Just set up my first planted tank....

[zach_fresh]

I just put plants in my 30 gallon. Here is what I am using in my tank right now, is there anything else i should use or change??

Flourite miwed with regular gravel
Zoomed Flora Sun bulb ( 8500k and the bulb is 17 watts)
Emperor 280 filter
Carbon
Seagel
Flourish

the plants I have are- Red Rubin, Ruffled Sword, Subluata, Hornwort, Petchii, Barteri, Aquarium Lily, Crypt Spiralis, Rosette, Wisteria, Aponogeton Crispus, Rotala Indica.

 

[Jchillin]

A little more info is needed:

What is your wattage?
What type of plants did you get?

 

[travis simonson]

A 17w bulb over a 30G tank is a little low for even many low-light plants. I would recommend getting enough light to have at least 1 watt per gallon and preferably 1.5 watts per gallon for best results. The Flourite should work well as a substrate

 

[zach_fresh]

Would my plants die or wilt with a 17 watt bulb? im having trouble finding a higher wattage with at least 5000k.

 

[malkore]

zach,

yes, they'll wilt and die. You will not find a higher wattage bulb. Wattage is determined by the ballast in the fixture, not the bulb. You'll have to add another fixture, or replace the current one with a higher powered one, like a coralife power compact fixture.

What I think is weird, is that you have a 30gallon, which should be 30 inches long. Should have a 24" long bulb, which is actually 20 watts.

Is this a tall tank, or a hexagonal tank? a bow front maybe?

 

[Jchillin]

What I think is weird, is that you have a 30gallon, which should be 30 inches long. Should have a 24" long bulb, which is actually 20 watts.

Not that unusual. I have an AG 30 gal tall that came with a 15w bulb.

Darn light strip manufacturer's

 

[greenmaji]

yea they stick a shorter bulb in the striplight.. I think its a dirty trick myself..

 

[zach_fresh]

i have a 24in long bulb. But would 20watts be enough?

 

[Jchillin]

You need at least 30w to get 1 wpg. This is the problem.

 

[zach_fresh]

What would be the cheapest way to uprade to another fixture or add on? money is kinda tight right now......

 

[Jchillin]

Unfortunately, upgrading is going to cost some $$$. Try this one:

http://www.bigalsonline.com/catalog/product.xml?product_id=24073;category_id=1875;pcid1=1843;pcid2=

 

[greenmaji]

The cheapest way to get 30 watts would to overdrive your current bulb by 2X.. they sell a electronic ballast at HD and lowes for somewhere around $7-8.. it is rated 2-F32T8.. you would use it to replace the current magnetic ballast with the HD/Lowes one but use both leads to the same bulb.. you should get ~30 watts from the ballast upgrade with very little heat increase..