LFS says 15w OK - is he right?

[pwrflpills]

I recently picked up a Saggitaria Dwarf and a Cryptocoryne Wendtii De Witt at my LFS in order to dive into the live plant world.

I described my set-up to the "expert" salesman and he said both were low maintenance and I didn't need to change what I had, nor did I need to buy a fertilizer or plant supplement for the tank. I liked them and said "ok" and bought them at a post-X-mas discount.

The tank below is a Petsmart kit. 20 gal w/ 18" 15watt flourescent bulb, TopFin 20 filter, and appropriate heater. My main concern was the lighting. After about 5 days in the tank the Saggitaria Dwarf seems to be degrading.

Question: Should I buy a more plant-oriented bulb? Is there anything else I should add?

 

[TONO]

how long do you have your light on for? There must be some nutrients in the water from fish for the plant to survive.

 

[Riso-chan]

Well, you actually almost sound like me when I first started the plant thing. If it is jut one 15w bulb, then your lighting won't be sufficient for even low light plants to do well. You need at least 1-2 watts per gallon, and lights should be on 10-12 hours per day. Try to go with a k rating of 6500k too.

I wouldn't worry about ferts or anything else if you have the fish in there already. The fish waste should provide for now, liquid ferts are good investments, but just work on the lights and getting the plants settled and the tank arranged the way you want first.

I only had 30watts over my 55g tank when I started, then with the advice I got here, I went to lowe's and grabbed a 4' shop light fixture and two 40watt daylight bulbs. You'll get better price ranges if you go to a home improvement store rather than a pet store.
You should come out okay once things get straightened out. Good luck~Angela

 

[reiverix]

The sag I've grown under low light (less than ~1.5wpg) has always been mediocre at best. The crypt could also use a bit more light.