First thread in a while. Lighting upgrade

[AaronW]

Hello everyone. Just a little update. I got a new job. I travel 5 days out of the week. And I perform and rehearse music on the weekends. Needless to say I've passed on my tank to my younger brother. He's home and is able take care of it.

We have 2 planted tanks.

Both low light.

Current stock (plants)

5 Anubias
2 big java ferns
About have a dozen mini swords. (I assume the low light and low nutrients attributes to their size.
And 4 jungle Val.

Recently I offered my brother an upgrade on the lighting as he wants to get in to more advanced plants.

He wants dwarf baby tears and red swords and red tiger lotus. Will these plants flourish in a sandy substrate. Also will the higher light affect the low light plants negatively. I absolutely enjoy their size. So gorgeous.

Here's a pic for heck of it.

 

[bshenanagins]

Beautiful rainbows, and don't bother with HC in sand. It's a PIA with plant substrate it will just float to the top.

 

[AaronW]

Beautiful rainbows, and don't bother with HC in sand. It's a PIA with plant substrate it will just float to the top.

Forgive me but I'm not sure what HC is. And the rainbows are pretty rad. This tank is healthy as can be. Aside from occasional territory disputes from my dwarf gourami and blue ram. They tend to keep their distance.

 

[bshenanagins]

Forgive me but I'm not sure what HC is. And the rainbows are pretty rad. This tank is healthy as can be. Aside from occasional territory disputes from my dwarf gourami and blue ram. They tend to keep their distance.

Oh sorry HC is dwarf baby tears its not easy to plant or carpet.

 

[AaronW]

Are any carpets possible in sand?

 

[jetajockey]

Yes sand is actually a great substrate for carpeting plants as far as anchoring goes.

 

[bshenanagins]

Dwarf Sag. would work, it sends surface runners

 

[AaronW]

I'll have to research that. I'll have to start feeding my fish pees and stuff. That way try they don't bother the plants. My tetras are pretty voracious herbivores

 

[AaronW]

What's easier to carpet in your opinion?

 

[bshenanagins]

What's easier to carpet in your opinion?

I know hair grass is one of the easiest. Dwarf sag as I mentioned. Given the proper nutrients it spreads like a weed but still looks attractive. I'd get a couple good "mother roots" this way the carpet spreads faster.

 

[AaronW]

Will do. Gonna be looking in to getting another light. Idk what to get. If I went to a medium light output or high lighting would it kill my Anubias? I love those plants

 

[bshenanagins]

Will do. Gonna be looking in to getting another light. Idk what to get. If I went to a medium light output or high lighting would it kill my Anubias? I love those plants

Nope, shouldn't affect them either way. They will grow slightly faster with more light but not much. I'm getting a Buildmyled fixture when I can, they are a little pricey but from what I've seen and heard totally worth it.

 

[AaronW]

I'm checkin aqua traders for a better light. Not really gonna buy anything too pricey. Have you purchased anything from there? I'm using 55 gallon long. So it's 48 inch.

 

[bshenanagins]

I'm checkin aqua traders for a better light. Not really gonna buy anything too pricey. Have you purchased anything from there? I'm using 55 gallon long. So it's 48 inch.

I have a PC Current fixture over my planted tank. Leaves a lot to be desired but its a 30" light over a 36" tank so. I'd suggest a T5HO you can get them for a pretty decent price on eBay and amazon

 

[AaronW]

Was planning on a T5HO. I have heard that there is such thing as too much light. I know the watt per gallon rule is debatable. But I know my brother wants some plants with higher light requirements.

Also just for kicks and giggles I was thinking of adding some moss. I think it looks dramatic and appealing. Any experience with moss on driftwood?

 

[AaronW]

I also found some decent T5 HO on amazon. I'm just going to get the least expensive fixture. There's one for like 115 bucks.

 

[bshenanagins]

No I've never tried but I know java moss is impossible to kill and will spread across your driftwood nicely if you tie it down. Yeah too much light can be an issue but you can combat that by raising the fixture which will lower the intensity of you reach that problem

 

[AaronW]

Any kind of wattage advice?

 

[Jkeating8]

Any kind of wattage advice?

You could get a 4 bulb fixture from aquatraders and this would give you highlight for sure. You will need liquid carbon or Co2 to prevent an algae farm. Make sure the fixture has a switch so you don't HAVE to run all 4 bulbs at once.

 

[bshenanagins]

You could get a 4 bulb fixture from aquatraders and this would give you highlight for sure. You will need liquid carbon or Co2 to prevent an algae farm. Make sure the fixture has a switch so you don't HAVE to run all 4 bulbs at once.

Agreed. And it's hard to judge wattage with T5HO because the WPG rule really only applies to t8 fixtures. The reflectors in t5's magnify the wattage of the bulbs so its impossible to tell without a PAR meter but as J said just monitor your plants and if algae appears quite readily turn off a bulb or two.