Eclipse 1 retrofits

[roscoe]

Planing to upgrade lighting on a recently purchased Eclipse 1 hood. Read of many available options but looking for advice. The 2 x 13 watt Deluxe Bright Kit (http://www.ahsupply.com/twox.htm) looks great but will it fit? Also if i get the 32 watt PowerCompact retrofit will i need to worry about co2? Filtration modifications?


I currently have a brackish setup 1.012
10 gal 20"x10"x11"
15 watt powerglo bulb
50 watt heater
2" natural gravel
tetratec ap200 air pump w/ air stone

Java fern
Anubias
1 unknown
some drift wood

spotted puffer
3 feeder guppies

Plan to add several plants and maybe a couple Bumblebee Gobies.

Newbie, so any advice would be great.

Thanks

 

[Menagerie]

[center:278ae5182b] Welcome to AA, roscoe! [/center:278ae5182b]
I'm not sure about the tank, but I will comment on the bb gobies. They are a brackish water fish. I know people keep them in FW, but that is not their natural habitat. I had three for a while and did not understand their salt needs. Plus, they were quickly out competed for food. I see you have a spotted puffer--is this tank already brackish? I'm not a plant person, but my understanding was plants and salt don't do well together.
Please elaborate on the set-up. I would like to know if there are plants that do well in a BW tank--once I find bb gobies up here, they are getting a species tank at my house!

 

[roscoe]

I was told some hardy plants will do alright in a brackish tank. So i grabbed a few. The plants where just recently added to the tank but they seem to be doing fine with a sg at 1.012 and the ph at 7.8. The nitrates tend to get high but i was told once the tank gets established i can lose the Bio-wheel and stop the nitrates. With out the bio-wheel will the plants handle the bio load?

I am thinking about adding co2.

Have you heard of creating co2 using a 2 liter bottle, sugar and yeast? Does it work? Read that on a web page (http://www.thekrib.com/Plants/kelly-intro.html) check it out. What to you think?

I also got some misc aquarium plant bulbs from the LFS.Only 5 of 10 sprouted and do not seem to be doing very well but hope to kick start them with some new lighting.

 

[Menagerie]

I don't keep plants, but I know thekrib.com is referenced here often. For more plant help, post in the Plants forum. Best of luck with a brackish tank with plants! Post pics when it's done--especially if you get the little bb gobies