Lighting question

I run just under 2wpg on my 52g with t5ho 36" 2x39w and use Co2, I am not sure what determines it but Id personally use Co2 on any planted tank over 2wpg.

 

Now with me, I have 80 watts of LEDs over my 20 gallon tank and do not use cO2 at all and have no issues.

That will be enough light as long as you're not looking to do plants with high light requirements.

 

It depends on the type of plants you are wanting if this will be sufficient lighting. CO2 is determined by both lighting and plants being kept. That is plenty of light for many plants, do you have an idea as to what type of plants you are wanting?

 

I consider plants that require 3-5 watts per gallon High.

 

Yes, high light would be very bright I would say stay away from anything in that category as they will need more light than what you have as well as injected CO2 and not DIY.

 

My best planted tank is actually in a window on the west side of the house with 2.5 WPG of CF with no Co2, Very heavily planted. Potting soil covered with gravel with water turnover 5 times per hour. I have no algae growth. I do get some sediment every now and the if I disturb the gravel and dig into the soil but usually settles in less than an hour. This is a 20 gal open top using a clamp on constrution lamps and Daylight CF screw-in bulbs. The shrimp multiply like crazy in this tank. I never bought any cherry shrimp but somehow I have 3 of them in the tank. I was experimenting only with ghost shrimp.

 

I have <a class="postlink" href="Pet Supplies - Pet Supply Store - Pet Products | PetMountain.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.petmountain.com/show_product/514514</a> on my 90g which is 2.4wpg and I get excellent growth and now that I turned the light (hours) down a notch I no longer have a gsa issue. The bulbs are also swapped with Coralife TWO 56w 6700K coralife, and TWO 56w Colormax (pink plant) T5's.
This light runs on shifts (over planted discus community tank)-->
Lighting Schedule...
a) 9a to to 9p a 56w 6700k & 56w Colormax (pink) bulb come on
b) from noon to 5p an addtl 56w 6700K coralife comes on and an addtl. 56w Colormax comes on (pink)
c) then around 9p all the 56w bulbs go out and the TWO 1w coralife lunars come on in addition to the fixtures 4 moon white lunars

on my 20L I have <a class="postlink" href="36 inch Current USA Nova Extreme 2x39 Watt T5 HO 10,000K Freshwater" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.petstore.com/ps_ViewItem.asp ... ld=CU01128</a> which is 3.9wpg and I do get a light patch of algae on the glass here and there, but nothing my tom tool can't tackle! These lights run from about 9am - until I believe 8p.

I don't use co2 in either tank and don't dose either one of them with anything.

I do agree with others though, in that if your willing to do co2 then definitlely go for it...I'm just not willing to get into all that and I don't have room for any additional equipment..even a bottle! Lol!

I know James does the co2 and did a nice diy on here that you might want to take a look at DO IT YOURSELF - DIY CO2 Aquarium Device Made Easy

 

with those plants you listed above, Co2 would be a treat to them, they dont really need it or alot of light. I have the same plants in one tank and I turn the light on for an hour a day, they seem to grow really thick when kept in very low light. However I have some of them in a 640w tank which is 3.06 wpg with Co2 and they arent growing nearly as well, especially the anubias. I dose and use Co2 thru a powered reactor for optimal absorption.

 

Light looks good but why's your water so cloudy ?

 

WIth proper placement you can definately cheat and have high light demanding plants.