Jump to content

lighting on planted tanks


Chuckmeister

Recommended Posts

With the improvements of LED's over the years, are the cheaper light units (worx etc) ok for an 18 inch deep tank and for low light plants?

Want to try a planted tank but dont really want to stick a 600 watt grow light on it

Any recommendations on lighting are appreciated.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The cost of LED is constantly coming down.

You need to have a lighted at is rated at 6500k. Worx has them designed for planted tanks and reports I have seen have been positive. The cost of running a LED compared to a traditional higher wattage light justifies the expense.

Great list of low light plants.

Java Fern - Microsorum pteropus

Windelov Java Fern, Windelov Fern - Microsorum pteropus 'Windelov'

Narrow Leaf Java Fern - Microsorum pteropus v. 'narrow leaf'

Java Moss - Vesicularia dubyana

Green Hygro - Hygrophila polysperma

*Sunset Hygro - Hygrophila polysperma 'Rosanervig'

Ceylon Hygro - Hygrophila polysperma 'Ceylon'

Rotala Rotundifolia - Rotala rotundifolia

Rotala Rotundifolia sp. Green - Rotala rotundifolia sp. 'Green'

Rotala Indica - Rotala indica

Hornwort - Ceratophylum demersum

Parrots Feather - Myriophyllum aquaticum

Moneywort, Water Hyssop - Bocapa monnieri

Brazilian Pennywort, Pennywort - Hydrocotyle leucocephala

Crypt Wendtii - Cryptocoryne wendtii

Crypt Balansae - Cryptocoryne Balansae

Pygmy Crypt - Cryptocoryne pygmaea

Guppy Grass - Najas guadalupensis

Anubias barteri - Anubias barteri v. barteri

Anubias barteri 'marble' - Anubias barteri 'marble'

Anubias barteri v. 'glabra' - Anubias barteri v. 'glabra'

Anubias nana - Anubias barteri v. 'nana'

Coffee leaf anubias - Anubias barteri v. 'coffeefolia'

Crypt retrospiralis - Cryptocoryne retrospiralis

Crypt spiralis - Cryptocoryne spiralis

Golden nana - Anubias barteri v. 'nana golden'

Narrow leaf nana - Anubias barteri v. 'nana narrow leaf'

Petite nana - Anubias barteri v. nana 'petite'

Philippine Java Fern - Microsorum pteropus 'Philippine'

Red Java fern - Microsorum pteropus "red"

Crypt Becketii - Cryptcoryne becketii

Pelia - Monosolenium tenerum

Waterwheel Plant - Aldrovanda vesiculosa

Bacopa - Bacopa caroliniana

African Water Fern - Bolbitis heudelotii

Hornwort - Ceratophyllum submersum

Crypt Aponogetifolia - Cryptocoryne aponogetifolia

Micro Crypt - Cryptocoryne petchii

Tropica Sword - Echinodorus parviflorus 'Tropica'

Downoi - Pogostemon helferi

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for the help guys.

It looks like I just purchased a 5x2x2 and a 5x2x18 on a tiered stand.

Planted on top and tropheus, probably Ilangi (if I can find them) on the bottom. Maybe Red Rainbows !!

I'm also going to try these lights on the planted Going to put 2 or 3 on the top and 2 on the tropheus tank both hooked up to a controller that does a sun up and sun down cycle.

10k led strips for the plants and going to try a 12k and 10k for the tropheus. (I'll do a review on them when I get them)

2 tanks lit and controlled for under 500 bucks sounds ok.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just ordered my lights. Cost me a bit...600 bucks to light the 2 tanks so I am expecting them to be half reasonable.

Tanks come on sunday. Lights in 2 weeks then I have to set up etc...but I'll definately do a vid on the setup for anyone interested.

Bit of a crash course in this planted tank business :p

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...