How can I make my tank live again?

[kyle3]

if you combine that fixture with your current light you'll have 3.2 watts per gallon- it will work for a fast growing set up. by it's self you'd have 1.7WPG which i think would be a medium light set-up. just depends on what you're trying to achieve? Do you want to do a lot of pruning every week or would you rather a little less maintenance?

Do you have a vision for what you'd like the tank to look like? if you've seen tanks online that you like, posting a picture of those might help us determine if you're better off with high or medium or low light.

cheers-K

 

[A. Nonymous]

I'm aiming for a lush green lawn on the bottom with lots of different sized plants growing in the tank. I'd like something similar to a lot of professional aquariums. I don't quite have their budget, but I do already own most of the equipment I need I think.

 

[Bubbles2112]

I'd go with what Kyle and JMHart have stated to get your algae under control and stuff your tank with a lot more plants ASAP--anacharis would be a good starting plant for low cost. IMO--I'd seriously consider the T5's from the link JMHart provided. The T5's are a far better light. The coralife that you have provided a link to will not be worth replacing what you already have on the tank and if you are going to spend those $$'s anyway--why not upgrade to the T5? Just my 2-cents.

 

[A. Nonymous]

I'd go with what Kyle and JMHart have stated to get your algae under control and stuff your tank with a lot more plants ASAP--anacharis would be a good starting plant for low cost. IMO--I'd seriously consider the T5's from the link JMHart provided. The T5's are a far better light. The coralife that you have provided a link to will not be worth replacing what you already have on the tank and if you are going to spend those $$'s anyway--why not upgrade to the T5? Just my 2-cents.

What advantages 2x54 T5 offer over the 2x55 CF that I linked too? Lighting is incredibly confusing to me. I've yet to find anywhere that spelled it out in plain English.

 

[jmhart]

T5 lighting is more efficient than PC...less restrike. You get more bang for your buck.

http://www.plantedtank.net/articles/Light-Bulb-Comparison/29/

 

[A. Nonymous]

T5 lighting is more efficient than PC...less restrike. You get more bang for your buck.

http://www.plantedtank.net/articles/Light-Bulb-Comparison/29/

The tank in your sig looks amazing. I'd be thrilled if I could get mine to look anything like that. So more light is what I need (plus ferts and co2 running again) and a T5 fixture is what I want?

 

[jmhart]

Well, T5 is quickly becoming the standard. I have PC lighting over my 45g and 46g tanks, but I recently acquired a 75g with T5 lighting, and so far I definitely prefer the T5.

For a high light tank, yes, you'll need another fixture. But for a low light setup, you're fine as is. Either way, I would set up the co2.

 

[kyle3]

Well, T5 is quickly becoming the standard. I have PC lighting over my 45g and 46g tanks, but I recently acquired a 75g with T5 lighting, and so far I definitely prefer the T5.

For a high light tank, yes, you'll need another fixture. But for a low light setup, you're fine as is. Either way, I would set up the co2.

I'll second that-love my t5

cheers-K

 

[fl4ian]

but the 110 spiral florescent is really only a 28w (or something similar) on the wpg rule. we just had a discussion of this on another thread. it's not the incandescent equivalent, it's the florescent watts. for instance, my 3 - 100w (27w) spiral compact florescents over my 100g tank is really only 81w which equals .8 wpg.

 

[jmhart]

but the 110 spiral florescent is really only a 28w (or something similar) on the wpg rule. we just had a discussion of this on another thread. it's not the incandescent equivalent, it's the florescent watts. for instance, my 3 - 100w (27w) spiral compact florescents over my 100g tank is really only 81w which equals .8 wpg.

I'm 90% sure we're talking about CF as in power compact T5, not CFL as in the spiral bulb.