What are these?

Byron

Agree with previous posts.

You will need to use fertilizer, as the 17 plant nutrients are unlikely to be present just from fish food, organics and tap water. I second Kymmie on the Flourish Comprehensive, I use it. Make sure it is Flourish Comprehensive Supplement for the Planted Aquarium as they make several products in the Flourish line, this is the complete one and all you need for your setup. Without this I would expect your swords to start yellowing and not last, and cabomba being a stem plant is a fast grower (actually swords are pretty fast too) and thus requires nutrients to balance the light or it won't grow.

And don't be worried if your sword loses a few leaves (they will yellow), this is natural when the plant is moved to a new aquarium. As long as new leaf growth is emerging from the centre of the crown, the plant is probably OK.

On the light, I also suggest new tubes, and the hardware store is fine. Select tubes around 6500K (that's the kelvin rating which determines the colour of light emitted). This is closest to mid-day sun, and provides the red and blue the plants need plus green to balance for a natural colour rendition of fish and plants. Sylvania, Phillips and GE all make tubes like this, calling them daylight or daylight deluxe or something.

With two tubes over a 60g you should not have trouble with cabomba, which does require a bit more light as Kymmie mentioned.

Inga

Adding to the silly questions. Now that I have a few live plants in my tank, when I do water changes, do I still add the Prime, to take the chlorine and such out of the water? Can I add plant fertilizer at the same time without any chemical reactions or damage to my fish?

Byron

Yes, you must use water conditioner with every water change; plants cannot detoxify the chloramine/chlorine [actually they do a bit, but no where near the level required for most tap water].

Good question on the fert, [see, no question is ever silly Inga]. There is no issue with the fish [unless you overdose, only use the amount recommended on the label], but the fertilizer should be added the day after a water change. The reason is that water conditioners like Prime also detoxify heavy metals, and some mineral nutrients (iron, copper, manganese...) are also heavy metals, so Prime is detoxifying them. No point adding these nutrients when Prime in the water will detoxify them. Seachem tell me this occurs for 24 hours, possibly a bit longer, but most of us have good success adding the Flourish the day after the water change.

Byron.

Inga

Alright, good to know. Well the adventure continues. I keep saying that I intended to start out with a 20-30 gallon tank and a few goldfish and this has grown and grown. Each day I find something else I need or want to change etc... In less then 8 weeks with the tank, I am making changes from all silk/plastic to live plants and the changes that are needed to assist plant growth.

I hope I have much better luck with the aquarium plants then I do with some of my house plants.

Today I will begin the search for new aquarium lights and Flourish Comprehensive Supplement for the Planted Aquarium

do you think it would be alright to just change out one of the lights for now? I only have 3 plants at this point but will be adding a few more. Maybe If I can find some Java Moss or Java fern, I will add that today as well and take out a few more crappy plastic plants. So far the fish are hanging out in the silk plants so I will leave some of those for now.

Also, how exactly do you attach the Java fern or moss to a log or rock? It says not to plant the roots in gravel.

Inga

the lights currently on the tank are 2 F15T8/18" Marineland Daylight bulbs. Why am I not seeing anything about Wattage?

bones14

The 15 is the wattage.They're the same that came with mine.

Inga

Oh Thanks. Did you change your bulbs out to grow plants as well or are yours still in there? How are your plants growing with them if you kept them?

bones14

I haven't set the tank up yet but I plan on changing them to 6700k bulbs.The ones I have are 8,000k.I may change the fixture all together for a 4' instead of two 18".

Inga

Ugh! I called all of the hardware stores in my area and I cannot get a 30 watt 18 inch bulb. The highest they carry are the 15 watt 5000K bulbs. Now what???

Inga

Alright, now I am getting frustrated. Even Petco doesn't carry 30 watt 18 inch bulbs. Are these such a rare thing that people get for their tanks? I have 3 lighting stores searching for such a bulb and will hopefully get back to me. People are acting like I am off in the head asking for such a thing.

Are you guys certain It has to be 30 watt? Would simply leaving the light on a little longer compensate or am I way off in that thought process? The highest rating I can find in an 18 inch bulb is 15 watt. Where do you people find the 30 watt 18 inch bulbs. Even Dr. Foster's and Smith doesn't have them. Ugh! Why such a challenge?