Silly question, lighting?

[Pogiebate]

Ok so I know I'm going to get laughed at for this question, but what have I got to lose :shakehead:

If you read any of my posts I have already posted you will know I am changing over from a reef to a freshwater 90 gal tank.

Ok so here is the question....Has any one ever used MH lighting on planted tanks before? And here is the worst part of the question, "If so do you HAVE to add Co2?

Ok let me have it LOL.

 

[Mgamer20o0]

only bad question is one not asked. plenty of people use mh on planted tanks. i am not to sure what kind of bulbs sw people use though.... you prob would want co2 i am sure your blasting a lot of light into the tank.

how many watts you thinking of putting over the 90?

 

[Pogiebate]

Well the MH I have hanging over the tank right now is 2-250 W.

If I have to use co2 I won't go that route. I do have several different lights, Power Compacts that I could use. I was just being lazy because I didn't want to take down the lights I already had hanging there

And I was curious about MH over planted tanks, since I have never seen or heard of anyone using them before. I have never messed with co2 and I don't think I want to.

That's what I'm using as of right now, but the only plants in there are some water lettuce I brought in off my pond, some guppy grass and a couple of African Fern.

 

[Mgamer20o0]

most often its in bigger tank. with 2 250w ones you would need co2. you might even would have to change the bulb. i would shoot for just under 2wpg if you dont want co2. really co2 isnt that hard at all.

 

[luckydud13]

^^ No wonder plants seem to be growing better in my 1.7 then my 4.o

 

[1oooop]

well, I have to aggree with MG, I have a co2 tank and a non-co2 tank... one has HIGH light... 10 WPG... and the other 1.4 WPG... the 1.4 does better due to co2

 

[Pogiebate]

So what would start up cost run for hooking up a co2 tank? I have NO idea how they work. They have always scared me, I worry they are going to blow up LOL.

If I went this route I'm afraid I would need step by step instructions!
But I do want a pretty planted tank.

 

[Mgamer20o0]

they wont blow up. check out the plant stick for step by step. depending on what things you get it can run about 150-300

 

[Cory Keeper]

If you can find the cylinder locally its probably gonna be a bit cheaper. I can get an entire CO2 system for about $200 (includes the diffuser). Its not hard to install either.

 

[Pogiebate]

So who would carry these tanks? Are they the same tanks people use for like portable oxygen?

Read the sticky, but "if" I do go this way I will need like pictures