Planting a 55!

richardhmc said:

hey all I want to change my 55 gallon into a planted but I want a good strong light. I have 200 saved up so are there any great quality lights out there? I plan to grow java fern, moss, swords etc. any suggestions?

Do I need CO2 for a 55?

Click to expand...

Rick:


IMHO no one has posted as your question does not contain sufficient information but I will try based on several assumptions:

1) Your tank is 48 x 13 x 21 which is a standard sized 55G tank;

2) You have a gravel substrate;

3) You have wood and rocks in your tank.


The lighting would be
http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_ViewItem~idProduct~CU01016.html
Please order the fixture with two 10000K and two 7100K bulbs.


As you appear to be new to the planted tank world (as am I) the plants would be

1) http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_Display.cfm?pCatId=815
which would be tied to the rocks or wood;

2) http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_Display.cfm?pCatId=780
planted with fert tabs or floating; and

3) http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_Display.cfm?pCatId=796
planted with fert tabs.


The liquid fertilizers would be Seachem Flourish and Seachem Excel but as you gain experience you will move to dry ferts
http://www.rexgrigg.com/ferts.htm
http://www.rexgrigg.com/dosing.htm


I may sound like I am a guru but I am not. I am only saying what I would do based upon my experience.

TR

ahsupply.com

I wasn"t very handy making lights so I bought the twin tube coralife freshwater compact flourescents with 2 tubes of 65 watts with a 2 full spectrum bulbs that come with it. I have a 55 gallon planted with low to middle plants that need light. Seems to be working fine.

Whether or not you need CO2 will depend on which lights and plants you decide to get. If low lights (around 2 watts per gallon) and with java fern and moss you won't need CO2. I haven't looked at all types of swords, but I think most swords require atleast medium-high light? In that case you would need CO2 and ferts.

In the long run it would be more cost effective to set up pressurized CO2 if you go with high light, but your $200 won't cover the lighting upgrade, pressurized CO2, ferts, and plants no matter how frugal you are when all is said and done. (When upgrading mine, everytime I turned around there was something else I'd have to spend $20 here or $30 there on. Ie.. 12" crescent wrench to put the regulator on the CO2 tank and other little things that you'd not think about beforehand and may not have at home.)

If you go with high lighting you might decide on more high light plants than just the swords, or with low lighting you may leave the swords out and choose other low tech plants. Keep in mind that some plants can't tolerate Excel (Seachem's organic carbon that supplements or substitutes for CO2).
http://www.plantgeek.net/

With a strict $200 budget I'd probably stick with 2wpg and low tech plants.

jones57742 said:

Rick:The lighting would be
http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_ViewItem~idProduct~CU01016.html
Please order the fixture with two 10000K and two 7100K bulbs.
The liquid fertilizers would be Seachem Flourish and Seachem Excel but as you gain experience you will move to dry ferts
http://www.rexgrigg.com/ferts.htm
http://www.rexgrigg.com/dosing.htm


I may sound like I am a guru but I am not. I am only saying what I would do based upon my experience.

TR

Click to expand...

Ummm - no to that light unless you're also going w/ pressurized CO2, which $200 won't do.

I do highly recommend reading the guide to planted tanks on Rex's web pages, then figuring out a lighting solution that will put you in the 80-110W range (39W T5 bulbs staggered, 40W 6500-10,000K T12 bulbs in a shop light, a DIY array of 13W screw in compact fluorescents, AH-Supply 2x55W PC kit) but try to set it up so you have some room for expansion as you may eventually decide you must have pressurized CO2 and a carpet of Glosso or something.

FWIW - www.AHSupply.comoffers 4' enclosures in black or oak for $50. You can add lots of kits to one of them and they don;t heat up too badly as they have slotted tops. 2x55W kit w/ reflectors, ballast, end caps, cords & all hardware $70. Bulbs extra (~$17 for 55W ones, be mindful of your pin arrangement - you may be able to get straight/linear pins in your endcaps, sometimes bulbs for this config. are easier/slightly cheaper than the square pin arrangement).

You may also want to consider a T5 kit w/ the AH hood - see: http://www.specialty-lights.com/tekretrofit.htmlfor some options.

While you may be tempted to buy one of those "all in one" lights w/ legs, ballast etc. all together, keep in mind that their reflectors are generally not nearly as good as those sold by AHSupply (for PC applications) or TEK (for T5 applications). Certain cheap ones have even been known to start fires.

PS - If I were to buy prefab, I'd probably look at Coralife (not for bulbs, just for the fixture) and Current USA first.

I also forgot to mention (disagree w/)- tabs

The only plants that really benefit from root tabs are swords, crypts & any other heavy root feeders. Most stem plants (and crypts) do just fine getting their NPK etc. right out of the water column. Tabs are also good, but they're expensive and you can over do it, leading to problems.

Ready for a little DIY? Do what I did, save some money, put it into other things, like CO2 if you want. Just so you know, I'm not using CO2 with this setup, and it's already time for a major trim.

http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=147012

Remember Java ferns do not require a lot of light so be sure to have them under some shade made by driftwood or something of that extent.