# Need Advice - 29 gal



## Qsilver7850 (Jun 6, 2010)

Hello everyone, I recently decided to set up a plant tank! So, I got a fine substrate, bought a light, etc. I think it would be fun to try out a DIY co2 system, but I don't think it's something I'd want to do long term, so let's just go with the assumption that I'll never use co2 injection in my tank.

Now, my question is about lighting. I bought a coralife 30" fixture that holds two T5 bulbs. It came with a 10,000K Full spectrum 18 watt bulb and a 6,700K 18 watt bulb. Would that be enough for my low tech tank?

Also, my local petco was selling 30" 31 Watt 6,700K bulbs for five bucks a piece so I picked up a couple, and these are my alternative to what came in the fixture itself. So I could put two of the 31 Watt bulbs in the fixture, or I could replace the 6,700K bulb that it came with the fixture with a 31 Watt bulb; I'm just not sure what would be best given what I'm trying to acheive: low tech.

I'm not above using fertilizers (in fact I've bought one already), but I want to avoid CO2 if possible.


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## m4s4mur4 (Apr 29, 2010)

in my noobie opinion, both 31w bulbs will put you in the med light range. iirc, in that range you must have c02. so if i were u, i'd keep it as is, and use them as replacements down the line.

ps. i just made another batch of diy co2 for my 29, and decided to browse here before i hook it up.


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## DarkCobra (Jun 22, 2004)

I agree with m4s4mur4 on the lighting assessment.

Also, I think those new bulbs you purchased are T5HO. They won't work in your existing fixture, as they require a different socket and ballast.


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## Jadelin (Sep 30, 2009)

Two 31 watt bulbs would give you 62 watts, or ~2.2 wpg, which is about the same as what I have over my 29, and I consider that medium light. I don't do CO2, but I do dose Excel.

Generally, anything less than 2 wpg is low, 2-3 is medium, and 3 and above is high.

One 18 and one 31 would give you about 1.8 wpg, which would be low.

Anyone please tell me if I'm wrong here. 

Going with low lighting greatly limits which kinds of plants you can have, but doesn't mean you can't have a beautiful tank. The higher lighting you get, the more 'high-tech; things get, which it seems you are trying to avoid.
I consider my tank pretty low-tech, although with my moderate lighting algae is more of a problem, and since I don't use CO2, I don't have access to the easiest fix for that.


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## Kamivy (Jan 3, 2010)

I'm afraid the old wpg rules don't really apply with T5 lighting - or T5 HO. That rule worked well for the old T12 and T8 lighting, but T5 is far more intense - only 1 wpg of T5 lighting is perfectly sufficient to grow low tech plants, 2wpg of T5 with no Co2 is a precarious position, and you're probably going to suffer algae problems. The 18 watt bulbs that came with your light fitting will be more than enough if you want to avoid using co2. And DarkCobra is correct, you cannot use the 31 watt light tubes in your light fitting, they are for T5 High Output light fixtures, if you put them in your T5 Normal Output fitting you will burn out your ballasts.


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## Qsilver7850 (Jun 6, 2010)

That very good to know, haha. So using this lighting will I need fertilizers? Should I use them? What I mean to say is, can it hurt?

Also if I ever want to try out diy co2 is there an issue with doing that in a low tech tank?


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## oldpunk78 (Nov 1, 2008)

Qsilver7850 said:


> Hello everyone, I recently decided to set up a plant tank! So, I got a fine substrate, bought a light, etc. I think it would be fun to try out a DIY co2 system, but I don't think it's something I'd want to do long term, so let's just go with the assumption that I'll never use co2 injection in my tank.
> 
> Now, my question is about lighting. I bought a coralife 30" fixture that holds two T5 bulbs. It came with a 10,000K Full spectrum 18 watt bulb and a 6,700K 18 watt bulb. Would that be enough for my low tech tank?
> 
> ...


buying and using the 31w bulbs in a fixture that was meant to use 18w bulbs won't give you any more light. the 2x18w t5no fixture will give you plenty of light for low tech. 

welcome to the forum!

oh, i forgot. i wouldn't mess around with diy co2. what you really want to focus on with low tech is finding the right light balance. until you find that, diy co2 will not really help. at least that was my experience.


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## OverStocked (May 26, 2007)

Putting T5HO bulbs into a T5 fixture does not give you T5HO lighting. It gives you bulbs that are underdriven to 18w, not 31w. So, these bulbs will be inefficient and the color temp could be off and output low. You will not get MORE light using those bulbs in your fixture. Fluorescent ballasts set the wattage for the bulb, the bulb does not set the wattage like standard incandescent lighting...


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## Jadelin (Sep 30, 2009)

Kamivy said:


> I'm afraid the old wpg rules don't really apply with T5 lighting - or T5 HO. That rule worked well for the old T12 and T8 lighting, but T5 is far more intense - only 1 wpg of T5 lighting is perfectly sufficient to grow low tech plants, 2wpg of T5 with no Co2 is a precarious position, and you're probably going to suffer algae problems.


But I thought T5 NO are comparable to T8, and still follow the wpg rule, right? At least that's what my quick research led me to believe; I don't generally post uninformed advice intentionally! I just use CFL, so I haven't learned about all the Ts and Os and whatnot.


