Lighting question for 30 gallon Planted tank
- Thread starter sundragon
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may start with DIY, because it's easier than peeing in a bucket and study up a bit on Pressurized. As a noob :worthy:, it's a huge step between the two, I've been looking at the Foster and Smith website because they have an article on all the equipment that it takes and I'm going to have to figure out where to put all that stuff, aside from the 30 hoses and the regulator that reminds me of my scuba gear
I'm going to get a semi-automatic one - where I can set the solenoid to shut down when the lights go out, the fully automated ones are overkill for a 30 gallon tank.
I am trying to read up on everything so I can look for a decent setup.
how is a semi automatic one different from a fully automated one? does a fully automated system const of a ph controller added to the mix?
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Several years ago, Rex wrote a DIY regulator thread. It is what I went by to build my first one. http://www.rexgrigg.com/regulator.htm
Darkblade48 wrote an excellent CO2 primer: http://www.barrreport.com/showthread.php/7278-A-Primer-for-Pressurized-CO2
You have between medium and high lighting with your twin T5HO bulbs over a 24” tall aquarium. You really don’t need any more lighting. You should get your CO2 and your fert dosing going or you will have algae problems out the yingyang. Maybe a 2 to 4 bottle yeast/sugar DIY CO2 will work. Pressurized CO2 would be much better. EI dosing is a great dosing plan and it is tunable.So 30 Gallon x-high tank which is 24" tall and has a 48 watt T5 HO hood sitting about 4 inches above the water should give medium high light or should I invest (less $$) in a 65 watt CF hood that will sit approximately the same height from the bed... BTW, I'm going to make the investment into CO2... le sigh...
From what the article states, Semi auto just uses a switch to power on and off the regulator, I assume, following the light schedule.
Fully automatic uses a PH monitor which dynamically switches the CO2 on and off.
yeah i guess i just haven't heard the terminology before. All you really need is the solinoid. Also make sure you get a drop checker.
Thanks for the links and info. assumed that the lighting was enough, but I wanted to make sure.
The algae is already starting to bloom, so I'm using a shorter light schedule, I was at 12 hours a day, it's down to 9, tomorrow, I'll drop it to 8 until i can get the CO2 online.
I use fertilizers. Seachem Excel every other day, Seachem Iron every three days, and Seachem Flourish every 4 days. I do a 20% waterchange every week.
I figure if I add CO2, that should be enough fertilizer as Flourish contains quite a bit of micro/macro nutrients.
Definitely investing in a solenoid for a pressurized unit, it would be a total fail to have happy plants with a bunch of floating gassed fish, haha
will do, should I get a drop checker for the DIY unit or it's not necessary until a pressurized unit?
Dual stage necessary or can I go with a single stage based on your experience?
Inline CO2 reactor overkill for a 30 gallon tank?
can anyone make a simple diffuser - Hagen ladder looks like it works well from what I've seen on youtube and it can be hidden behind vegetationC. What do you use?
