Live plants

[Jmedic25]

That is a 55 watt fixture...Its a good one but there is better ones out there for cheaper. Actinic bulbs are the ones that cast a blue/purple light. It makes the blues/pinks/purples really shine...but they dont support photosynthsis...
Depending on how long your want your fixture I can help you pick one out. These 36 or 55 watt Bright Kits light kits are the best IMO because they have all the stuff you need to gut your current fixture and replace with a very high output fixture and reflector. The only drawback is that the bulbs are twin tube and so you cant do one white and one blue. However if you want to grow plants you will need lots of light. Thats all there is to it. My mbuna tank has fake plants....I like the blue lights better for that tank. I may build a fixture that will support plant growth at some point but your so limited what you can grow in a Mbuna tank its about pointless.

 

[Jmedic25]

I meant to say that is a 55w fitxure but 108 total...you could grow plants nicely with that fixture.

 

[Cornstar]

I meant to say that is a 55w fitxure but 108 total...you could grow plants nicely with that fixture.

Because I'm still debating if I want to grow plants or get actinic and show off the color of the cichlids. Would it be possible to get one pink and 1 blue? Or would that just look off?
Does the fluorescent bulb do anything for the plants?

 

[Jmedic25]

With that fixture get a 6500k white and a 50/50 actinic blue. That would give you the best of both worlds.. You SHOULD be able to grow anubias and java fern, but growth will be slow. Thats ok because mbuna will eat everything else. Fish will look good and plants should grow.

 

[Cornstar]

With that fixture get a 6500k white and a 50/50 actinic blue. That would give you the best of both worlds.. You SHOULD be able to grow anubias and java fern, but growth will be slow. Thats ok because mbuna will eat everything else. Fish will look good and plants should grow

That would be great! I don't need my plants to grow at an intense rate. Again I'm not sure what a 50/50 actinic is. Would it just be categorized as the blue bulb? And if the fixture doesn't come with a 6500 bulb, where would I go about finding a cheap one?

 

[Convict2161]

Just saw this. As Mumma said I've been using super glue the gel kind and have tons of Anubias and some java ferns and there all doing fine.



View attachment 74455


I went overboard with the lighting. I have a Solarmax Xtreme 4 bulb T5 HO fixture with moonlight setting.

 

[garfy]

Just saw this. As Mumma said I've been using super glue the gel kind and have tons of Anubias and some java ferns and there all doing fine.

I went overboard with the lighting. I have a Solarmax Xtreme 4 bulb T5 HO fixture with moonlight setting.

Obviously you've looked into it but the glue is fish safe isn't it?

 

[Jmedic25]

That would be great! I don't need my plants to grow at an intense rate. Again I'm not sure what a 50/50 actinic is. Would it just be categorized as the blue bulb? And if the fixture doesn't come with a 6500 bulb, where would I go about finding a cheap one?

Here is a good site on lighting basics Welcome to Rex's Guide to Planted Tanks

The actinic blue bulbs are available at petsmart or most any aquarium store. Coralife 50/50 is a good one i use. As for the white bulbs you can get them at any hardware store. Just read the package and get the 6500k one for the brightest light.

Convict is on the money about anubias. I attach mine to driftwood. His plants do well, he has a super awesome fixure that has all kinds of light and a timer.

 

[Convict2161]

Thanks medic and to the OP, yes it's safe. I use Krazy Glue Gel and haven't had any problems in this tank or others.

 

[garfy]

Thanks medic and to the OP, yes it's safe. I use Krazy Glue Gel and haven't had any problems in this tank or others.

Thanks now I just have source some.

 

[Cornstar]

Here is a good site on lighting basics Welcome to Rex's Guide to Planted Tanks

The actinic blue bulbs are available at petsmart or most any aquarium store. Coralife 50/50 is a good one i use. As for the white bulbs you can get them at any hardware store. Just read the package and get the 6500k one for the brightest light.

Convict is on the money about anubias. I attach mine to driftwood. His plants do well, he has a super awesome fixure that has all kinds of light and a timer.

So something like this would be good?
http://homedepot.digby.com/homedepot/product/detail.do?itemId=203124383&categoryId=&path=

Thanks a lot. I am probably going to grow Anubis and some java ferns

 

[Jmedic25]

Yep just like that

 

[Cornstar]

Yep just like that

Thanks a lot Medic! You have been really helpful!

 

[Jmedic25]

Before you run out and spend money on a fixture, look at AHsupply. Those light kits are the best. The shape of the reflector is better than others. It gets usable light into the tank. And thats the name of the game

 

[garfy]

Ok here goes.
My lights are as follows:

Arcadia marine blue 420
FMB36 (48",1200mm)

Arcadia freshwater
FF36 (48",1200mm)
High output tropical lamp

Arcadia marine white 14k
FMW36 (48",1200mm)
High output marine lamp.

Is this enough for the growth of plants?

 

[Jmedic25]

Need the wattage and gallons Garfy...And you can take the marine blue out of the equasion. You both should read the site I posted its really good and you learn about minimum light threshold.

 

[garfy]

143 US gallons.
Can't see wattage on the lamps anywhere.I'll have a look on the net and see if I can find it there.

 

[Jmedic25]

Your going to need a bunch of light....1 watt per gallon dosent work for the large tanks..Lemme research it

 

[Jmedic25]

This is the page that will answer the question...Need to do the math on it. Need to figure out the area of your tank in sq inches first...Then we can figure out what the minimum LUX you need for the tank. My guess is its going to be 3 watts per gallon...So 143x3= 429 watts maybe a few of these
96 Watt Bright Kits

 

[garfy]

The tank is 33,120 cubic inches if that helps.