Seriously looking into converting my 55 gallon african cichlid tank into a planted tank with a large school of tiger barbs or silver tipped tetra's.
Plants would be: anubias, flame moss, java fern, vals (if I can), micro chain sword (I think, if not something similar) Searching for a large piece of drift wood for the tank as we speak.
I dont want to do CO2 or any real heaving dosing and I was thinking of buying a type sand substrate or using my existing basic finer gravel (cant decide if lighter or darker substrate would be better)
Lighting options: a 48 inch AquaticLife Dual-Lamp T5 Light Fixture 108W, or four 48 inch T8 shop lights or 4 to 6, 23W screw type CFL's all hanging over top an open tank.
Filtration: I have a 305 fluval with a spray bar, might just add a HOB type as well and maybe even a powerhead to help keep the substrate clean.
Currently running a 10 gallon tank planted tank with all the above plants (minus vals) and then some, but dosing excel and ferts. I dont know if some of my other plants would work in the 55 gallon like the amazon swords without excel and ferts. Either way I have some experience with a planted tank already just looking for some pointers from people who may have tried something similar.
Plants would be: anubias, flame moss, java fern, vals (if I can), micro chain sword (I think, if not something similar) Searching for a large piece of drift wood for the tank as we speak.
I dont want to do CO2 or any real heaving dosing and I was thinking of buying a type sand substrate or using my existing basic finer gravel (cant decide if lighter or darker substrate would be better)
Lighting options: a 48 inch AquaticLife Dual-Lamp T5 Light Fixture 108W, or four 48 inch T8 shop lights or 4 to 6, 23W screw type CFL's all hanging over top an open tank.
Filtration: I have a 305 fluval with a spray bar, might just add a HOB type as well and maybe even a powerhead to help keep the substrate clean.
Currently running a 10 gallon tank planted tank with all the above plants (minus vals) and then some, but dosing excel and ferts. I dont know if some of my other plants would work in the 55 gallon like the amazon swords without excel and ferts. Either way I have some experience with a planted tank already just looking for some pointers from people who may have tried something similar.
