[TexasTornado]

it's 18" long and about 1" fat (round)

 

[Lupin]

it's 18" long and about 1" fat (round)

That makes 18" length and 12" width. What about the height?
1" would be too small a width.:blink: So I assume that was 1 foot rather than inch.

 

[TexasTornado]

OOPS the bulb is 18"long and its round tube...the actual hood is about 20" long and 6" wide...hope this helps...i took a pic of it

 

[Lupin]

Oh sorry.:mrgreen:

 

[TexasTornado]

I got confused!!! I didnt make myself clear, sorry :lol:

 

[fish_4_all]

Talk with yur friends and see what they can do for you. Even if you have to go with a standard light strip for screw in flourescent bubls for the time being, it will work. you would want 2, 25 watt bulbs which isn't actually 50 watts but more like 30ish because of the inefieciency of the bulbs.

Anything they can help you get that will put either 35-40 watts fluorescent or 50-60 watts of screw in compact florescents over the tank. At those levels, you will need fertilizers but they can be bought slowly in order of most important.

If you can find a standard screw in aquarium fixture you can out 2, 25 watt screw in bulbs, 6500k, in it and suffice until you can upgrade.

Recommended Wattage Lighting Level
Compact Fluorescent
61W VeryHigh
46W High
31W Moderate
15W Low
T8 Fluorescent
59W VeryHigh
44W High
29W Moderate
15W Low
Hagen T10 Fluorescent
78W VeryHigh
59W High
39W Moderate
20W Low
T12 Fluorescent
82W VeryHigh
62W High
41W Moderate
21W Low

Show them this chart and let them try to get you moderate light.

http://woo.gotdns.com/Aquarium/Lighting.htm

That is a really good link and it works.

 

[TexasTornado]

Thanks! I'll see what I can dig up tomorrow!

 

[Lupin]

http://woo.gotdns.com/Aquarium/Lighting.htm

Excellent link, fish_4_all.:thumbsup: I'll sticky that chart in this section.

 

[fish_4_all]

The width and length of the top of the tank. Go to the site and put in the measurements for the top of your tank. Take the chart to your friends and see what they can do.

Let us know what you find. Then we can go from there.

 

[TexasTornado]

awesome, thats great! thanks. I wasnt able to do anything about the lighting today, but i did get some fertilizers and stuff. I got some tablets (PLANTABBS) that contain total nitrogen, ammoniacal nitrogen, nitrate nitrogen, phosphoric acid, and soluble potash. Then some liquid (Leaf Zone) that contains potassium sulfate and Iron EDTA. Did I get the right stuff?? I went ahead and added the Leaf Zone but held off on the tabs till I checked them out (they smell strongly of ammonia) to make sure they were safe for my fish!

I'm still working on the light part.

 

[fish_4_all]

All I know is if you use those tabs I would bury them very well and make sure not disturb the location you have put them for at least a couple week. I have never used anything but a basic iron tab, no NO3 and no PO4 so I am not the best to advise there.

The Leafzone should be fine dosed according to the label.

 

[TexasTornado]

well, I guess I'll give it a try...It says you can put them in whole or crushed up. It says 1 tab for every 5 gallons of water every 10 days. That seems a lot to me. I'm going to only use half the amount it says seeing I only have 3 bunches of wisteria. Could you recommend another plant that is easy to care for to add in?

 

[Lupin]

Javan moss, Javan fern, Elodea densa, Hornwort, Anubias and Vallisnerias. I've tried Cryptocoryne becketii. I have 2 of those and have been thriving for almost 5 years.:shock2: :blink: They prefer subdued light so you may have to locate those under shaded areas.

 

[fish_4_all]

I agreew with Blue, and would add anacharis and most Hygrophyla polysperma species. But I will add that my crypts are very much in direct light, Becketti, Wendtii and Lucens and they love it. I also have an Anubias nana in direct light although it does get a little more algae this way it grows rather quickly. I have had it for about 3 months I think and it has tripled in size, put out 3 rhizome splits and has massive amounts of leaves. I have to work to get it and keep everything as algae free as possible but they do love it. My Crypt Red Wendtii was cut back to almost noting not 6 weeks ago and it is absolutely huge right now. Could probably split it into 20 plants. Crypts also love plant tabs and I use them under all 3 of them.

 

[Lupin]

I agreew with Blue,

:welldone: :thumbsup:
Must admit I used Sera Florenette which are fertilizer tablets. I would surely go back to using ferts although at the moment, it is not necessary as my plants still thrive without ferts.

By the way, I have this Anubias nana and it didn't grow well in the driftwood so I planted it to the substrate and it grew so well.:shock2: I always thought that plant would never grow well in substrates as others stated.:dunno: And then there was the Nymphaea stellata growing at a fast rate even if I still haven't finished with the CO2 system.:mrgreen:

Ohhh...Must be my lucky day.:crazy: This is one of the good tidings I consider during my comeback to the hobby.:mrgreen: I have bad tidings with tetras which died last July, thanks to temperature fluctuations.:blueworry: