Ok, I’m planning a new (low tech) tank, and the problems are many.
1) I would like to have it as 30 gallon breeder (110$ at the LFS) but a friend can selle me a brand new 40g breeder for 50$. I know is a huge deal but I wanted a lower tank to decrease the water column!
2) This is the ideal set up:
Ideally I would have 3 main planted areas (left, right and center) around rocks or driftwood. I am going to use Java ferns, cryptocoryne Wendtii Bronze and green and buchephalandra.
Also, I would like to cover the back of the tank with something able to grow taller.
As substrate I would go for dirt capped with sand.
What would be an easy to care, low light, tall background plant?
(I hate anacharis and hornworth).
3) Illumination:
Since I want to avoid the classic and very expensive light fixture (130$ for a finnex 24/7 that would also trow in too much light) I was thinking about a DYO with 2
- 120-Watt Equivalent PAR38 Dimmable Energy Star Flood LED Light Bulb Daylight
(https://www.homedepot.com/p/EcoSmar...ulb-Daylight-2-Pack-B7PR38P120ESD02/303574522)
And one
90-Watt Equivalent PAR 38 LED Flood Red
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Philips-90-Watt-Equivalent-PAR-38-LED-Flood-Red-469106/300722714
For the reds.
Would it be enough or too much, for a NO-CO2 low tech planted tank?
Other suggestions?
And going back to question 1, with those lights, 40 or 30 breeder (aka 12" or 16" tall)?
The main protagonists of this tank will be pigmy corydoras (hence the reason for a lot a sandy area), 18 ember tetras (that will move here from a tank I’m dismantling) and neocaridina shrimp.
As for the cleaning crew, one or two mystery snail and maybe one or two Otocincus catfish.
Summing up:
[FONT="]30 or 40 gallon? The question is mainly about water column and light.
How about light? Would that DYO setup enough to sustain low light plants?
And what tall plant would be ok to over the back of the tank?
[/FONT]
[FONT="]Thank you all,
and if I’m doing something stupid do not hesitate to tell me.[/FONT]
1) I would like to have it as 30 gallon breeder (110$ at the LFS) but a friend can selle me a brand new 40g breeder for 50$. I know is a huge deal but I wanted a lower tank to decrease the water column!
2) This is the ideal set up:
Ideally I would have 3 main planted areas (left, right and center) around rocks or driftwood. I am going to use Java ferns, cryptocoryne Wendtii Bronze and green and buchephalandra.
Also, I would like to cover the back of the tank with something able to grow taller.
As substrate I would go for dirt capped with sand.
What would be an easy to care, low light, tall background plant?
(I hate anacharis and hornworth).
3) Illumination:
Since I want to avoid the classic and very expensive light fixture (130$ for a finnex 24/7 that would also trow in too much light) I was thinking about a DYO with 2
- 120-Watt Equivalent PAR38 Dimmable Energy Star Flood LED Light Bulb Daylight
(https://www.homedepot.com/p/EcoSmar...ulb-Daylight-2-Pack-B7PR38P120ESD02/303574522)
And one
90-Watt Equivalent PAR 38 LED Flood Red
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Philips-90-Watt-Equivalent-PAR-38-LED-Flood-Red-469106/300722714
For the reds.
Would it be enough or too much, for a NO-CO2 low tech planted tank?
Other suggestions?
And going back to question 1, with those lights, 40 or 30 breeder (aka 12" or 16" tall)?
The main protagonists of this tank will be pigmy corydoras (hence the reason for a lot a sandy area), 18 ember tetras (that will move here from a tank I’m dismantling) and neocaridina shrimp.
As for the cleaning crew, one or two mystery snail and maybe one or two Otocincus catfish.
Summing up:
[FONT="]30 or 40 gallon? The question is mainly about water column and light.
How about light? Would that DYO setup enough to sustain low light plants?
And what tall plant would be ok to over the back of the tank?
[/FONT]
[FONT="]Thank you all,
and if I’m doing something stupid do not hesitate to tell me.[/FONT]