# Staring my 29 Gallon



## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

Fluorescent bulb wattage relates to the length of the bulb, not to the brightness. If you have a 30 inch long fixture, you can only use bulbs that will fit in that length housing. The ballast in the fixture determines how much electricity the bulb uses, so putting an HO bulb in a NO light fixture doesn't give you brighter bulbs. Aqueon T5 lights are just rebranded Coralife lights.


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## ElNino9 (Feb 10, 2012)

Well the aqueon 30 inch lights that came with the fixture have 18 watts and coralife 30 inch bulbs are 31 watts.


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## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

The bulbs are rated at the wattage marked on them, but it is the fixture ballast that determines what wattage they actually run at. The 18 watt bulbs are NO bulbs and the 31 watt bulbs are HO bulbs. Very good ballasts are said to sense the bulb rating and run either NO or HO bulbs at their rated wattage, but the Aqueon lights are unlikely to use that good a ballast.


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## Hilde (May 19, 2008)

ElNino9 said:


> I'm going to get some Miracle Grow and PFS for capping.
> 
> Will get a new Aqueon T5HO light fixture which has two 18 watt bulbs.
> 
> Would I be able to grow Hemianthus callitrichoides, dwarf hair grass, jungle vals, and Eriocaulon Mato Grosso.


I tried the PFS and hated it for it is difficult to keep white. Now I use river sand which I got a 50lb for $3.

If the light has 18 watt bulbs it is a T5NO. If you go with T5HO you will need to hang it above the tank as Hyzer did or inject Co2.

With T5NO you can grow dwarf hair grass and jungle vals.


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## ElNino9 (Feb 10, 2012)

So T5HO bulbs wont fit in my T5NO fixture correct? Because I wanted to grow HC and I've read they need high light. If not HC is there another carpet plant similar to that which would grow better in low light? 
DIY CO2 with this set up or not? Thanks for any help guys.


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## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

T5HO bulbs will very likely fit in your T5NO fixture, but they will operate as T5NO bulbs, so you don't gain significant brightness by using them. HM, Hemianthus micranthemoides, is a lower light alternative to HC, but it takes lots of pruning to make it be a carpet. DIY CO2 will make it much easier to grow any plants, so it is well worth the trouble.


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## ElNino9 (Feb 10, 2012)

Ok well do you think the two 18 watts I have will be sufficient for the hair grass and any other medium to low light plants?


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## ElNino9 (Feb 10, 2012)

Or maybe glosso does that carpet well?


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## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

A two bulb Coralife T5NO light gives about 20-25 micromols of PAR on that height tank. It would be low light for sure, but if you use CO2 you might get a carpet plant to grow.


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## ElNino9 (Feb 10, 2012)

What if I use my factory lighting with it as well? Then I will have the T5 6700 and colormax 18 watt then a plain flourescent 20 watt fixture. This would be 56 watts and just under 2 watts per gallon. If I had these lights with dirt and CO2 would hair grass be able to grow and then maybe HC?


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## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

Adding the 20 watt T12 bulb light will give you a little more light, which will help in growing carpet type plants. But, adding CO2 will give you the most benefit.


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## ElNino9 (Feb 10, 2012)

Alright. I was planning on just DIY CO2 will that be enough? And will I have to add ferts with a dirt substrate? Thanks again for the help Hoppy


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## Hilde (May 19, 2008)

ElNino9 said:


> I will have the T5 6700 and colormax 18 watt then a plain 20 watt fixture. If I had these lights with dirt and CO2 would hair grass and HC grow?


Will most likely work. Thinking the addition of KNO3 (potassium nitrate) would help too. Comes in dry form and by Seachem.

Are you aiming for something like this?








Lauraleellbp uses Lilaeopsis mauritiana for the carpet. Wouldn't have to do DIY Co2 with this. Excel or Cidex diluted would be enough


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## ElNino9 (Feb 10, 2012)

What is that large plant in the middle? With the long leaves? And I really like thay carpet. And the other plant on the left. Is that some type of anubia? Thanks for that shot I realy like that tank.


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## Hilde (May 19, 2008)

ElNino9 said:


> What is that large plant in the middle? With the long leaves?


I don't know. Check the link to her tank. I think in the back there is a cryptocoryne balance.


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## ElNino9 (Feb 10, 2012)

Also if I add KNO3 how often do I add that and is it ok to add with fish? With my slight biology background I think it should be okay right? As long as it dissolves quickly.


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## Hilde (May 19, 2008)

ElNino9 said:


> Also if I add KNO3 how often do I add that and is it ok to add with fish?


