Lighting - T8, T5 Or Halogen Which Is Best?

[StewartK]

Hi
I am just setting up a 6ft X 2ft X 2ft it will be a tropical community tank with smaller shoaling fish, Corydoras, clown loaches etc
I also want to grow a wide selection of plants
My question is which would be the best type of lighting to use?
I have read quite a few adverts etc but am getting rather confused as some articles seem to contradict themselves.
Your ideas would be appreciated
all the best
Stewart

 

[SuperColey1]

In a well planted tank the light doesn't matter too much to the fish within reason.

Halogen lamps are no good for plants.

T5/T8 are both decent and have a good widely available range. Obviously with T5s being a recent addition to the tube family there is not AS much of a range but still OK.

With yours being a large tank you can ignore the WPG rule as large tanks require less WPG.

So before you decide on the lighting options you need to decide on your regime.

Do you want to be pruning maintaining regularly or do you want something that just needs tidying up every now and again?
Do you want to go the pressurised CO2 route or non CO2?
Do you want to do large weekly water changes or minimal/zero changes.
Do you want to be dosing ferts daily or not dosing at all.
How many fish are we talking? This will decide wether there is enough NPK being delivered from the fish and food alone!

As much info as possible will give you much better answers.

If it were me I would get 100 cardinals, replace the clowns with chain loaches (sidthimunki) and get a couple of different schools (6ish) of corys.
Then I would heavily plant with a sandy substrate. I would use approx 1.5WPG of T5 and dose no CO2. this would mean zero water changes and addition daily of a decent off the shelf fertiliser like TPN+

Lincolnshire seems to be developing a planted culture these days as there are many of us including GF the top man over in Spalding.

Andy

 

[StewartK]

Thanks for that Andy
I am just digesting what you have to say
So Halogens are out as not good for plant growth.
One thing I cannot alter is the Clown loaches as they are Marys favourite fish & insisted on getting 6 the other day [clowns are also my favourite fish]
I am thinking of getting a large shoal of cardinals as you suggest.
Also I do want more corys at present I have 8 & love the little fellows 4 peppered, 2 Panda, 1 caudimaculatus plus one I think is schwartzi [I have noted that the pictures of schwartzi differ somewhat] I would like a shoal of 6 of each of my corys
Oh forgot in my listing of fish last time I also have a Panique but never really see him only his tail as he hides under the bogwood.
As for CO2 I was thinking of getting a unit using electrolysis this would enable me to use a timer although I see that you do not suggest CO2 addition as this increases maintenance?

I would like to keep the tank minimal maintenance so reducing water changes etc also I am thinking of getting a RO unit as water in my area is quite hard.
Sorry what does NPK mean?
Would I be able to add sand to existing gravel water etc as I have a heart condition and do not want to drain down and re landscape but would do if ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY?.
I do like the idea of the new lighting which clips over the tank and have no hood this would enable easy access and some plants could grow out of the tank but then there could be a heating problem unfortunately they do not do make 6ft units it seems that some things just have to be a compromise!

 

[SuperColey1]

Corys in groups of 6 would let you see them act naturally. A lot of people will say I have 2 and they are quite happy which they may be but once you get them in a larger group you will definately notice changes in their behaviour for the better.

As for the tank if you are after low maintenance and slower growth, meaning you want a permanent scape as in a garden which you can keep for year on year then I would suggest non CO2 and low light is the way forward for you.

As a quick guide the plants require a few things to grow: Light, Carbon and Nutrient. The whole system is driven by light so the more light you have the faster the plants are driven to grow which then means they need more carbon and more nutrient (NPK = Nitrogen, Phosphate & Potassium.) You don't need an RO system the water although being wuite hard in our farming county is almost perfect for planted aquaria.

People who are after fast growing scapes which they intend to change will more often than not drive the plants to grow fast which means high maintenance and pruning. This is their aim so they don't mind.

So a good substrate topped with sand, light between 1 & 1.5WPG of T8 or 1ish T5, No CO2, Heavy fishload to supply NPK and low light slow growing plants should give you what you are after. This method also requires only siz monthly water changes!!! this is to keep a stable CO2 level from the natural gaseous exchange where tap water would keep boosting the CO2 and unstabilise the level.

Anubias, Crypts, Ferns, Mosses and Nympheae are good for this kind of setup. There are many other low light plants.

I am basically describing my tank here with the exception I am adding ferts and CO2 and driving the tank a little faster. (The one on the right in my sig)

This thread will help you understand a little more about this method:

NON CO2 METHODS

Have a good read because the questions you will ask will mostly be within this thread and it should give you a good idea of what this method involves (or rather doesn't involve)

Andy

 

[Lateral Line]

(NPK = Nitrogen, Phosphate & Potassium

Potassium's chemical symbol is "K" because it was taken from the Latin word for Potassium which is "Kalium". It is still called Kalium in many countries, mine included.

