Anyone familiar with Coralife T5?

[Colin_T]

4100K is a bit low and has lots of red light but not much blue. If you use it with a 6000K+, you should have reasonable colour from the lights.

The ideal range for plants is between 5000K & 6500K, and you want similar amounts of red and blue light for good plant growth.

 

[Byron]

I would want to see the 4100K over the tank myself before deciding. You may be able to try them and return them, I can do this at Home Depot here.

Ther 4100K is not on its own going to benefit plants much, but if you can combine it with a 6500K it might be OK. Aquarium plants need red and blue light to drive photosynthesis. The lower the Kelvin, the more red and less blue, while the higher the Kelvin the more blue and less red. This is not the whole story though, as other factors enter the picture.

In scientifically-controlled studies, aquarium plants responded best to light in the 5000K to 7000K range. The high red and blue obviously drove photosynthesis the best, but the high green (6500K has high red, blue and green peaks) obviously had something to do with it even though plants do not "need" green light. But this spectrum is closest to mid-day sun, and that is one obvious thing about it. Plants appear the colour they are because of the light they reflect, so green plants are reflecting green light, red leaf plants reflect more red, etc. The green probably intensifies the light more than just the red and blue. The so-called "aquarium" or "plant" tubes are usually high in red and blue alone, and the hue they cast is purplish or ghoulish because of it. Not surprisingly, their intensity is significantly lower than tubes around 6500K.

Algae is also encouraged more by the red/blue alone. Probably because plants struggle more when the green is missing. Blue (as in the marine tubes and actinic) is well known to cause problem algae in freshwater tanks if it is not in balance with red and green.

 

[Metalhead88]

I would want to see the 4100K over the tank myself before deciding. You may be able to try them and return them, I can do this at Home Depot here.

Ther 4100K is not on its own going to benefit plants much, but if you can combine it with a 6500K it might be OK. Aquarium plants need red and blue light to drive photosynthesis. The lower the Kelvin, the more red and less blue, while the higher the Kelvin the more blue and less red. This is not the whole story though, as other factors enter the picture.

In scientifically-controlled studies, aquarium plants responded best to light in the 5000K to 7000K range. The high red and blue obviously drove photosynthesis the best, but the high green (6500K has high red, blue and green peaks) obviously had something to do with it even though plants do not "need" green light. But this spectrum is closest to mid-day sun, and that is one obvious thing about it. Plants appear the colour they are because of the light they reflect, so green plants are reflecting green light, red leaf plants reflect more red, etc. The green probably intensifies the light more than just the red and blue. The so-called "aquarium" or "plant" tubes are usually high in red and blue alone, and the hue they cast is purplish or ghoulish because of it. Not surprisingly, their intensity is significantly lower than tubes around 6500K.

Algae is also encouraged more by the red/blue alone. Probably because plants struggle more when the green is missing. Blue (as in the marine tubes and actinic) is well known to cause problem algae in freshwater tanks if it is not in balance with red and green.

I may buy some bulbs when the tank is set up and return if needed. That's most likely what I'd do. Almost any store around me will except a return like this.

Just to say again. I do not have plants, there's a chance I'd give it a shot later down the road, but it won't be any time soon..... so currently I'm not worried about the effect the light will have on plants. I want the tank and fish to look nice.... and I don't want to blind my fish.

 

[Colin_T]

Get some Water Sprite (Ceratopteris thalictroides/ cornuta). It is a floating plant that will reduce the amount of light getting into the tank and make the fish feel more comfortable.

Avoid lights with a Kelvin rating above 8000K because everything will look blue.
Avoid lights with a Kelvin rating below 4000K because things start to look red or yellow.

5000-6500K globes give a clear white light that shows off colours the best.

 

[Metalhead88]

Get some Water Sprite (Ceratopteris thalictroides/ cornuta). It is a floating plant that will reduce the amount of light getting into the tank and make the fish feel more comfortable.

Avoid lights with a Kelvin rating above 8000K because everything will look blue.
Avoid lights with a Kelvin rating below 4000K because things start to look red or yellow.

5000-6500K globes give a clear white light that shows off colours the best.

So I walk into work today and bam there's a box of florescent bulbs in the break room. T5 48 inch 45 watt 5000k ge bulbs. How's that for luck? I think I can work with the 5000k bulbs. It's still very bright in the 55 gallon, but the fish aren't terrified like they are of the blinding light of the 10000k bulbs.