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## oldpunk78 (Nov 1, 2008)

Jadelin said:


> But I thought T5 NO are comparable to T8, and still follow the wpg rule, right? At least that's what my quick research led me to believe; I don't generally post uninformed advice intentionally! I just use CFL, so I haven't learned about all the Ts and Os and whatnot.


no, they are not really comparable. my fifty gallon low tech is lit with a 2x21w t5no fixture that i made(has decent reflectors). i have to hang it 10 inches above the tank to not get algae. that would put me at the high end of low light with less than 1wpg. the wpg rule is bunk.


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## Jadelin (Sep 30, 2009)

oldpunk78 said:


> no, they are not really comparable. my fifty gallon low tech is lit with a 2x21w t5no fixture that i made(has decent reflectors). i have to hang it 10 inches above the tank to not get algae.


Good to know. Thanks!


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## Kamivy (Jan 3, 2010)

oldpunk78 said:


> oh, i forgot. i wouldn't mess around with diy co2. what you really want to focus on with low tech is finding the right light balance. until you find that, diy co2 will not really help. at least that was my experience.


+1 There's nothing to stop you doing diy down the track, but it can make it harder to keep stable parameters due to the inconsistencies in the output of diy co2. Go with low tech first and see how you go. 

As to your fertiliser question, it depends on what your using for substrate. If you have a nutritious substrate, and you're sticking with low light, often times you can find a balance between fish and plants without the need for added fertiliser. I do not fertilise my 5 foot low tech, but I'm using mineralised topsoil as a substrate, and I grow mostly plants that have heavy root systems and use the substrate for nutrition rather than the water column (i.e stem plants gain their nutrients from the water column). Later down the track I may need to add a few root tabs once the nutrient levels in the substrate are depleted, but that shouldn't be for a long while. What substrate have you got?


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## rhstranger (Mar 4, 2010)

I have a 29g, with the 2 - 18w coralife 30" fixture. no CO2. Aquarium gravel substrate.
With the occassional dose of flourish (maybe once every couple weeks) and root tabs for the swords, I've have pretty good success with my plants so far. Low light plants mostly, with java fern, moss, moneywort, hornwort, crypts, hygros and swords all growing well. 
I only do light vacuums to clean, so that some of the mulm acts as nutrients for the plants. With enough plants in the tank, I've had no water parameter problems either. Pretty stable with 15-20% WC once a week.
Just my experience. I really like the coralife light, too. Makes the tank look nicer than the stock t8 single it came with.


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## lauraleellbp (Feb 3, 2008)

I also run the 30" Coralife T5NO over my own low tech 29gal. IMO it is working really well, and I am not dosing anything other than Excel every few months to keep back a little bit of staghorn algae that hitchhiked in on some of my plants. You can see the tank in the link in my signature if you are interested.


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## Qsilver7850 (Jun 6, 2010)

Well, I've been using the T5NO lights that came in the fixture, for about 10-12 hours a day. I've noticed my anubias nana has developed some brown spots on some of its leaves. The leaves also appear to be crinkled, I guess? I have it attached to a piece of driftwood with the rhyzome exposed. Is it getting too much light?

Also I just got some small amazon swords, do they need root tabs or will using liquid ferts be enough?

@lauraleellbp, I noticed your tanks a couple days ago, they are beautiful!


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## lauraleellbp (Feb 3, 2008)

Could you post some pics of the Anubias? It may be brown algae or a nutrient deficiency... but 8-10 hours is a pretty "normal" photoperiod, so if it is algae I would just back that down a few hours.


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## Qsilver7850 (Jun 6, 2010)

I don't have a camera but I'll try and find one to post pictures later.


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## Qsilver7850 (Jun 6, 2010)

There are two pictures. I looked on the under side of the leaf and saw no spots, so I'm guessing that means it's just algae.

BTW: Would a 24" PowerGlo t8 be enough for a low tech twenty gallon? Don't mean to be asking so many questions but figured it was easier than starting new topics.


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## lauraleellbp (Feb 3, 2008)

Yep looks like brown algae to me. Pretty common in new tank setups, especially ones that use sand or gravel substrate. You should be able to wipe it off with your fingers. If it starts getting too bad, Nerite snails and/or Otocinclus catfish do a pretty good job with it and several other nuisance algaes.

It looks to me like you have the rhizomes (the thick green "stem" that the leaves and roots grow from) on your Java ferns buried- those need to be pulled up out of the substrate so they're exposed to light, otherwise they'll rot and the whole plant will die.

A single bulb T8 won't give you much light at all... even a dual bulb T8 fixture would be very low light. With a single bulb I expect you could probably keep the plants you have alive since they're all pretty hardy, but you won't see much growth.

Ask questions all you need- it's what we're here for! roud:


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## Qsilver7850 (Jun 6, 2010)

Okay, I'll probably buy a similar t5 fixture for the twenty gallon. I like how the 30" is working in my 29 gallon. And I'll be sure to pull those java ferns up! I'm pretty sure I only bought one at my LFS but she gave me about six, so my driftwood has them everywhere they'll fit. I had planned on buying some ottos when my tank was a little more established, so I guess I won't worry about the brown spots too much.

But the leaves on the anubias do seem a little more crinkled than when I first bought them, is this a problem? Also, I've noticed a white, flowing something or other on the plants and floating in the aquarium. It's a kind of translucent white. Is this another algae that I should be unconcerned with?


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