HELP what lighting do i need for my plangted tank

[frank98284]

HELP what lighting do i need for my planted tank

Hi I have 55gal tank planted with low and medium light plants for about a month now the plants seemed to be doing fine up till last week th leaves started to rot. I have to 24in hoods with T8 penn-plax Fl-15 aquari-lux. I add fert twice a week. is this lighting good enough.

Frank

 

[jacpr233]

You definitely need better lighting. I would recommend t5 or if you don't mind spending a lil more $, get led light. Is the way to go now.

 

[frank98284]

with the t5 will i need to just get new bulbs what wattage?

 

[DanTheGuppyMan]

I have a 60 gallon tank so it's almost the same as yours. Mine is pretty heavily planted and I run a 48" Glo T5HO Double fixure with 2 Life-Glo 54watt 6,700K T5 bulbs plus 2 48" TrueLumen Pro 8,000K LED strips. You need higher lighting and if you go LED, I highly recommend the TrueLumen Pro series. The mixture of my T5's and the white high intense output of the LED's blends great and adds a nice shimmer to the water. For my tank I have roughly 3 wpg with is great and the plants seem to love it. There's my recommendations!

 

[mudraker]

What plants do you actually have and where did you get them?

What kind of substrate?

Is algae a problem in the aquarium?

Also, how long are your current lights on (Photoperiod)?

The problem may not be your lighting.

 

[jefferzbooboo]

I'd go with another T8 bulb.

 

[Rivercats]

What plants do you actually have and where did you get them?
What kind of substrate?
Is algae a problem in the aquarium?
Also, how long are your current lights on (Photoperiod)?
The problem may not be your lighting.

These are questions that need to be answered as rotting leaves can indicate nutrient deficiencies as well. What type of plants are being affected? Plus what plants are in the tank?