30 gallon amazon tank

[stan the man]

Hi Folks. I've been a member of cichlid-forum but I am now doing a small planttank and wanted some advice. It will include a small school of emperor tetras and will be a biotope tank. I'm looking mainly at dwarf swords and root/driftwood. I have grown swords effectively in the past w/ 2watts per gallon in a 55gallon and no co2. I am concerned about putting a 55/65watt flourescent on a smaller tank thats shallower. Any advice?
:)

[djlen]

Nothing will guarantee complete success and a lack of algae issues, but 2 watts/gal. should not create any major problems for you.
How tall is the tank? I have a 55(21" tall) and a 40(19" tall). The 55 has 160 watts and the 40, 110 watts and I had the usual algae problems for the first 3 - 5 months until I found a balance for my particular tanks.
At 2 watts/gal.(a moderately lit tank) everything will happen slower and be easier to deal with.
CO2 or no CO2? How do you intend to fertilize?

Len

[stan the man]

Hello Len!
In the past, I alternated fertilizing with Seachem Iron and Seachem Flourish once a week. This was in a 55gallon with 2, 6700K, 55W bulbs. I will attempt to sloowly adjust to this schedule as the 55 contained several mature swords (pruned like crazy to get them to fit!). This tank is 12" wide x 35" long x 16" high--hence the plan to go with smaller species of swords. I may use some garden variety swords and some water sprite for now to prevent algal blooms. A single 55/65 flourescent just seemed a little much for this tank, even once established. Oh, I am using laterite in the substrate-55g of it mixed in with gravel-plus some fertilizer tabs I have.
Thanks for your help!
BTW-no CO2 for me unless its deemed necessary later. I want slower controlled growth.