Re-planting my 24g, need help!

HMlairy

Hey all,
About a month ago, I planted my tank with a type of cabomba and it died a few weeks later due to not enough natural light i suppose. Now I was thinking about buying a flouresant bulb for the hood to promote photosythesis (can the bulb actually feed plants?) and rebuying some more plants.
I don't want heavy maintainence plants so i was wondering what you guys think i should get? (Preferably Goldfish proof :P)
Thanks

redchigh

First, are you saying your tank had no light at all?

I have tanks near windows, and I still put a light over them. A flourescent tube should be fine, in addition to whatever natural light you are describing. Buy a timer (they're cheap) and set the light to be on for 10-12 hours a day.

You will also need a liquid fertiliser, and from what I hear, flourish comprehensive is the best.(I use soil, but flourish is decidedly easier)

For plants, I'd try swords (Echinodorus blehiri, or klienar prinz, or rosette sword), vals, Java Fern, Java Moss, and Anubias first.
May also want to add Duckweed or azolla. The Goldfish will probably eat it, but better they eat that than your other plants. Duckweed grows super fast, I bet they couldn't ever get it all.

For a longer list, track down Lupin on this forum. He's the Goldfish plant expert. :)

Blaxicanlatino

welcome to the forum!!!
im not an expert on lighting but i have raised some very successful planted tanks i think ;D
but yes plants do need sufficient lighting in order to be successful.
I use compact flourescent light bulbs in my tanks. Im guessing you used incandescent lighting?

Byron

I concur with what's been posted.

If you have an incandescent fixture (screw-in bulbs) this will work fine without the added expense of buying a fluorescent fixture which are more expensive. The compact fluorescent incandescent bulbs work fine on planted tanks, two 10w daylight bulbs (with a kelvin of 6500K) will do the job well. Or a single fluorescent tube in a daylight (around 6500K) if you have a fluorescent tube fixture now. If you intend buying a fixture, I would go with incandescent for a small tank like a 24g.

Byron.

HMlairy

Don't worry there is some light, it is nearish a window, just no direct sunlight ever touches the tank (Y)
Thanks I will look into bulbs, theres alot to choose from, what type should i get?

Byron

I previously answered this generally, but if you can tell me the type of fixture (fluorescent tube or incandescent screw-in bulb) I can suggest brands.

Unless the tank is directly in front of a window that has a good exposure (bright light) plants will not do well in the tank without an overhead light. I had plants growing in a 10g in front of a west-facing window with afternoon sun (direct) and the plants were not as good as in my lighted tanks. Algae took off though, which was fine in this case because i had Farlowella fry in the tank and they will only eat fresh green algae.