Plant advice please

pacersfan09

pacersfan09

AVGN
Aug 3, 2007
367
0
0
36
Indiana
I have a 20 long that has been up and running for almost a year now and i would really like to switch over from fake to live plants. The lighting fixture i ordered should be coming soon and it should give me 3 to 4 watts of light per gallon with the color temperature being 6700k. I also already have eco-complete substrate. I was wondering if there are special plants that would thrive in a 12" tall aquarium like my 20 long or a regular 10 gallon? Please share your thoughts and advice.
thank you
 
You'll probably want to add in some Co2 and some fertilizers with that kind of lighting, but at that point you could probably grow about anything you wanted.
 
ok ill look up some DIY CO2, and is there a special fertilizer that is exceptionally good? Also are there any plants that will cover the bottom of the tank like grass or not?
 
With high light you "MUST" (IMO) have CO2 or you are just asking for algae. A 12 inch tall tank is not too tall for a planted tank. Worry about ferts after you deside on what plants you need. With such a small tank (20gal) you could just buy either sea-chem or Kent ferts, and they will last you a while.
 
3-4 WPG in a shallow tank may be troublesome even if you add CO2 and ferts. I'm not a plant expert by any means and go by trial and error myself, but I would suggest looking for high light required plants. Algae will almost definitely show up.
 
I'd look into HC for a carpeting style plant. You can find some of it in the classifieds probably.
 
so most of you are saying the high amount of light is not good...? The fixture is going to have 65 watt PC light. I am not sure i can find a better way to light my tank and i dont really want to mess with DIY lighting to be truthful. So if i have a 20 long with the height of a 10 gallon i can light it like a 10 gallon? Do i have any other options?
 
pacersfan09 said:
so most of you are saying the high amount of light is not good...? The fixture is going to have 65 watt PC light. I am not sure i can find a better way to light my tank and i dont really want to mess with DIY lighting to be truthful. So if i have a 20 long with the height of a 10 gallon i can light it like a 10 gallon? Do i have any other options?
Click to expand...

Its not that high light is bad, just that once you pass the threshold of 2 wpg, plants need nutrients and CO2 to out compete algae. Read the first sticky at the top, it will answer alot of your answers.

The only thing I think the sticky is missing, is that their is a product called Excel produced by Seachem that will substitute the addition of CO2, and with your size tank a $20 2L bottle will last you easily a year+.
 
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