Okay so here's my situation. I have a brand new 65 gallon tank that is 36" long and 24" deep. I have had a planted 30 gallon tank before, but that was before I really knew much about anything or the Internet was available for this kind of information - I used two strip lights, one with a plant bulb, and kept things that I had success with. It worked fairly well, but now theres so much more info out there!
My main focus is the fish, but I do want it to be fairly heavily planted – would like a nice balance. I plan on having some rams, a pair of apistos, some kuhli loaches, forktail rainbows, cardinal tetras, and others yet to be fully determined. I know the rams and apistos like a lower light tank. I know that the plants add to this for them, especially if I have some floating plants on the surface, which I think the forktails like and also the clown killis and/or marbled hatchetfish which I’m also contemplating.
My substrate is this stuff which is kind of a larger diameter sand – bigger than normal/fine sand, smaller than normal gravel. The people at my LFS said their plant guy loves it. I have that mixed with Flourite.
I have an Eheim 2217 external canister filter, which is rated up to 159 gallons, so I should have good circulation.
Right now I just have the strip/hood light which came with the tank, as when I got it, I knew I had a lot more lighting research to do before I bought anything outside the package. It’s a 24” 8000K full spectrum daylight Aqueon – 17w T8. I have a glass top on the tank.
So… my questions…. Can you do a low-tech moderate light tank? Or to go moderate would you need CO2?
Would a moderate light tank with a fairly densely planted setup work OK for the dwarf cichlids, or would it still be too much light? I don’t want them to hide – I’d rather stick with lower light and be careful about my choice of plants. (Fish selection will trump plant selection every time. Although I wouldn’t choose a fish who would demolish plants because a live plant tank is important to me too!
)
What kind of lighting would you recommend for me based on all this?
I am open to suggestions in multiple progressions – say a suggestion just to get the tank up and running (because I’m getting antsy), then one to work into. Who knows, maybe someday I’ll venture into CO2 but right now I just want this tank started. I am open to getting a new fixture so I can do T5. I’d prefer not to break the bank but am open to spending a little money to do it right.
It’s just tricky because the more I read, the more I realize that lighting is very multifactorial and there is no one perfect answer.
I’m hoping you can help steer me in the right direction.
Thanks for reading my novel!
My main focus is the fish, but I do want it to be fairly heavily planted – would like a nice balance. I plan on having some rams, a pair of apistos, some kuhli loaches, forktail rainbows, cardinal tetras, and others yet to be fully determined. I know the rams and apistos like a lower light tank. I know that the plants add to this for them, especially if I have some floating plants on the surface, which I think the forktails like and also the clown killis and/or marbled hatchetfish which I’m also contemplating.
My substrate is this stuff which is kind of a larger diameter sand – bigger than normal/fine sand, smaller than normal gravel. The people at my LFS said their plant guy loves it. I have that mixed with Flourite.
I have an Eheim 2217 external canister filter, which is rated up to 159 gallons, so I should have good circulation.
Right now I just have the strip/hood light which came with the tank, as when I got it, I knew I had a lot more lighting research to do before I bought anything outside the package. It’s a 24” 8000K full spectrum daylight Aqueon – 17w T8. I have a glass top on the tank.
So… my questions…. Can you do a low-tech moderate light tank? Or to go moderate would you need CO2?
Would a moderate light tank with a fairly densely planted setup work OK for the dwarf cichlids, or would it still be too much light? I don’t want them to hide – I’d rather stick with lower light and be careful about my choice of plants. (Fish selection will trump plant selection every time. Although I wouldn’t choose a fish who would demolish plants because a live plant tank is important to me too!
)What kind of lighting would you recommend for me based on all this?
I am open to suggestions in multiple progressions – say a suggestion just to get the tank up and running (because I’m getting antsy), then one to work into. Who knows, maybe someday I’ll venture into CO2 but right now I just want this tank started. I am open to getting a new fixture so I can do T5. I’d prefer not to break the bank but am open to spending a little money to do it right.
It’s just tricky because the more I read, the more I realize that lighting is very multifactorial and there is no one perfect answer.
I’m hoping you can help steer me in the right direction.
Thanks for reading my novel!
/www.ukaps.org/ I found a lot of information on here whn I set up my tank. Hope this helps you
