Lighting with plants question?

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starquest

Aquarium Advice Activist
Joined
Aug 15, 2011
Messages
174
Location
Cypress, TX
Hi, folks! I just, finally, got my heater so I can start cycling my new 50 gal tank. I used 60 lbs of Eco Complete as substrate, since I eventually plan to use plants. I have never had live plants, so this is all very new to me and I don't always understand what I'm reading in the various books and articles. But here is my question - the tank came with 2 18" 8000K Full Spectrum Daylight 15 W 120V T8 florescents; is that sufficient for low light plants? And are there any low lights that can survive really hard well water (KH 143ppm and GH 161ppm) and pH 7.6 to 8.0?

Many thanks for any info at all.:thanks:
 
Hi. If you want to keep it low light and simple then yes, those t8's will work. They are pretty much the lowest plant friendly setup you can get, though, so definitely consider upgrading to T5ho's if you want to see more growth out of the plants.

For now, though, just go with low light plants like java moss, java ferns, anubias, hornwort, wisteria, elodea, cabomba, various ludwigia sp. and a several others.
 
If you want to keep more low light plants, but avoid buying a T5HO fixture, the $8 shop lights from Walmart have served me well in the past. That is, of course, assuming this is a 4' tank.
 
ugh, I had a bad experience with the $8 walmart lights. Out of 3 fixtures, I had to return 2 of them, and currently only have one out of the three that is still working 6 months later. Overall was disappointed and will just spend the extra few bucks to get something a little higher quality.

However I do have several $20 lowes fixtures that have been running like a champ.
 
Well, I eventually want to get T5 HO for more variety in the plants I can raise, but I have exhausted my budget getting everything that I have so far. So are you saying, mfd, that the shop lights from Walmart would be better than the ones that came with the tank? Cause, if so I'll go get some. And yes, the tank is a 4 ft one, with the center brace and 2x 24" fixtures.

And jetajockey, can all those plants you mentioned survive my well water, or would I have to get RO or something?
 
And one more question, Can I put higher output bulbs in the fixture that I have, or do I need a HO fixture to use those bulbs?
 
No, you can't add higher wattage bulbs. The shop lights work well IMO. They won't give you high light, but they'll give you plenty for low light plants. I even had HM carpeting under it. My experience has been better than jetajockey's with the walmart fixture. I've had mine for almost 2 years now... I have some in the barn that we've had for 5 years or so that still work well.
 
Well, thank you both for your input. I'm going to go to walmart and check them out.

:confused: The thing is, this book that I have really limits the plants that can grow under hard water conditions, so that is worrisome that I don't really know which ones can survive hard water, or if I am going to have to wait until I can afford a RO unit. Esp. because my water is somewhat alkalotic, and they say that plants like acidotic conditions.:confused:
 
Don't pay any attention to that. I have similar water and I've not had issues with anything... except for one plant, pogostemen erectus, which keeps rotting from the bottom up.
 
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