking at around $70-120 for a fixture like that including another $40 or so for close to a year's woth of fertilizers and glut for carbon.

For the lighting you have you can grow low light plants such as crypts, java moss, java fern, and bolbitis.

 

[Animag771]

You will definitely need more lighting to support those plants sadly. For a 20g tall I would think 2t5ho bulbs would be sufficient to grow it all. You would be looking at around $70-120 for a fixture like that including another $40 or so for close to a year's woth of fertilizers and glut for carbon.

For the lighting you have you can grow low light plants such as crypts, java moss, java fern, and bolbitis.

Definitely not what I wanted to hear. I can't spend that much money on lighting right now. I guess if they don't do well, I will have to do some reading on some good low.light carpet plants. I just really like the look of the dwarf hair grass so much. Might have to switch to flame moss, it looks ok and I read its easy to grow in low light. I just don't want it to tae over. Just want a nice short lawn.

 

[Fresh2o]

If you want a moss carpet, you could use flame moss. It tends to grow upward rather rather than sideways which means that it will require periodic trimming to maintain that lawn look. Or you could try mosses that grow sideways.
Other plants that *may* work with the existing lighting are crypts such as crypt wendtii and dwarf sag. C. wendtii is commonly available at most plant online shops and I have seen them in the Topfin gel packs at Persmart. Easy to care for; I only provide root supplements for the crypts and they are doing fine in a low light setup (dual T5 normal output).
For the cost of a dual T5 high output fixture you could get a decent LED fixture such as one from the Finnex series. That would put you above low light and into medium or more which is probably outside of your immediate goals (low maintenance).
Another option is to get a two bulb incandescent hood and use 6500k spiral CFLs. I have seen successful planted tanks on this forum using CFLs.

 

[Animag771]

I'm looking to get a carper that isn't very thick, so its wavy and the fish wont get caught. I really like the dwarf hair grass, but I guess I don't have the lighting for it. It is still alive though, not seeing any spreading yet and some of the hairs are turning white.

The only other carpets that looks decent to me are Flame Moss (looks ok) and Lilaeopsis Brasiliensis (which I REALLY like).

How would these work with my current lighting? Or am I stuck looking at gravel until I get new lighting?

 

[Animag771]

Looking at lighting upgrades so that I can use dwarf hair grass because I like it too much to settle for anything else. What are some LED lighting options that would work for that in my tank?

I have been reading on LEDs and it all goes over my head? Most brands only show lumens, is that even accurate for determining lighting? If so what range would I be looking for?

Last question... I only have gravel in the bottom right now, will I NEED anything else for plants?

 

[Coursair]

Looking at lighting upgrades so that I can use dwarf hair grass because I like it too much to settle for anything else. What are some LED lighting options that would work for that in my tank?



I have been reading on LEDs and it all goes over my head? Most brands only show lumens, is that even accurate for determining lighting? If so what range would I be looking for?



Last question... I only have gravel in the bottom right now, will I NEED anything else for plants?

You'll need sand or other fine substrate for DHG or it will keep floating up. It's more than just light. It does best for most people with injected CO2.

Perhaps look at Dry Start Method
Read up on successful DHG tanks.its a frustrating plant for lots of people.




Smoke signals from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Mebbid]

I would suggest AquaVibrant for the most affordable LED fixture to grow DHG in that tank.

DHG can be planted in gravel but like was stated previously its a pita.

After that you need root tabs, dery ferts and a carbon source such as glutaraldehyde or pressurized CO2. Pressurized CO@ is much more effective on tanks with pressurized CO2

 

[BBradbury]

Lighting Tall Tanks

I got my first fish tank a few days ago and am currently doing a fishless cycle on it. It is a Top Fin 20g high tank. So far the tank only has small gravel lining the bottom, some Pygmy Chain Swords, Dwarf Hair Grass, and what I think is Water Hyssop.

My Water Hyssop doesn't look too healthy and I am concerned that this tank does not have enough light to support their growth. The tank came standard with LED lighting, but it doesn't show the wattage. It has 5 strips of 3 LEDs for a total of 15 LEDs, they look to be in the 6,000K color temp range.

Since this is my first tank I plan to keep it low-tech. Will I need more lighting to support these plants or do I just need to give them a bit more time and see where they are at? Or maybe I'm missing something other than lighting?

Hello Ani...

You have shorter plants and those don't typically do very well in tall tanks. Standard lighting just isn't strong enough to reach the bottom. Your 20 gallon tall is probably 12 inches across the top, so a small light strip with two T5 lamps would work well. Research a Coralife Mini light system. Price is pretty reasonable, around $50.00 plus a cost for shipping.

B

 

[Animag771]

I would suggest AquaVibrant for the most affordable LED fixture to grow DHG in that tank.

DHG can be planted in gravel but like was stated previously its a pita.