I have no idea what bulbs are on the 55 gallon lamps since the text on the bulbs is faded. The coralife fixture absolutely shows off the fishes colors better.

I'm hoping that a combination of a taller and wider tank and the floating plants will be perfect.

So how much water sprite should I get?The tank is a 4 ft 90 gallon. Do I have to secure it? Or just let it float around naturally? I have not done any research on the water sprite yet, but I figured I'd start here.

 

[Byron]

So I walk into work today and bam there's a box of florescent bulbs in the break room. T5 48 inch 45 watt 5000k ge bulbs. How's that for luck? I think I can work with the 5000k bulbs. It's still very bright in the 55 gallon, but the fish aren't terrified like they are of the blinding light of the 10000k bulbs.

I have no idea what bulbs are on the 55 gallon lamps since the text on the bulbs is faded. The coralife fixture absolutely shows off the fishes colors better.

I'm hoping that a combination of a taller and wider tank and the floating plants will be perfect.

So how much water sprite should I get?The tank is a 4 ft 90 gallon. Do I have to secure it? Or just let it float around naturally? I have not done any research on the water sprite yet, but I figured I'd start here.

The 5000K will be better suited to the fish than the 10000K, as you have noticed. Blue light penetrates water better than red, so more of the 10000K will get through and this will bother the fish.

Water Sprite...I would grab a few plants. This species does not like being moved to a new environment, and I have seen this even in moving a plant from one tank to another. But if light is good (5000K will be) and nutrients are available, it should settle in over a few weeks.

The best species for floating is Ceratopteris cornuta. At this point I will paste an excerpt from a profile on this species I wrote several years ago elsewhere.

The leaves, or more correctly fronds, since this is a true fern, can be somewhat variable in shape due to light, nutrients and water parameters. This makes identification of this species difficult, and it is often encountered in the literature under the names Ceratopteris pteridioides and C. thalictroides, although both these are now accepted distinct species. C. pteridioides has blunt-lobed fronds (leaves), while C. thalictroides has fronds that are deeply pinate with tips more slender than the subject species. There is some uncertainty over the taxonomy and distribution of Ceratopteris thalictroides and C. cornuta with some botanists considering these as one single species. There are currently (2018) five recognized distinct species in the genus Ceratopteris.

Daughter plants are readily produced from the sporangia on the older and alternate fronds. When left floating, the fronds may extend up to 50 cm (20 inches) across, and will block light from entering the aquarium; this is particularly useful to provide a darker environment such as for spawning fish. As the individual plants increase, adventitious plants will appear on alternate fronds; these daughter plants can be separated and used as individual plants and the parent plant discarded in order to keep the water surface more open.​

In my 90g, specimens of this beautiful plant easily reached across the width of the tank (18 inches) and half the length (24 inches) if left alone, and such a plant might have 30 or more daughter plants on the alternate fronds.

 

[Metalhead88]

The 5000K will be better suited to the fish than the 10000K, as you have noticed. Blue light penetrates water better than red, so more of the 10000K will get through and this will bother the fish.

Water Sprite...I would grab a few plants. This species does not like being moved to a new environment, and I have seen this even in moving a plant from one tank to another. But if light is good (5000K will be) and nutrients are available, it should settle in over a few weeks.

The best species for floating is Ceratopteris cornuta. At this point I will paste an excerpt from a profile on this species I wrote several years ago elsewhere.

The leaves, or more correctly fronds, since this is a true fern, can be somewhat variable in shape due to light, nutrients and water parameters. This makes identification of this species difficult, and it is often encountered in the literature under the names Ceratopteris pteridioides and C. thalictroides, although both these are now accepted distinct species. C. pteridioides has blunt-lobed fronds (leaves), while C. thalictroides has fronds that are deeply pinate with tips more slender than the subject species. There is some uncertainty over the taxonomy and distribution of Ceratopteris thalictroides and C. cornuta with some botanists considering these as one single species. There are currently (2018) five recognized distinct species in the genus Ceratopteris.

