View Full Version : newbie to planted tanks
colematthewmala
08-22-2009, 12:18 AM
so, i am planning on switching my fake plants for real plants in my GBR tank and want to know if their are any plants that don't need much light or fertilizers? Also i currently use CFL's (Compact Florescent Lights) in my aquarium which say give of 12000 lumens. So i'm wondering will these lights be good for my 16 gallon ram tank so i can plant it with low light plants or do i need to upgrade to a florescent hood.
Ozymandias
08-22-2009, 12:33 AM
well i'm not completely sure about Lumens i know plants grow best under the 6,500 K (kelvin) and 10,000K range after that most people use watts to help figurine out lighting.
jbradt
08-22-2009, 12:52 AM
The CFLs should be sufficient, but it depends on how many watts each bulb is to determine the watts per gallon of the tank. Simple low light plants include java ferns/moss, anubias, crypts...
colematthewmala
08-22-2009, 12:34 PM
the bulbs are only 13 watts but they give off quite a bit of light, i'm not sure if it's too much or too little.
stratusfearrr
08-22-2009, 1:28 PM
on average, a planted tank has 2 to 3 wpg, and at 3 wpg, it is reccomended that you go with some form of diy or pressurized co2, or algae will grow like crazy. all depends on whether or not you want low light plants or more needy plants
BagelDog
08-22-2009, 1:33 PM
How many bulbs are in your lighting hood?
From what has been passed on to me by the other members of the planted tank forum, the general rule of thumb is 2 watts per gallon. If you exceed the 2 watts per gallon mark you may have to run a CO2 setup or you will have issues with your tank (excessive algae growth, etc.). There are plenty of plants that will grow quite nicely in .5-2 watts per gallon. just make sure you choose your plants wisely and purchase a timer to regulate the hours your lighting is on.
colematthewmala
08-22-2009, 2:19 PM
their are two lights in the hood and the tank is 15 gallons.
BagelDog
08-22-2009, 4:10 PM
I'll do the math for you if you're still a bit foggy on the Watts Per Gallon (WPG) theory.
You have two bulbs at 13 watts each, giving you 26 watts of lighting over a 15 gallon tank.
Your tank will be at 1.7WPG.
I consider that to be a nice number for plants with a low to medium (possibly high) lighting requirments. At this point, with your lighting being appropriate for proper growth, the next step is providing the proper nutrients for your plants.
I'll be honest, in this department, I'm still figuring out what works and what doesn't. So take anything I say with a grain of salt.
I've tried and done well with the root tabs and liquid supplements from my local Petco. Jungle brand if I remember right. I'm sure there are better things out there but these are easy to come by and I noticed a huge difference in my tank when used in conjunction with proper lighting.
Good luck.
You should be able to grow low light and even some medium light plants. A trace fertilizer like Flourish or Kent Freshwater Plant can help. www.plantgeek.net (http://www.plantgeek.net) has lists of common aquarium plants by various categories, including lighting requirements.
stratusfearrr
08-23-2009, 3:52 PM
the seachem plant pack works well for my plants.