Plant advice

[Ilminded]

I am starting to plan out my tank now as I am gathering everything I need for it. My goal is to have DW in middle of a 45 gallon dirted tank with rock caves in the back corner of the tank. I was gonna grow moss on the DW and have some nice plants in mind for BG, MG, and FG. But I am looking for a plant that will flower under water and I am looking for suggestions. I will be capping with Eco Complete and it will have CO2 bottle fed. The stocking will be 3 SA cichlids (either rams or aspistos (2 females and 1 male)), 5 cory cats, 4 otos, and 9 cardinal tetras. I will be getting lamps with CFL's on two sides with 6500K bulbs and the middle lamp will have a 10000K metal halide bulb. The goal with this is to mimic sunrise and sun set with the metal halide on during the "high noon" times. Again, looking for a flowering plan so I can start designing the tank on paper. Thanks!

 

[tarheel92]

With the right nutrient levels anubias will sometimes bloom underwater, but most flowering plants will only bloom above the water line.

 

[EndlersEatGuppies]

DIY Co2 doesn't really work it's best in tanks above 20g, Unless you have 4~ 2 liter bottles. If you really want flowering I would recommend to go pressurized Co2 and T5HO lighting for some real success.

 

[JRMagno]

I think you mean DIY works better in tanks 20 gallons and below, right?

 

[tarheel92]

I think you mean DIY works better in tanks 20 gallons and below, right?

Yeah I'm pretty sure he does. But I second the idea that for a 45g you really need to get a pressurized CO2 system, or just stick to liquid carbon dosing.

 

[EndlersEatGuppies]

I think you mean DIY works better in tanks 20 gallons and below, right?

Yes, That's what I meant. Like Tarheel92 said, Go pressurized or stay with liquid Carbon like Seachem Excel.

If you run the DIY Co2 you're basically just feeding the algae.

 

[tarheel92]

And if you do choose to go with just liquid carbon, I would talk to rivercats about her dosing. She manages to run a large high light tank with only liquid carbon supplement.

 

[Ilminded]

Yes, That's what I meant. Like Tarheel92 said, Go pressurized or stay with liquid Carbon like Seachem Excel.

If you run the DIY Co2 you're basically just feeding the algae.

I am not doing DIY CO2, I am trying to get a 20lb tank to feed it. I have a DIY on my 10 gallon and its not worth the extra work to do it on a 45 gallon. I will be doing liquid carbon as well and I got the idea of using ECO complete with as the capper from Rivercats. I just thought that if something might flower underneath the water level would look amazing.

I was trying to get some color in the tank, and have some plants that add color picked out. I just wasn't sure if something might flower underneath. I thought maybe a lotus would but I figured I would ask for input as I am starting to get the design together now. I still need to get the lights and filtration system as well as make a cover for the tank as the lights will be work lights that clamp on to something. If the clamps were to fail, I was going to make a mesh top to prevent the lights from falling in.

Also if anyone recommends a good Canister filter, that would be great!

 

[Ilminded]

DIY Co2 doesn't really work it's best in tanks above 20g, Unless you have 4~ 2 liter bottles. If you really want flowering I would recommend to go pressurized Co2 and T5HO lighting for some real success.

If doing the math with par and Wattage, CFL's are better if not on par to T5 HO. They are also cheaper too. That is why I am going with them but I wanted to get the higher light spectrum to promote the best growth possible and that is why I decided to go with the metal Halide. The only reason is I am having trouble finding LEDs to go full spectrum. I reallyed wants LEDs with 6500K, some in the middle like 7500K-8000K and 10000K for day time with some blue (moon) lighting that won't promote growth.

 

[tarheel92]

I am not doing DIY CO2, I am trying to get a 20lb tank to feed it. I have a DIY on my 10 gallon and its not worth the extra work to do it on a 45 gallon. I will be doing liquid carbon as well and I got the idea of using ECO complete with as the capper from Rivercats. I just thought that if something might flower underneath the water level would look amazing.

I was trying to get some color in the tank, and have some plants that add color picked out. I just wasn't sure if something might flower underneath. I thought maybe a lotus would but I figured I would ask for input as I am starting to get the design together now. I still need to get the lights and filtration system as well as make a cover for the tank as the lights will be work lights that clamp on to something. If the clamps were to fail, I was going to make a mesh top to prevent the lights from falling in.

Also if anyone recommends a good Canister filter, that would be great!

You really can't go wrong with fluval, eheim or rena - kind of just personal preference and what's on sale. I have a fluval 306 on 29 gallon and love it.

As for the plants though, thing like the lotus will send runners up to the surface if you let them that can flower, but they won't flower below the water line.

 

[tarheel92]

If doing the math with par and Wattage, CFL's are better if not on par to T5 HO. They are also cheaper too. That is why I am going with them but I wanted to get the higher light spectrum to promote the best growth possible and that is why I decided to go with the metal Halide. The only reason is I am having trouble finding LEDs to go full spectrum. I reallyed wants LEDs with 6500K, some in the middle like 7500K-8000K and 10000K for day time with some blue (moon) lighting that won't promote growth.

Just be a bit weary with CFLs because the PAR data on them is far from accurate -- lots of variables such as the size and quality of the reflector and the consistency of the light - they don't have a consistent output.

 

[Rivercats]

A metal halide on a 45 is a ton of light! Are you going to hang it a ways above the tank? Is it a 150w? Another thing is on the metal halide you don't want a 10K bulb. It is way harsh light, many of the fish don't like it and will hide while it's one, and it washes any non-green color out. I switched my 10K's out for 6000K bulbs in the MH's and they look much nicer, the fish are happy, and the plant colors look better. I can only run my MH's 6 hours. I have 3- 150w MH's but remember my tank is 30" deep and 220g. If you use that much light on that small of a tank you are almost going to have to use pressurized CO2, and I don't say that very often! Unless you are using a much lower wattage MH bulb, if there is even such a thing.

As for plants flowering underwater... I've had my Cabomba Furcata flower, Stargrass (Heteranthera zosterfolia) and one of the Hydrotriche hottoniiflora stems has what appears to be a flower bud on it right now so I'm watching it closely. It's only one stem right now too. More than light is needed to get plants to flower underwater. All I know is I'm having more stem plants flower underwater now that I'm running high phosphates of 5-10ppm. Anubia's are also flowering alot more. Here's a pic of my Cabomba flower... Aquarium Advice - Aquarium Forum Community - Rivercats's Album: 220g 12-1-2012 - Picture

 

[Ilminded]

My goal was to set-up lighting with 3 lamps, at the time lets say left, middle right, with the right and left as CFL's and the middle as metal halide. The goal was to have all three on timers, left on two hours before right goes on with the middle only on 3-4 hours before shutting off then have left with 2 hrs right. I will be getting pressurized CO2 from somewhere and will be getting a 20lbs tank.

I'm sorry if my idea of biology is too keen but I read articles about plants saying the better the growth with the better spectrum given. With CFLs giving off tons of yellow, I figured I would add a metal halide to the mix on a very limited basis as such a high wattage would damage the plants and fish.

The reason I'm going this route is because I really wanted LEDs and since they don't have good set-ups in my eyes yet, if someone else has a different opinion I'm game to listen, otherwise I would buy strips or buy the light set-up. I was afraid that the CFL's would not be enough for the tank and I didn't want to go out and get a light ballast for tubes that will be outdated quickly.
If you think it's a bad idea please let me know. I'm still learning and don't fully understand until I get as much information as I possibly can.