Daughter plants are readily produced from the sporangia on the older and alternate fronds. When left floating, the fronds may extend up to 50 cm (20 inches) across, and will block light from entering the aquarium; this is particularly useful to provide a darker environment such as for spawning fish. As the individual plants increase, adventitious plants will appear on alternate fronds; these daughter plants can be separated and used as individual plants and the parent plant discarded in order to keep the water surface more open.​

In my 90g, specimens of this beautiful plant easily reached across the width of the tank (18 inches) and half the length (24 inches) if left alone, and such a plant might have 30 or more daughter plants on the alternate fronds.

I'll have to take a look at the local fish store, there's an extremely reputable spot near me that would have it, but they are extremely expensive. Everything is at least 2 or 3 times more than what it is everywhere else. You definitely get what you pay for here.

There's a couple of other stores I can check out. I've been pretty lucky with everything else so far.

I was thinking about possibly getting the plants now, and moving it over when the tank is setup....based on your last post maybe that isn't the best idea.

I still have about 2 weeks until I have the tank ready..... And I have to make sure I have help to switch everything over. I can't move that tank by my self.

 

[Colin_T]

If you haven't got any fish yet, get 3 or 4 Water Sprite plants and let them float on the surface. They grow rapidly and within a month the surface will be covered.

If you get too many plants growing on the surface, you can plant them in the substrate and they grow well underwater too.

If the Water Sprite gets blown about by the filter, you can make a loop out of plastic tube and a joiner. Stick a suction cup to the inside of the tank about half way down the glass. Tie a string to the suction cup and plastic tube. Put the Water Sprite inside the loop and it won't spread all over the surface and get blown about by a power filter.

 

[Metalhead88]

If you haven't got any fish yet, get 3 or 4 Water Sprite plants and let them float on the surface. They grow rapidly and within a month the surface will be covered.

If you get too many plants growing on the surface, you can plant them in the substrate and they grow well underwater too.

If the Water Sprite gets blown about by the filter, you can make a loop out of plastic tube and a joiner. Stick a suction cup to the inside of the tank about half way down the glass. Tie a string to the suction cup and plastic tube. Put the Water Sprite inside the loop and it won't spread all over the surface and get blown about by a power filter.

Do you have a picture of the loop? I can't really visualize it. I'm assuming I'd definitely have to fix it to the glass somehow. I have a pretty strong flow from the filters.

Also, there will be fish in the tank. I'll be moving everything over from one tank to the other. The tank has to go where the old one is set up.

 

[Colin_T]

You just make a loop/ circle out of plastic tube, airline or black irrigation pipe. It looks like a hoola hoop but smaller.
You tie some string to the loop and to a suction cup. The suction cup gets stuck to the side of the tank and the plants go in the loop. The loop containing the plants, floats on the surface and can move up and down as the water level moves up and down (during water changes).

 

[Metalhead88]

You just make a loop/ circle out of plastic tube, airline or black irrigation pipe. It looks like a hoola hoop but smaller.
You tie some string to the loop and to a suction cup. The suction cup gets stuck to the side of the tank and the plants go in the loop. The loop containing the plants, floats on the surface and can move up and down as the water level moves up and down (during water changes).

Got it now.

 

[Metalhead88]

Well good news. The 90 gallon is set up and the light looks much better on the bigger tank. It's still a little on the brighter side, but not too much brighter than what I'm used to. I can definitely work with this and the fish don't seem bothered.

I still want to do the water sprite. I really like the look of it. I can't find it anywhere in stores. I found a couple of ebay sellers that seem alright.

 

[Colin_T]

Water Sprite is illegal to keep in some parts of the USA. If you can't find any at pet shops, that is probably why. Just Ebay it and as long as nobody finds out, you're good to go. If you get too many plants, chuck them on the garden, they make a great mulch and won't get into waterways.

 

[Metalhead88]

Water Sprite is illegal to keep in some parts of the USA. If you can't find any at pet shops, that is probably why. Just Ebay it and as long as nobody finds out, you're good to go. If you get too many plants, chuck them on the garden, they make a great mulch and won't get into waterways.

Ahhhh. Yeah that makes complete sense.

 

[Metalhead88]

The plants came in today and they are in the tank. I have a bundle of 3 stems floating on each end of the tank (so 6 stems total) and all is about as good as it can be at the moment. Each plant is about 7 inches long.

What now? Just let them do their thing?