Plant problems from understocking?

[GodFan]

Ok so we have 2 planted tanks in my house. One in our living room (the one with problems ironically) it is a 20 tall with whatever flourescent lioght it came with (btw can I add a t5 light to a fixture that didnt come with a t5 bulb?). The other is my brothers 5.5 with a coralife 10 watt 50/50 bulb. His plants are growing big and beautiful! My are growing slower and less vibrant. I dont know why! His tank is stocked quiet well while my is very much understocked. Could that be it? Also my params are different due to a cup of aragonite in my filter.
Thanks in advance and God bless!

 

[HN1]

Your problems are more likely due to your lighting than understocking. The bulbs that can be used are dependent on the fixture. T5 won't work in a stock hood (T8).

 

[GodFan]

Will a standard daylight flourescent bre ok for a low light set up?

 

[aqua_chem]

So, the problem is that you're plants aren't growing fast enough, rather than any particular problem?

I agree with HN1. Light drives the need for nutrients. Too much light and you get nutrients deficiencies (holes in leaves, yellow leaves, etc). Two little light and you get either melting leaves or slow growth. The presence or absence of nutrients does not dictate growth rate by itself, but rather is a secondary/tertiary factor.

 

[aqua_chem]

Also, generally no, you can not put a t5 bulb in a t8 fixture.

 

[GodFan]

I dont know what bulb Im gonna go with then.

 

[Newsalt4me]

Keep an eye out for new tech, they are now producing LED's that are suppose to be able to grow plants and are housed in t8 tubes that you just remove your ballast thingy from your fixture and replace the bulb with the t8 LED bulb, i havent tried them but you never know they might actually work.

 

[bruinsbro1997]

If you wanted T5s you would have to buy a whole other fixture, I'm not sure if you wanna go with the hassle.

Some plants are slow growers, especially in low light. What plants do you have?

 

[GodFan]

If you wanted T5s you would have to buy a whole other fixture, I'm not sure if you wanna go with the hassle.

Some plants are slow growers, especially in low light. What plants do you have?

Im not sure....... One I know is cabamba. The other I dont know. I was told it could float or be planted. The leaves are thick in my bros tank.