According to the late Greg Watson you make a solution -
Mix 30 ml (3 tsp or 1 Tbs) into 1 cup of water. 1ml = 1.08 ppm of NO3 in 10 gallons of water. Having Nitrates 10 - 20 ppm is good. If you don't have a test kit you can take some water to a pet store. 

Easiest to start with low light plants Lauraleellbp did.


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## ElNino9 (Feb 10, 2012)

Alright. And that is ok with fish right?


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## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

Hilde said:


> According to the late Greg Watson......


The "late" Greg Watson? Really? I note that his last post here was 2 years ago. Did I miss something?


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## ElNino9 (Feb 10, 2012)

So I've got the final list set up let me know what you guys think. 
Bacopa Monnieri
Cryptocoryne willisii
Compact Corymbosa
Hair Grass
H.C.
Some type of Anubia
All of these are relatively low light except the hair grass and hc. So will these all grow under the 20 compact fl light and the two t5 18 watts with dirt substrate and DIY CO2 and KNO3? 
Also will have rummy nose tetras maybe danios oto cats cory cats and a pair of rams. Thanks for any and all help.


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## Hilde (May 19, 2008)

ElNino9 said:


> So will these all grow under the 20 compact fl light and the two t5 18 watts


Is that the CFL bulb 6500K?


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## ElNino9 (Feb 10, 2012)

I'm not sure what kind, it just says 20 watt. It was the fixture that came with the tank in a setup. Would it be beneficial to change the colormax T5 bulb to another 6700? or would that notmake any difference?


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## Hilde (May 19, 2008)

ElNino9 said:


> 20 compact fl light and the two t5 18 watts


So the compact fl light is like this one or this one?


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## Hilde (May 19, 2008)

Hoppy said:


> The "late" Greg Watson? Really? I note that his last post here was 2 years ago. Did I miss something?


I googled Greg Watson and saw an obituary for him dated 2011. Is this the same Greg Watson? I couldn't find the website by him with the fert info.


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## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

Hilde said:


> I googled Greg Watson and saw an obituary for him dated 2011. Is this the same Greg Watson? I couldn't find the website by him with the fert info.


I did that too, and found several obituaries for various GW's, none of whom is the one we know. I think he just moved on to different interests - not passed on.


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## ElNino9 (Feb 10, 2012)

It looks similar to the first. It says Bioplant fl20sbr/18 20 w


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## LetThereBeFish (Dec 7, 2011)

ElNino9 said:


> What is that large plant in the middle? With the long leaves? And I really like thay carpet. And the other plant on the left. Is that some type of anubia? Thanks for that shot I realy like that tank.


That large plant in the middle is narrow leaf java fern. The plant thats on the left in the front is hygrophila compact I believe.


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## chad320 (Mar 7, 2010)

El Nino9, your plant list looks good except for the HC. You could give it a try but this plant really likes Co2. I have a feeling it will live, but not spread, unless you are supplementing some form of carbon.


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## ElNino9 (Feb 10, 2012)

If I add one two liter bottle with yeast/sugar/water will that be enough CO2 to add to have the HC? I might be able to add two if that will be more beneficial to the HC. 

And yes I agree that plant is a Hygro Compact. Will those do well enough in low light with CO2?


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## ikuzo (Jul 11, 2006)

ElNino9 said:


> What is that large plant in the middle? With the long leaves? And I really like thay carpet. And the other plant on the left. Is that some type of anubia? Thanks for that shot I realy like that tank.


i think the mid plant is Microsorum pteropus "needle leaves" 
beautiful but hard to find


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## ElNino9 (Feb 10, 2012)

So do you think I would have better luck with Dwarf hair grass or Lilaeopsis mauritiana. The profile on this site is called Lilaeopsis macloviana. Is there a major difference in these two plants? Will they carpet well in low-medium lighting with DIY CO2? And should I just use one 2 liter for CO2 or should I use two? And I think I'll dose with KNO3.


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## Hilde (May 19, 2008)

ElNino9 said:


> Dwarf hair grass or Lilaeopsis mauritiana.
> The profile on this site is called Lilaeopsis macloviana.
> Is there a major difference in these two plants?
> Will they carpet well in low-medium lighting with DIY CO2?
> Should I just use one 2 liter for CO2 or should I use two?


Since you will be injecting Co2 either will work.
Googling Lilaeopsis macloviana I found that it grows tall like the vals.
Using 2 soda bottles as in picture is best, for less potential of back flow.


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## ElNino9 (Feb 10, 2012)

Okay. Well I'm not sure if I would use dwarf hair grass or Lilaeopsis.


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