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Advice for lighting planted tanks?

Jossie

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Every now and then I end up on a kick to improve my tank.
I'm effectively the enemy of the aquarium plant, I usually end up losing my plants a couple of months later.
So, after I didn't kill my pink baby tears (I think. They look like some variety of baby tears, I don't really care, they're still alive and growing and that's pretty much all I care about) I decided to grab some more plants from one of the local stores.

Now, I could go with my usual method of just hoping they don't die, but this seems a bit hit and miss and I don't really want to have dead plants again. I already have a light, which I'm assuming will be fine because the guy I bought the tank from knew what he was doing seeing as he upgraded to the biggest tank I've ever seen, and it's like 3rd hand.
What my question is what timing would be enough to give my plants that extra boost they need to be happy? (I know they vary from tank to tank and plant to plant, I'm just looking for a rough guideline)

My new plants are a banana lily and a blue stricta (I'm still waiting to plant this. I have to de-snail egg it which I'd rather do tomorrow), if anyone is curious. I was amazed when they were handed to me with massive roots, and to be honest they're too tall for my tank!
 

Jossie

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Ugh.
Of course, like 5 minutes after I posted this my filter went caput.
I'd still love the advice, but for now I have no light because I'm using the 'trickle' filter from a spare tank I have with the media from my old filter. I guess the media for trickle filters makes them trickle, because with just my old stuff in there it's enough to make a strong current. I have it set up facing the glass, so that problem is effectively solved until I figure out what to do.
Fingers crossed nothing else goes wrong.
I guess I'll do the stricta now seeing as there is water everywhere already! (I had to try my spare, which leaked. I finally found out why someone threw it away though! I also kept missing the bucket.)
 

hacelepues

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I'm no expert, but I think the general rule is something like 5 watts per gallon of water. Of course, wattage requirements can be much higher if you buy more demanding plants.

One thing I'm in the process of making is mineralized soil. It's supposed to be crazy good for plants and works well for low tech set ups.

Check out this tutorial How-To: Mineralized Soil Substrate, by Aaron Talbot - Library - Aquatic Plant Central

It takes a little while, but like cycling a tank, it's totally worth it!
 

tusken raider

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Feb 15, 2012
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For low tech set up I've always gone down the path of 1.5w per gallon and use a nutrient substrate and some root tabs, has always worked well. You just have to get the right amount/duration of light
 
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