monsterz3ro
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
Ok...I have about 80 billion threads open right now with questions...and the more I read, the more I realize how little I know.
I'm going today to buy a T5 lighting system for my 56 gallon aquarium. I want a little more flexibility in what I can plant in there. I also am thinking more and more that I will need to change substrate from the pea-sized gravel I have, to something smaller, and apparently I need to add something like EcoComplete beneath the top layer.
1. If I get the T5 lights, will I automatically need to then introduce a CO2 system? (I'd prefer to avoid the CO2 system...I want an aquarium that is beautiful but manageable...want to take things one step at a time).
1a. If I m not getting a CO2 system, should I avoid T5 lighting?
2. Is there a cap on how many plants I can introduce before I'd need to introduce CO2?
3. If I change my gravel/substrate, what should I change it to to be effective for the widest variety of plants?
4. Are there alternatives (drop-in additives maybe?) to layers of substrates and nutrients? Are they less effective for plant growth?
I don't care if my plants are huge and perfect...I just want them to be healthy, and manageable...and I'd like to do this in conjunction with whatever steps will make (for now) the easiest aquarium maintenance scenario (aka best steps/setup to avoid algae issues, etc).
I thought I had a good understanding of all of this, but like I said, the more I read...
BTW, current setup is
56 gallon column aquarium, pea-sized gravel substrate, stock lighting (crappy), 1 over-the-side filter (AquaClear 50), no heater yet, no C02 (ever, hopefully)...
5 plant clusters (3 Carolina Fanwort [I believe], 2 clusters of as-yet unidentified stalk/stem plants [tall narrow stems with a few leaf clusters every few inches...not ring-like the way Fanwort is]), 6 scissortail rasbora, 1 tangerine angelfish, 1 brown/translucent shrimp the species-name of which I do not recall.
Currently the water tests are all in perfect range...not sure what affect this has on the responses I may get, but thought I'd add it in (pH/ammonia/nitrites/nitrates all at acceptable/good levels).
Please help...oh and please feel free to seek out my other 60 bajillion questions and have a look at them, if you're bored or feeling generous...
Thanks ahead of time...
(BTW, can anyone identify any of the plants here? Having a hard time finding on plantgeek...)
http://img811.imageshack.us/i/imag0561c.jpg
I'm going today to buy a T5 lighting system for my 56 gallon aquarium. I want a little more flexibility in what I can plant in there. I also am thinking more and more that I will need to change substrate from the pea-sized gravel I have, to something smaller, and apparently I need to add something like EcoComplete beneath the top layer.
1. If I get the T5 lights, will I automatically need to then introduce a CO2 system? (I'd prefer to avoid the CO2 system...I want an aquarium that is beautiful but manageable...want to take things one step at a time).
1a. If I m not getting a CO2 system, should I avoid T5 lighting?
2. Is there a cap on how many plants I can introduce before I'd need to introduce CO2?
3. If I change my gravel/substrate, what should I change it to to be effective for the widest variety of plants?
4. Are there alternatives (drop-in additives maybe?) to layers of substrates and nutrients? Are they less effective for plant growth?
I don't care if my plants are huge and perfect...I just want them to be healthy, and manageable...and I'd like to do this in conjunction with whatever steps will make (for now) the easiest aquarium maintenance scenario (aka best steps/setup to avoid algae issues, etc).
I thought I had a good understanding of all of this, but like I said, the more I read...
BTW, current setup is
56 gallon column aquarium, pea-sized gravel substrate, stock lighting (crappy), 1 over-the-side filter (AquaClear 50), no heater yet, no C02 (ever, hopefully)...
5 plant clusters (3 Carolina Fanwort [I believe], 2 clusters of as-yet unidentified stalk/stem plants [tall narrow stems with a few leaf clusters every few inches...not ring-like the way Fanwort is]), 6 scissortail rasbora, 1 tangerine angelfish, 1 brown/translucent shrimp the species-name of which I do not recall.
Currently the water tests are all in perfect range...not sure what affect this has on the responses I may get, but thought I'd add it in (pH/ammonia/nitrites/nitrates all at acceptable/good levels).
Please help...oh and please feel free to seek out my other 60 bajillion questions and have a look at them, if you're bored or feeling generous...
Thanks ahead of time...
(BTW, can anyone identify any of the plants here? Having a hard time finding on plantgeek...)
http://img811.imageshack.us/i/imag0561c.jpg
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