Purchasing Advice Please :)

[Nyte]

Hi All

Maybe you saw my last post about going to battle with algae and starting over.

To update any who didn't read my tank stats are:

29 gallon
Pea gravel
3 lights - 1 coralife full spectrum, 1 triton, 1 cheap hardware store bulb
c02 hagen set

I was thinking of upgrading my lighting and substrate...

Can you guys tell me if you think the following products are worth the cost. I know generally what to look for in lighting, but for 180 I want to be SURE this is better then what I currently have. (Plus my fixtures are one heck of an eye sore.

http/www.jlaquatics.com/phpstore/store_p..._ID=pc-alf30130

http/www.jlaquatics.com/phpstore/store_p...uct_ID=rs-fbase

Thank you!!

 

[zig]

Hiya Nyte

I cant really advise on the light fixture i dont know what would represent good value in Canada, but the Florabase i would be slow to use, it can mess with your water chemistry particularily with your KH, and depending on your KH to begin with this can be a real problem if yours happens to be low, this substrate also turns to a mush pretty fast (less than a year) hence the recommendation by the manufacturer that you change it every 12 months...............so IMO a poor choice.

Laterite mixed with a gravel of similar grain size would be good choice IMO, and should work out economical to buy if you are on a budget, and you definatly do not have to change it every year, but there are other choices as well.

 

[anvil63]

If you do go with flourite or Carib-Sea ecocomplete(No rinsing , but pricier ) Big Al's online store is a good way to go. I just orderd 8 bags of flourite for my 150gal @$11.99 USD a piece. Shipping was like 5.50 a bag which is a heck of a lot cheaper than I ever saw it at any LFS.

Carl

 

[Nyte]

Thanks for the great advice Zig and Anvil!! and eeeeeeeeeeeeeew about that stuff going mushy. PFFT!

Any opinions on the lighting?