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Now that I have plants. What will I need now?

4K views 26 replies 5 participants last post by  CinBos 
#1 ·
From doing some reading, I will need CO2 for the plants. I have Amazon Swords, Wisteria, Ludwigia, Java Moss, Moss Balls, and Anubias. What will I need now to ensure productive plant growth and health?

Lighting wise, I have 3 24" T-8 fixtures, which I am hoping is enough light, for I have no money to spend right now.

I know some are going to mention the fish in my Sig, but I plant on moving the plants, once these fish begin to mature.
 
#2 ·
CO2 injection is not necessary, enough Carbon can be obtained naturally. The four part guide at the top of this forum will explain it all better than I ever could.

It only becomes necessary if you have bright light, and need extra CO2 to balance the system. You are far from high light with that setup, high light would often be using T5HO's.
 
#3 ·
CO2 injection is not necessary, enough Carbon can be obtained naturally. The four part guide at the top of this forum will explain it all better than I ever could.

It only becomes necessary if you have bright light, and need extra CO2 to balance the system. You are far from high light with that setup, high light would often be using T5HO's.
Oh ok. Yeah I read through the guide, and i was a bit confused while reading it.
 
#6 ·
Ok I appreciate that. Now none of these fertilizers and tabs affect the water parameters or fish do they?
 
#11 ·
125 Gallon SA/CA Cichlid - 125 gallon Freshwater fish tank

So Heres all the pictures of my tank. I hope these looks alright. Any suggestions are more than welcome. That last picture is a lovely little scratch I noticed, must have happened when I was cleaning up the tank last night, I hope I have nothing to worry about (it's not leaking, and it looks and seems like its more of a surface scratch, from the fake driftwood rubbing against it when cleaning), scratches are common...right?

Also let me know what some of them are. I know Amazon Swords, Anubias, and the Ludwigia, but whatever else I may have missed or dont know, let me know.
 
#12 ·
looks great, real plants look so much better!!

one thing, you need to get that anubias out of the sand, the root system, and the long stem thing rhizome i think its called must not be planted in the substrate. it needs tying or attaching to a piece of driftwood or rocks. it'll die otherwise
 
#16 ·
Yeah looks much like a surface scratch. You can kind of tell due to the thickness of the glass, if you know what I mean.
 
#20 ·
Ok so how much should I need? Like to stick with the fixtures themselves, but if I need to get new flourescent bulbs, which kind, the hight ouput t-8s?
 
#24 ·
Heres the what I got from the bulbs:

Aqueon Full Spectrum 17w t8 24" Hg A 38/11 x2

Esu Reptile Super UV daylight f15 t8 bp Uv-a uv-b x1
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#25 ·
The Aqueon tubes are 8000K.

The reptile bulb is putting off UV light :S Better get the fish some sunscreen! I'd replace that tube.

24" T8 are actually 17W, I believe 20W are for the older T12's. Byron can let you know what ones are good for plants that you'll find in a petstore. Hardware stores (where I live) don't carry daylight tubes for a 24" T8, I ended up buying them online from eBay (the thread about that is on this same forum if you want to check it out). But Petstores carry them, I just don't know which name it's called.
 
#26 ·
Agree, lose the reptile tube. And as the other may be getting old (tubes should be replaced regularly, T8 I find lose intensity significantly between 12 and 15 months) might as well replace all. You want T8 that are the same length as your present tubes (24 inches).

At this point you can go with the less expensive "daylight" tubes that will be available from some hardware-type stores or the more expensive special tubes available from fish stores.

GE, Phillips and Sylvania make tubes having a 6500K rating and these work well. I use GE and Phillips along with my Life-glo. The main thing here is the 6500K.

For fish store tubes, I have Life-Glo which has a 6700K rating. There is also ZooMed's Ultra Sun at 6700K, slightly less expensive. These two I know and they are good. I have not tried the CoralLife 50/50 but others have said they seem to work.

Byron.
 
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#27 ·
Agree, lose the reptile tube. And as the other may be getting old (tubes should be replaced regularly, T8 I find lose intensity significantly between 12 and 15 months) might as well replace all. You want T8 that are the same length as your present tubes (24 inches).

At this point you can go with the less expensive "daylight" tubes that will be available from some hardware-type stores or the more expensive special tubes available from fish stores.

GE, Phillips and Sylvania make tubes having a 6500K rating and these work well. I use GE and Phillips along with my Life-glo. The main thing here is the 6500K.

For fish store tubes, I have Life-Glo which has a 6700K rating. There is also ZooMed's Ultra Sun at 6700K, slightly less expensive. These two I know and they are good. I have not tried the CoralLife 50/50 but others have said they seem to work.

Byron.
I wont replaced them all. because they are practicly brand new, but I will replaced the reptile bulb.
 
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