More info...
Hi Ravvlet,
Your questions are good. None of us can be experts at everything...we are all borrowing knowledge from each other. This can be a very complicated hobby! Just think about the complexity we are trying to reproduce...
I think lighting for the aquarium hobby has come leaps and bounds from what it used to be. We are all searching for the holy grail: low wattage with high lumens (or "brightness"). I see a couple exciting trends:
- T5-HO (T5 High Output) Fluorescent bulbs are becoming the "new normal" for the best, all-around lighting solution. They provide powerful lighting and are extremely efficient (almost 100 lumens a watt). They are far superior than most "power compact" lights in that T5s 1) have better reflectors (less light is lost), and they 2) last longer since they run cooler.
- LEDs. These are simply too expensive at this time to realistically use. However, they will continue to improve and will offer more lumens per watt than the most efficient fluorescent light. Even better: no bulb replacements! Most high-end LEDs are designed for something like 10 YEARS before needing a replacement!
What does this all mean? Well, keeping a planted tank is going to get easier for most people as the cost of this equipment continues to fall. Our sun powers our world; the same is true in an aquarium--your light is the single most important piece of a planted tank.
Anyways, on a side note, I have not found any good planted tank shops in Lafayette. I know that "Tropical Fish Bowl" off of Ambassador Caffery is pretty good, but they mainly specialize in Saltwater, so their selection of plants is pretty slim.
Planted freshwater tanks are like a subcategory of a subcategory of a subcategory. I think there are too few of us... Not many stores seem to focus any energy on serving the planted tank community. My suggestion is to get most of your plants on the Buy-Sell forums here, the plantedtank, and others. You can get some really good deals. You can also buy online, such as from
www.aquariumplants.com. I have ordered from them and I think they are pretty good. Most smaller shops will get their plants from the MOTHER OF ALL SELLERS - Florida's Aquatic Nursery
here. Hope that helps.
