JackBinimbul
Aquarium Advice Freak
I swear I'm doing a lot of research, but I'm having a lot of trouble really understanding my needs for my first planned aquarium.
The basic idea; a 20L filled about half way with water, a planted land portion up on stilts, water surface and immersed plants.
For animals: red cherry shrimp, peppered cories, and Endler's.
The plants: On the land, one or two small bromeliads, one or two small ferns, creeping fig and moss. On the surface of the water, dwarf water lettuce and frogbit. Immersed, java moss, some sort of small anubias (probably nana), perhaps some cryptocoryne wendtii and maybe echinodorus tenellus for carpet if I can find it.
I've read the profiles on these plants and seen that most of the immersed water plants suggest "2 watts per gallon" and the surface plants are fairly adaptable. I've read the beginner's guide here and other places, but apparently I'm not even a beginner because I'm still confused! CFL, LED, halide, HD, LP, watts, volts, temp, kelvin . . . I'm completely lost.
My biggest consideration has to be price. I really can't afford or justify a 200 dollar light on my very first build. Maybe down the line when I finish school I can revisit it, but for now, I need the cheapest I can get for my needs.
Does anyone have any specific recommendations?? What temp range should I be in? Lumen? Is LED or CFL better? Etc, etc.
The basic idea; a 20L filled about half way with water, a planted land portion up on stilts, water surface and immersed plants.
For animals: red cherry shrimp, peppered cories, and Endler's.
The plants: On the land, one or two small bromeliads, one or two small ferns, creeping fig and moss. On the surface of the water, dwarf water lettuce and frogbit. Immersed, java moss, some sort of small anubias (probably nana), perhaps some cryptocoryne wendtii and maybe echinodorus tenellus for carpet if I can find it.
I've read the profiles on these plants and seen that most of the immersed water plants suggest "2 watts per gallon" and the surface plants are fairly adaptable. I've read the beginner's guide here and other places, but apparently I'm not even a beginner because I'm still confused! CFL, LED, halide, HD, LP, watts, volts, temp, kelvin . . . I'm completely lost.
My biggest consideration has to be price. I really can't afford or justify a 200 dollar light on my very first build. Maybe down the line when I finish school I can revisit it, but for now, I need the cheapest I can get for my needs.
Does anyone have any specific recommendations?? What temp range should I be in? Lumen? Is LED or CFL better? Etc, etc.