Many people are quite unaware how large Clown Loaches grow. In a good sized tank, those 6 will all reach 300mm+.

 

[StewartK]

Thanks for the input
Quote = "Many people are quite unaware how large Clown Loaches grow. In a good sized tank, those 6 will all reach 300mm+."
whoops looks as though in a while I will have to exchange them as they get bigger for smaller ones so watch this space 15ft Clown Loaches for sale well OK 15 inches but I still love the clowns & in a shoal the size I have they are always twisting & turning around the tank, in fact clowning about .

it looks as though I may need to rethink a few things .

Does 6 corrys mean 6 of the same species or can you mix them and get the same effect I suspect not as I note they seam to stick to species, I do intend to get more corrys of same species anyway.
One of my Panda Corry is behaving quite strangely he seams to have a problem he keeps turning over and once Mary and the grandkids thought it had died but it is still active and eating I wonder if it is a swim bladder problem?

Just got a small Golden Ancustrus he or she is always out I read on one of the thread that someone had a normal plec & never seen it so I would recommend the Ancustrus also I am told it will not get too big max 5 inches.

sorry not replied earlier have no been too well .
all the best
Stewart

 

[SuperColey1]

They will clown around because you have them in a shoal and they feel comfortable and happy.

You will find that species in groups (unless highly territorial) always behave much better than a couple or 1 (even though they all say my 1 tetra is happy on his own) so yes I would say 6 of each species etc.

I hope your golden ancistrus does turn out to be that and not an albino common!!! lol or you'll be starting your own pet shop or buying a 100+Gal tank.

If you get the ancistrus used to feeding in the day then you may be able to keep him 'viewable' as they do tend to return to nocturnal habits eventually. lol

Andy

 

[StewartK]

Hi Andy
You said
"I hope your golden Ancistrus does turn out to be that and not an albino common!!! lol"
I am assured that it is not a common but time will tell eh & I'll have to nip down to Croften Road to bend their ear!
or
you'll be starting your own pet shop or buying a 100+Gal tank".

My tank is 150 gallon [6ft X2ft X 2ft X 6.25] so actually at present it does not look over crowded in fact it needs loads of plants have not got many in till tank established & lighting sorted in fact only have cabomba & a stripped grass both out of the pond.

are you taking part in the Lincoln run if so our house is nearly opposite the start

I note from your profile you have a Ram that is one reason I was thinking of the RO option as I wanted a few Rams & they like softer water how does yours do with our hard water. I know when I kept Tropicals a few years ago I always lost my Rams due to the hard water & they never showed their full clour potential
all the best
Stewart

 

[SuperColey1]

Lincoln's water is hard but I would ignore most of the 'preferences' you read on the net. Rams like higher temps, cardinals slightly lower, plecs higher, Otos slightly lower, moss likes lukewarm etc etc.

As long as your parameters are stable and within a reasonable range then you shouldn't get any deaths from them. Instability is normallythe cause for stress and then death.

My Rams show great colour (although the female is covered in stress spots at the mo because the male is feeling very frisky these days and I don't think she fancies him) I will try and get some decent pics of them to show you.

My Ph is 6.2-6.4 (due toCO2 injection) it is normally 7.2-7.4 hard as you would expect in this area. My temp is kept at constant 27ºC (bit lower than the rams want and a bit higher than the tetras want)

So I wouldn't worry too much about water hardness. Fish will do OK as long as your parameters are not ludicrously off the scale. Its more about finding a decent stock these days.

In Lincoln I find maidenhead Aquatics at Whisby Garden Centre is quite good (where I got my rams) and also there is a seller on ebay (pleco aquatics) who is from Lincoln (where I got all the rest) and he is also a breeder.

The only running I do is to the supermarket if I run out of tobacco or alcohol. lol

Andy

 

[StewartK]

I have been to Maidenhead Aquatics as well
fish look healthy & good advice given i did note that the Rams were more colourful than elsewhere but they do use RO water.
tried to find the pleco aquatics on ebay but not advertising at present. Do they allow collection to save on postage?

 

[SuperColey1]

If you 'send message to seller' he may reply to you with what he has in stock. Ask nicely and he'll probs drop them around to your house for a smaller charge. He was setting up a shop in Woodhall Spa last time I spoke to him and was saying then he was going to stop selling on ebay.

No idea why maidenhead use RO. lol Some people worry too much.

Hers a couple of pics of my Rams at the mo. Female a little stressed from the male's constant hassling but otherwise healthy and eating well:

Female

Male

Andy