After that you need root tabs, dery ferts and a carbon source such as glutaraldehyde or pressurized CO2. Pressurized CO@ is much more effective on tanks with pressurized CO2

So far all I know is that my light is much too low to grow anything other than low-light plants so that is my first step and I would like to keep it LED and under $100 if at all possible. Money is a factor and since I am still VERY new to owning a tank I would like to keep CO2 out of the equation for now. Other than that I have a gravel floor, driftwood and I have been adding API Leaf Zone into the tank (not sure if it is any good). I guess I need to get some root tabs. I am not too worried about the maximizing how fast it grows, I just want it to grow instead of die.

 

[Animag771]

Hello Ani...

You have shorter plants and those don't typically do very well in tall tanks. Standard lighting just isn't strong enough to reach the bottom. Your 20 gallon tall is probably 12 inches across the top, so a small light strip with two T5 lamps would work well. Research a Coralife Mini light system. Price is pretty reasonable, around $50.00 plus a cost for shipping.

B

Thank you for the suggestion, but I plan on sticking to LEDs with this tank. I'm just stuck on the efficiency factor and how long they last. I have LEDs in almost everything

 

[jglover]

You can get a Current USa Satellite LED+ (the 18-24" size) from Amazon for around $75 or so. I've got that on a 20 gallon tank, same as yours, and am able to grow anubias, amazon swords, java ferns and micro swords easily. you might be able to use micro swords as a "shag" carpet plant. I've also got some anacharis, hornwort and moneywort and they are growing like weeds, but then again I think hornwort and anacharis would grow in a bucket sitting in a closet!

 

[Animag771]

You can get a Current USa Satellite LED+ (the 18-24" size) from Amazon for around $75 or so. I've got that on a 20 gallon tank, same as yours, and am able to grow anubias, amazon swords, java ferns and micro swords easily. you might be able to use micro swords as a "shag" carpet plant. I've also got some anacharis, hornwort and moneywort and they are growing like weeds, but then again I think hornwort and anacharis would grow in a bucket sitting in a closet!

Thanks, found it online for $45, guess it came down a bit. I just can't find any PAR/LUX info on it to make sure it will work well for me before I buy it. Though if you have the same dimensions as I do, I suppose it would work, but maybe not for DHG.

I have also been looking at this one, but idk if it would work either. All of that PAR/LUX stuff is still confusing to me. Not sure how much of each I will need.
Marineland Hidden & Accent LED Lighting System: LED Aquarium Light Fixtures

 

[azmodan]

Here's a useful link to get you started on ideas: http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showthread.php?t=160396. Unfortunately getting high light for a 20high is not going to be very cheap... A finnex ray2 would likely grow DHG but pressurized co2 and a good fert program would be necessary. I agree with the others that other alternatives might be an easier start. Dwarf sag, flame moss, a bunch of crypt parva, dwarf four leaf clover, are all other options, but only after you determine your lighting. If you're dead set on DHG though (and nothing wrong with that!), BrianNano12g is the best person to ask here regarding LED advice and carpet plants.

Edit: another option would be simply to get a new tank, albeit a much shorter one. A 20g long (only $20 on sale) or even a 12g long would give you much more flexible lighting options and you could keep you current 20h as a low tech tank.

 

[jglover]

Thanks, found it online for $45, guess it came down a bit. I just can't find any PAR/LUX info on it to make sure it will work well for me before I buy it. Though if you have the same dimensions as I do, I suppose it would work, but maybe not for DHG.
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Make sure it is the Satellite LED Plus. The PAR info is in Current USA's website but if I recall is is somewhere around 24 at the bottom of a 20 high tank. ~18" or so.

 

[schoeplein]

Workshop clamp lamp and a 23w 6700K Philips CFL bulb. $15-20.
http://www.homedepot.com/s/clamp%20lamp?NCNI-5

Sent from my SM-T310 using Aquarium Advice mobile app

 

[Animag771]

Read a lot of good things on the Finnex FugeRay Planted+ and found the 20" model for $70. It should be about 40 PAR in my tank. Still not enough for the DHG and if I do get enough light to grow it, my fish will probably be living in algae without CO2. I think I am going to have to sadly turn away from my hopes of having DHG .

Would Lilaeopsis Mauritiana do ok with the Finnex, with root tabs and no CO2?

 

[Brookster123]

My 20 tall is getting lit right up with a finnex planted plus.. I highly recommend it for Med light and liquid carbon..

 

[Animag771]

My 20 tall is getting lit right up with a finnex planted plus.. I highly recommend it for Med light and liquid carbon..

Great! Thanks for the input on your experience with it


So here is the plan... I'm thinking Eco-complete for the substrate with a thin layer of gravel on top of it. Flora will include Vallisneria Americana (background), Java Fern(back left), Ludwigia Repens (back right), Anubius Nana (around the cave), Java Moss (on driftwood) and Lilaeopsis Mauritiana (carpet).

Sound doable?? Will any of these need root-tabs? I'm not too sure about the Java Fern, I want something lush and wide for my fish to hide in and the Java Fern doesn't get very tall. Any ideas?

 

[Animag771]

I've found a local fish store that has tons of aquatic plants I will be going there to pick some up on Sunday, so any advise on the setup in my previous post would be greatly appreciated before I go off spending money. I'm tired of my poor cory cats not having enough cover. There are 5 of them in there and only 1 cave right now.