Want to plant my tank - suggestions???

H

HKat

AC Members
Nov 27, 2007
37
0
0
Hi guys, I am completely dopey to planted tanks except from what I am reading on the net!!

I hope you can help!

I have a 75g tank measuring 48w x 18h x 18d. I have a twin fluorescent fixture with 2 x 52w full spectrums = 104w or a total of 1.38 watts per gallon.

Can anyone suggest what kind of plants I can put into my freshwater tank? Also, can I upgrade the bulbs with my current fixture?

My substrate is just medium sized river rock....so not plant friendly at all. I was wondering if I can do potted plants so that I can move them around without disturbing everything. :wall:

Also.....there is no way I am re-doing the rock so potted would be the only way I can go, I think?

Any suggestions would be great!! :confused::confused::confused:

Also, what about CO2......I really don't have the $$ to purchase a system!! :wall:

Thanks, everybody!!!
 
As far as lighting your tank is about on the border of a low light tank. What kind of bulbs does the fixture take? the tube or power compact??
(you can get 2 shop light fixtures over your tank and that will up your lighting and save $$)
For plants you can go with, anubias, java ferns, water sprite, crypts, few mosses, anacharis, hornwort and a few other plants. But the thing is with that low light most plants will just be at a stand still, looking somewhat healthy but not growing at all..

With co2.. If you go low light or even at low medium light you wont really need co2, though it does help plants at any light level.
 
Hi Bk.....as far as the light......they are the tube type. I'd rather see if I can increase the bulbs if possible instead of changing the fixtures.....for a multitude of reasons.....but I won't get into that.

As far as growing.....that works for me, too. Healthy is good. Little maintenance is golden!!!

I'd rather watch this fish grow than the plants.

Thanks for the advice. It is really appreciated.
 
With that level of light you really won't need to worry about planting the plants in the rock as any stem or rooted plant won't do well anyway.

I'd stick to ferns and mosses,and anubias you might get away with Crypts at that level which you could pot, though they might even grow in the rock substrate without much problem.

I'd probably stack rocks in a mountain/hill form and let the moss overgrow it. You can tie the ferns to rocks or add driftwood and attach to that too.
 
OOOOOPPPPPSSSSSSSSSSS.........scratch everything.......becuase I just looked at my fixture bulbs again and realized that I made a HUGE mistake.

The bulbs I have are 2 x 32 watt full spectrums.......your basic crap!!!

So I don't even have 1 watt/gallon.....more like 0.85.

NOW WHAT???
 
HKat said:
OOOOOPPPPPSSSSSSSSSSS.........scratch everything.......becuase I just looked at my fixture bulbs again and realized that I made a HUGE mistake.

The bulbs I have are 2 x 32 watt full spectrums.......your basic crap!!!

So I don't even have 1 watt/gallon.....more like 0.85.

NOW WHAT???
Click to expand...

lol i was thinking something was wrong..

Upgrade your lighting.. Can either go with coralife fixture, ahsupply kit, shop lights, or t5 fixture
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
AquariaCentral.com
Top Bottom