Need help with lighting

[HeatherRW]

What is a good light to use over my 46gal brackish aquarium. I have all live plants. They are growning ok but I know I need more. I thought Coralife t50, but the reviews on Amazon sucked. Lighting is so stinking confusing:/

[Pufferpunk]

Are they high/low light plants? Are you using any ferts? Here's a great site I use: www.yamatogreen.com. The owner is a great fellow to call & ask questions of, too!

[HeatherRW]

I have swords, anacharis, and hornwort. Oh and some java moss. Thanks for the site.

[Iliveinazoo]

are you talking about a light fitting or a tube? Did you mean T5?

[HeatherRW]

The whole thing! But I picked up a new light today so I think I got it figured out. My tank came with an LED. But everything I've read says they are not good enought for live plant's.

[bertie 83]

LEDs are still relatively new to the market and have not been so tried and tested, decent tubes with the correct power output and spectrum will suit plants just fine

[Iliveinazoo]

The whole thing! But I picked up a new light today so I think I got it figured out. My tank came with an LED. But everything I've read says they are not good enought for live plant's.

That would depend on the depth of the water, the power of the fixture, your fertilisation routine and what type of plants you're wanting to grow. Why not get some ferts (NPK+trace) some low light tolerant plants (e.g. Java Fern) and see if it grows, you will inevitably get die back for the first week or so but then if your lights are sufficient it will start to recover. If you can grow Java Fern then try some other low light plants and see what works in your tanks.

If you want high light dependant plants then get a fixture that will blast 2W/(US)G + into the tank and think about additional CO2 injection.

I buy all my lamps from an online electrical wholesaler, they sell all kinds of colour temperatures and they don't cost nearly as much as the "dedicated" planted aquarium lamps. 6,000K is 6,000K no matter what manufacturer it has on the side of it.

[HeatherRW]

I have tried to stick with easy lower light plants. I didnt pay a lot for any of them so if they don't make it I'm not out but a few bucks. Got a Aqueon t5 67k light from petsmart. It is SO much brighter than the LED! My plants look like they are reaching for it so I hope it will be a lot better. I use Seachem products for co2, iron, and other nutrients. So far so good. I keep my sg at about 1.004 - 1.005. Does this sound ok for the puffers? I keep it lower because I thought it would be easier on the plants. But I am more concerned about my puffs then the plants!

[Iliveinazoo]

I have tried to stick with easy lower light plants. I didnt pay a lot for any of them so if they don't make it I'm not out but a few bucks. Got a Aqueon t5 67k light from petsmart. It is SO much brighter than the LED! My plants look like they are reaching for it so I hope it will be a lot better. I use Seachem products for co2, iron, and other nutrients. So far so good. I keep my sg at about 1.004 - 1.005. Does this sound ok for the puffers? I keep it lower because I thought it would be easier on the plants. But I am more concerned about my puffs then the plants!

Presumably you have figure 8's? if so they will be fine at SG1.003@25DegC and the plants wil appreciate the lower salinity. Look out for plant defficiencies they may need NPK as well as trace.

[HeatherRW]

Presumably you have figure 8's? if so they will be fine at SG1.003@25DegC and the plants wil appreciate the lower salinity. Look out for plant defficiencies they may need NPK as well as trace

What is NPK? And yes they are F8's.

[Iliveinazoo]

Presumably you have figure 8's? if so they will be fine at SG1.003@25DegC and the plants wil appreciate the lower salinity. Look out for plant defficiencies they may need NPK as well as trace

What is NPK? And yes they are F8's.

Nitrogen (Nitrate), phosphate and potassium together with CO2 are the main elements used by plants as food, some ferts only come with trace elements which may be fine if you are using real slow growers or your tank is fully/over stocked but they will most likely grow stronger amd healthier with additional NPK

[Pufferpunk]

Check out: www.yamatogreen.com, great products!

[defool89]

The whole thing! But I picked up a new light today so I think I got it figured out. My tank came with an LED. But everything I've read says they are not good enought for live plant's.

If you ever choose LED lighting again, 3w bulbs with a total of 60w. If you get 50/50 blue and white, they look great. You can even get 90w total light power for deeper tanks of 24+" wide. These lights are proven to provide enough lighting to the most heavy of planted tanks on any end of the tank. I can try and take a picture this week of a matured planted 215g tank with leds on low and high light plants