# Planted Tank



## Cesar (Apr 11, 2012)

hello everyone. i have a few questions and i hope some one can help. i have been wanting to convert my 80 gallon (48L X 18 W X 22-24 in T) tank into an all real plant tank. I have a few amazon swords and java moss and fern, and 2 annubias in there now. i just got them about 2 weeks ago. my questions are as follows:

1. What is the best type of lighting for a planted tank? ( T-5, T-8 etc.....)

2. What type of bulbs.... ( kelvin, spectrum, Etc.)

3. How much Co2 ...

Thanx


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## Betta man (Mar 25, 2011)

If you don't get many answers, try this forum. It's all about planted tanks and the owner is VERY knowledgeable with plants and co2. I have personally met him. (he was a speaker at my aquarium club)
http://www.barrreport.com/forum.php?


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## grogan (Jan 23, 2011)

Well putting that link up doesn't even give me a chance to explain :/ there are still some plant people on this forum

Ill do it anyways:
Your plant choice is perfect for a beginner planted tank. You wont need co2 unless you start going crazy with the lighting. most people just assume you need a crazy bright high output fixture to grow plants. This usually results in massive algae blooms. You mentioned adding co2, what kind of co2 system are thinking about?


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## Betta man (Mar 25, 2011)

If you don't get answers. You're one of the few who do keep planted tanks.


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## Cesar (Apr 11, 2012)

im not sure. I was thinking a DIY system for a few months untill i save up some cash for a pro system because they can be pretty expensive. any suggestions?


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## grogan (Jan 23, 2011)

well with your plants you don't really need a co2 system, IF YOU STICK WITH LOW LIGHTS. If you decide to upgrade to high output t5s, halides, or leds then a pressurized system is the way to go. DIY setups work for some people but have never appealed to me. I like to have precise control over my system. With your current setup Flourish Excel will do just fine as co2 source.


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## Mr. fish (Mar 8, 2011)

Betta man said:


> If you don't get many answers, try this forum. It's all about planted tanks and the owner is VERY knowledgeable with plants and co2. I have personally met him. (he was a speaker at my aquarium club)
> http://www.barrreport.com/forum.php?


Bro stop with the terrible advice... Whats your deal?

Theres a reason why Fishforums is here, there are actually planted people here that can lend advice. Instead of leading people to other sites why dont you let others respond.


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## Mr. fish (Mar 8, 2011)

Cesar said:


> hello everyone. i have a few questions and i hope some one can help. i have been wanting to convert my 80 gallon (48L X 18 W X 22-24 in T) tank into an all real plant tank. I have a few amazon swords and java moss and fern, and 2 annubias in there now. i just got them about 2 weeks ago. my questions are as follows:
> 
> 1. What is the best type of lighting for a planted tank? ( T-5, T-8 etc.....)
> 
> ...


*1)* Lighting all depends on what type of setup you're aiming at. Low, Med or High tech. The differences between T8's and T5's is T5's are HO which is obviously more brighter. But, the reflector is a key factor here as well. A nice reflector over a T8 can easily output a T5 HO light that contains a cheap reflector. 

*2)* Bulbs is just a personal preference, but with Kelvin rating you should be aiming at 6,700K - 10,000K. Personally I've had best success with combining 6,700k with a 10,000k which they call a dual daylight bulb. 

*3)* Co2 is going to be your make or break deal here. You generally want to look at 30ppm's. You measure this by a Co2 indicator that sits inside the tank. But as Grogan has stated, the plants you listed are low light plants and don't require much Co2 so Excel will mange just fine. Once you start getting into higher lighting Co2 and dry ferts is a must or you run into deficiencies and algae issues. Its all about balance in planted tanks, so you will need a timer to set your lights on and off at a certain time generally 6-10 hours. Also Co2 needs to be set on a timer, generally an hour before lights on and an hour before lights off.

Hope this answers your questions, if you have any more feel free to ask.


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