ingg

Honestly Jessie, I don't see myself doing anything other than T5's unless I have to due to an odd tank size (Like the 33g cube I set up, T5's aren't readily available that small). Maybe 30"+ deep tanks would change my mind, but 24" isn't a barrier at all for these TEK fixtures.

I'm running 8x39, 312 watts. The tank is deeper than any other tank I own by a good bit. I'm running T5's, CFL, and T8's on other tanks. The TEK T5's outperform everything else by an order of magnitude.

I'm pretty darn confident I could grow almost anything in this tank in terms of light needs, and it is running what, under 1.8 wpg? For those that wouldn't make it (can't think of any considering what the Parva and Stellata are doing - not super light plants, but moderately light needy, and going bananas), I could run it 12x39, and I'm then sure I could grow it - at only 2.6 WPG.

Some examples:

The Angustifolia backfilled leaves at the bottom of originally bare stems inside a week (!!!), and the top leaves turned pink. It came out of a 2.3 wpg T8 tank, a 55g, where it would routinely drop the bottom leaves once the top shaded them.

The Stellata was 6" tall when it was planted. 12" tall now. It is showing purple 12" under the water surface. Bought from a friend with a high light tank, and it never missed a beat.

Every single crypt, including Parva, every single Anubias, have all grown new leaves - and all are doing so rapidly. The new Balansae leaves are a crazy red, and sprouting like crazy.

lauraleellbp

LOL ingg I think you're trying to make her jealous

Jessie

I AM jealous now

But this is exactly the input I was looking for. Thanks for sharing!!!

ingg

Not the purpose at all, sorry if it is doing that.

I'm pretty much astounded at the output of high end fixtures. I really wanted to get across how much difference they are making. I own current Nova Extremes, flat single reflector T5's - not even in the same ballpark. Nothing else I own is in the same ballpark, except my nano - and I don't think comparing 26 watts over a 2.5g, 8" deep tank is quite fair in comparison.

It is one of those things that paying for it hurts, and until you see it first hand, you figure there is no way to justify it - but let me tell you, the cost is justified. I am SO glad I paid the extra money, and so glad that folks like AaronT not only talked to me about, but showed me, how well these fixtures work.

Jessie

Nahh -- I'm jealous in an inspired sense

I feel that I will definitely end up going with the Tek's when the time comes. Despite the price being really painful, I can wait until I can afford it. Since setting up my tank, my mantra has been "do it right the first time." This is something I didn't do from the get go and while the PCF's work for most of my tanks, the direction I'd like my tank to go needs the next step up. So hopefully in time, I'll get there!

Again, thanks for the honest and clear input.

And keep us posted on your tank!!!

ingg

Time to mow it down some this weekend. Stellata is now only a few inches from the water surface, and the Angustifolia is crowning out of the water. Balansae seems to have finished melting its leaves off, and is now quickly regrowing, all new leaves on the balansae are a rusty red instead of the green I originally had - a function of the higher lighting I think?

A club mate is starting a 125g and needs plants, so I told him to come on up this weekend for a discount on some plants that'll help him fill up his tank.

Low grow hygro is the only plant not outright flourishing. It is growing, but it growing micro leaves, not the big broad leaves it had when I got it. It has been suggested this may be a sign of K deficiency, so I am adding a small amount (.2 ppm daily) via a premix of K2SO4. Other than that, there is and has been no dosing of anything in this tank.

ingg

So I trimmed on Saturday the 8th, and it looked like this:



Ten days later:



Only dosing to date is .2 (not a typo, point 2) ppm of K2SO4. The low grow hygro has been growing, but growing with micro leaves. Friends suggested trying a little potassium in the water column, as some plants, like this one apparently, start to grow little tiny leaves if getting the nutrients all from the substrate. Leaves have begun to fill out more, not sure if it is easily visible in the photos, but that little bit of potassium seems to be helping it.

ingg

Some updated pics.

Tank is doing really well. Still dosing next to nothing, a tiny amount of potassium. Everything is growing in well, some of them a bit too well. The Stellata is having to be mowed monthly or it tries to take over my entire basement. Echinodorus 'Vesuvius' is also doing extremely well, and I've begun to sell some runners of this unusual plant, as well as spread it within my club. Crypts are a mixed bag. Beckettii grows in like a weed. Balansae melted, came back a pretty dark brown/bronze, but is staying short. Green Gecko is struggling, no idea why - it grows in with tiny reddish leaves, and doesn't grow up bigger.

Overall, couldn't ask for more. The tank is simple to maintain, and is filling in quite nicely. I've put in some Polygonom sp. Sao Paulo I picked up from a friend locally to eventually fill in the void in the right side (this was supposed to be a field of Balansae, and it is - 12" tall and hidden behind the rocks and wood!), it is growing, but slowly.

Added some Downoi on the right side, starting to catch hold and grow. Other than that and some slight rearranging, little added or changed.

So, some pics!











And full tank shots:

AaronT

It's growing in nicely man.

How's the flow in the corners of the tank? If I recall there are outlets coming out of the overflows on either end that point towards the middle of the tank yes?

The C. balansae loves flow. It might be time for one of those powerheads you mentioned?

ingg

I cheat on flow.

There are 4 upper jets, 2 on each overflow. These split the return of he Eheim, making them about 120 gph or so powerheads in essence. Two pointed along back wall, two into middle of the tank.

Hidden in the tank floor are four more jets pointing up, these are run by a throttled down MAG9.5. Two on the left side, two on the right, under the rockwork essentially, they are hidden. These act as 170 gph or so powerheads pointing up.

Those rear corners are probably the softest flow, you are right - only the lower intake into the overflows moves water there. May have to tweak things and see if it grows a bit taller.