Saltwater & Reef

mikeybabs · 08-12-2011, 10:59 AM

Hi guys, this is my first time posting in this section of the forums because its my first planted tank

.. i attached some pictures just to give you an idea of what plants i'm working with... my brother got me the plants so i don't know much about them but he said they are slow growing plants (and aquatic too)...

here's a link to the lighting system i am using on the tank:

http://www.reefgeek.com/lighting/T5_...y_LET_Lighting

i have all the flourish line of products for dosing the aquarium and found this chart:

http://www.seachem.com/support/PlantDoseChart.pdf

i also found this:

Seachem Dosing Calculator/Chart - Fertilizing - Aquatic Plant Central

im still unsure whether i need to be dosing every single product in the tank weekly or not... i have not done a lot of research on planted tanks yet, but i feel like i have a good start since i have good substrate, lighting, and the fertilizers with adequate filtration...

this is the substrate i am using:

http://www.seachem.com/Products/prod...BlackSand.html

if anyone has any pointers let me know

but my main question now is... i'm using a timer with those lights that i linked and the timer has 2 event modes, i was wondering if i could put the lights on for 8 hours a day but split them up into 4 hour sections... so right now my lighting schedule is:

10:15am on - 2:15pm off
9:15pm on - 1:15am off

repeat

is this healthy for the plants/fish? is there any negative effect of not doing 8 consecutive hours? how many hours would be sufficient with this type of lighting and plants? i want to minimize algae.

thank you everyone and i really want to be successful with the planted tanks. i read how i might not even need a co2 system with the tank i have. its a 55 gallon. personally i feel like its got a good ammount of plants...

also does anyone know any fast growing plants? i hear water wisteria is fast.. i need something that clown loaches wont eat

thanks everyone!!

xwesx1978 · 08-12-2011, 11:32 AM

I have no answers for you but i have to say beautiful tank

mikeybabs · 08-12-2011, 11:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xwesx1978

I have no answers for you but i have to say beautiful tank

thanks a lot man! compliments are just as good as answers sometimes! lol, anyone have any answers?

alex07 · 08-12-2011, 11:59 AM

A lot of people have success with 4 on/off/on. One way to find out is by trying it yourself.

I just starting doing it to see if I can reduce the algae.

mikeybabs · 08-12-2011, 12:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alex07

A lot of people have success with 4 on/off/on. One way to find out is by trying it yourself.

I just starting doing it to see if I can reduce the algae.

thanks a lot for this info... after i posted this i read in other reads about the 4 on/off/on technique and found out i was not alone