20 Long update, new scape and new lighting warning super pic heavy

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ssuchem13

Tower Tank Master
Oct 4, 2011
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Eric
so i have changed some stuff on my 20L tank. the stocking has changed but not that much, got some albino corries, i love these little guys. but im really liking my new scape. i also got a new t5ho lighting system. its an odyssea 2x18 watt t5 ho unit. it came with 1 actinic and 1 10k white bulb, im not sure how i feel about the blue, im probably switching to another white, but im not sure whether i should get another 10k or a 6500k white? by sofar i love it, and it totally gives the tank a nice slim look. also i got this plant awhile back and im wondering what it is? anywhere here are the new pics, what do you think?DSCF0905.JPGDSCF0918.JPGDSCF0919.JPGDSCF0920.JPGthis following pic is the plant in question. DSCF0922.JPGDSCF0923.JPGDSCF0924.JPGDSCF0925.JPGDSCF0926.JPGDSCF0917.JPGDSCF0916.JPGDSCF0915.JPGDSCF0906.JPGDSCF0907.JPGDSCF0908.JPGDSCF0909.JPGDSCF0910.JPGDSCF0911.JPGDSCF0912.JPGDSCF0913.JPGDSCF0914.JPGDSCF0927.JPG

DSCF0905.JPG DSCF0906.JPG DSCF0907.JPG DSCF0908.JPG DSCF0909.JPG DSCF0910.JPG DSCF0911.JPG DSCF0912.JPG DSCF0913.JPG DSCF0914.JPG DSCF0915.JPG DSCF0916.JPG DSCF0917.JPG DSCF0918.JPG DSCF0919.JPG DSCF0920.JPG DSCF0922.JPG DSCF0923.JPG DSCF0924.JPG DSCF0925.JPG DSCF0926.JPG DSCF0927.JPG
 

ssuchem13

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Oct 4, 2011
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What is the complete stock list of this tank?
5 albino corries
2 green tiger barbs, will get more eventually
1 dwarf honey gourami
1 golden gourami ( yes i know mixing them is not ideal, its just temporary had a tank spring a leak on me and im in the process of repairing it but sofar no problems )
1 Bolivian ram
i think there are a few stragglers of pygmy corries that i couldnt catch
also 2 platties, one of which that is in the photos i raised from a fry.
and 1 flag fish. also countless ramshorn snails
 

ssuchem13

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Oct 4, 2011
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anyone know off hand what type of bulb i should replace the actinic with. i was hoping to not have to make a bunch of threads like one for each question.
 

jbradt

this is bat country
May 9, 2008
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Looks great! 20L is my favorite size for a planted tank. I think if you go with anything from 5000k-6500k you should be fine along with the 10,000k. The only thing that I would caution is that with that short of a tank, T5HO is going to be a LOT of light. I had regular T5 on mine and I still had to work to keep algae out of it.
 

ssuchem13

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Oct 4, 2011
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Looks great! 20L is my favorite size for a planted tank. I think if you go with anything from 5000k-6500k you should be fine along with the 10,000k. The only thing that I would caution is that with that short of a tank, T5HO is going to be a LOT of light. I had regular T5 on mine and I still had to work to keep algae out of it.
yeah with that in mind i figured i could get away with the 20 inch fixture, im loving the spread on it. i also plan on building a thick layer of dwarf water lettuce on the top and get some good penetration , growing it out so be a heavily planted tank is the next step, tons of crypts and other solid plants. i also was hoping to not have to leave the light on 12 hrs a day like i did before withe the cfls just so my plants wouldn't die. now im starting at 6~8 hrs to see what it gets me.
 

ssuchem13

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Oct 4, 2011
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im also glad to have scored the system for 30 bux new which was cheaper than the regular t5 systems i was looking at
 

ssuchem13

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Oct 4, 2011
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well its been about a week. the plants are doing great, and the plant in the back has some red growth on the top. but i think its lookin good

DSCF0928.JPG DSCF0929.JPG DSCF0930.JPG DSCF0931.JPG DSCF0932.JPG DSCF0933.JPG
 

boon4376

AC Members
Aug 30, 2012
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Some plants develop red growth when they are exposed to too much light, as an adaptation / defense mechanism. I have seen this with many "above water" plants, mostly ivy... Where the leaves that grow in direct sunlight grow red or almost purple, and the leaves that grow in the shade grow green.

As long as it's alive, red, growing and not turning yellow or brown (and not an algae), you should be all set.

I believe I have the same grass as you have in that last picture - it came with some latin name hydra... something (two words) (I kick myself for throwing away the tag). The one I got in the store almost immediately died off to about 1/4 the size. Now it is re-growing.

Some plants need to grow new leaves to suit new lighting conditions. For example, they will grow leaves suited for high levels of light, but under low light conditions those leaves will die, and they will re-grow new leaves that are better suited for lower light conditions. This is what happened with my grass plant - and has happened with many of my "Above water" plants that I transition from being out-door plants to indoor plants when we switch from summer to fall in Maine (they initially wilt, and die, but re-grow leaves adapted to the much lower indoor lighting conditions)

The store had much higher wattage than my 1.5 watt per gallon tank. The original leaves died off, and new leaves better adapted to lower lighting conditions are taking their place.

Lower light conditioned leaves may turn purple or red when exposed to higher levels of light. Newer leaves that grow from the plant should be well adapted to your new lighting system.
 
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