# Direct Sunlight and Substrate Question



## Johnny Relentless (Sep 2, 2007)

I am going to try out the low tech planted tank. I am going to use potting soil but I'm unsure about the right-sized gravel to lay on top. I have some inert, cheap aquarium gravel, but the grains are about the size of peas or even slightly larger. Too large? The red fluorite in my hi-tech tank won't hold anything down, my plants usually end up floating to the surface. My Brazilian Sword Grass is a mess because of this. 

I will be transferring a lot of Wisteria, some Java Moss, and some Java Fern. I ordered some HC online, which I will try to grow emmersed (using the Barr method) before I immerse it. Unfortunately, it is mixed with Dwarf Hairgrass, so I will have to try to separate them, I guess. I will likely have another mess on my hands. lol

Also, I am wondering if I can put the tank in front of a sliding glass door facing west. It may get some direct sunlight for several hours in the late afternoon. The last time I was involved in the hobby, Reagan was president, and the common advice was to never put a tank near a window. I live in Florida. Nowadays the advice, at least with low-tech tanks, is that you can put them by a window. Should I do it? Should I try an opaque background? Or no background? Maybe an opaque hood for when the light is high overhead? Or should I let the tank be exposed, and just monitor the temperature for a few days before I put fish in? Will the light create harsh temperature swings? Algae?

I intend to leave it without fish for a while, to see how it goes, make sure the plants are growing quickly. Although I may toss in a few Otos after a few days, just to keep the algae from taking over.

What do you all think?


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## Rod Hay (Feb 11, 2006)

There are multiple and various opinions on utilizing direct sunlight on planted tanks. Here's a thread:
http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/newreply.php?do=newreply&p=473527

I've also experimented with sunlight on a tank. I'm farther north (PA), so heat is not as much of an issue for me. However, my tank does sit in a south-facing glass door and I do not use AC in the summertime! Being in Florida, I'd guess you probably do use AC; is this room air conditioned? My sunlight tank experienced less temp swings than the aquariums with high powered lighting which boosted the temps more. I needed to run fan blowing on the water in the summer on my 75g w/ 192w or light; as well as my 5g shrimp tank w/ 27watts.

The biggest disadvantage I found, was how stem plants respond w/ phototropic growth patterns when the sunlight comes from one side, instead of directly from the top. I replaced most all of the stem plants with rosette plants, ie., crypts, swords, aponogetons & vals. I 've also noticed slower growth in the winter; as well as my red sword is not as vibrantly colored. 





Johnny Relentless said:


> The red fluorite in my hi-tech tank won't hold anything down, my plants usually end up floating to the surface.
> ....
> What do you all think?


If you are having some problems with the flourite holding down plants, well, something else is amiss - not the weight of the flourite. How deep is the substrate? Do you have fish that dig? What is your planting technique?


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## Johnny Relentless (Sep 2, 2007)

Yes, it is air conditioned. 
The sun will not really hit it from the side, but from overhead and from the 
back of the tank. Fast growing phototropic plants will probably grow upwards and maybe toward the back a little. They will mostly be planted at the back of the tank anyway.

The fluorite is 4" deep in front, 5" toward the back. But when you plant cuttings, without any roots to hold them, they come up easily. Even plants with some roots come up easily though. 

I don't have any digging fish. 

I try to dig a hole with my fingers, put the plant in it, and then brush the fluorite back into the hole. 

Lead weights seem to be the only way to keep them down, but I keep reading that it is not good to keep them on the plants.

I also have some Ludwigia Repens that won't grow at all and won't grow any roots.

The Wisteria and Java Fern are growing the best.


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