fishmaster2.0

I am new to these forums I have a 37 gallon tank for gravel I use flourite mixed with pea gravel I am
saving up for a 30 inch dual compact flourescent fixture with lunar lights. Well this will be my second
try at a planted tank. I am not ready to start yet because I am currently working on a diy wood stand
and canopy. I am thinking of keeping Amazon swordplant,Stargrass,Brazilian Pennywort,Ludwigia repens, and Brazilian Micro Swordplant. The fixture I am considering is rated 130 watts. Is this enough
to get maximum growth and color. For fish I am thinking 2 Kuhli Loaches, 6 cherry barbs, and 2 dwarf pufferfish.

The One True Smaug

That should provide plenty of light for the plants on your list.Good luck with it.

TheLukester

I'm no expert, but It sounds like you got a nice little setup planned out. I would try and find out what color temperature the bulbs are that come with the fixture. I have a lot of luck with two 6700K bulbs. Some people mix 10000K with a 6700K and love the results, but I think the 10000K bulbs wash out the natural color of the tank. Also, maybe add c02 with the DIY method and I think you'll be very happy with the results. The most important thing though....is patients. Good Luck buddy!

The Lukester

hoppycalif

I think you will have too much light to be able to enjoy having a planted tank. You will have 3.5 watts per gallon, so unless you suspend that light above the tank enough to reduce the intensity, by spilling light onto the floor and walls, instead of into the tank, you will always be battling to keep ahead of algae and keep up with pruning. A better light setup for a 37 gallon tank, with a light hood sitting on the top, would be 75 to 96 watts of PC lights with good reflectors.

The Amazon sword plant will very quickly out grow the tank, taking over the entire water volume, assuming you fertilize properly and use CO2. And pressurized CO2 will be essential with that much light. I tried a supposedly lower growing sword in a 29 gallon tank with 110 watts of light, and within a few months I had to get rid of it to have any room at all in the tank for fish, let alone other plants. Amazon swords really aren't suitable for aquariums.

HankB

Hi Hoppy,
What about the smaller swords? I bought a compact sword hoping to have something that would look good without getting too big. It's got a nice rosette (is that a proper term?) of leaves and three shoots with babies so I think it is mature and may not get too much larger. But I could be wrong. The leaves are about 6-7" long.

thanks,
hank

hoppycalif

There are some lower growing sword plants, but when we buy a sword plant, it isn't easy to know what we are getting. When we buy from a fellow aquatic plant enthusiast we get what he was told the name of his plant is. When we buy from a LFS we get whatever the store wants to sell, with whatever name they want to attach to it. I assume if we buy from one of the online businesses that sell aquatic plants we do have a good chance of getting exactly what we order, but I'm not sure.

After having several sword plants, sold with different names on them, become giants, I have given up on that type of plants entirely. And, my experience says they don't "get mature", arriving at their final size. They just grow as big as the conditions allow them to grow. And, a well fertilized, well lighted aquarium allows them to grow BIG!

HankB

Hi Hoppy,
Thanks for the reply. I guess time will tell on this one.

thanks,
hank