55gal lighting decision

[Kaygee]

Hey all, first post to the forum and I hope this forum is as good as it looks. I currently have a standard 55gal tank and currently have a single 4 ft T5 High Output 54W 6400K full spectrum. I am about a week away from having pressurized cO2 an I was wondering if I should add another 4 ft T5 HO or if I should add something else. I have a 24 W t5HO sitting around the house that could be incorporated instead/as well.


**the tank is mostly compact swords and Val's, I am getting some HC next week. There are also dwarf chain swords in the tank. There is a lot of room for expansion this is a relatively new tank (2 months)**.

Thanks!

 

[Gerryd]

I currently have a standard 55gal tank and currently have a single 4 ft T5 High Output 54W 6400K full spectrum. I am about a week away from having pressurized cO2 an I was wondering if I should add another 4 ft T5 HO or if I should add something else. I have a 24 W t5HO sitting around the house that could be incorporated instead/as well.


**the tank is mostly compact swords and Val's, I am getting some HC next week. There are also dwarf chain swords in the tank. There is a lot of room for expansion this is a relatively new tank (2 months)**.

Thanks!

Hi,

Why don't you provide a bit of info on the tank detail, substrate, dosing regime (if any), goals, etc. Your single bulb may work fine, based on goals, plant species, growth rate desired, etc...The more info you provide, the better advice you will receive...

Hey all, first post to the forum and I hope this forum is as good as it looks.

Not sure if this is the best line to introduce yourself and ask for advice.....how will you know if it IS in fact a good forum?????

 

[Kaygee]

Not sure if this is the best line to introduce yourself and ask for advice.....how will you know if it IS in fact a good forum?????

i guess that's my personality, I apologize if I came off the wrong way I had been lurking on the forum for a while and saw that there is a collection of kind people here. (hence the comment)

As to the specs of the tank

55 Gallon 48x13x21
Substrate: MGOCPM capped with pool filter sand and Eco complete mixed with gravel.
I have Brightwell Aquatics Florin-fe that the LFS suggested but I will have Seachem Flourish coming soon. I am following the bottle so it says 5 ml per 50 gal once per week.

I want to have lush fresh growth often, I will trim as needed, but this will inevitably be an angel tank so long wavy plants are in mind (Vals, swords, etc)

Bio-load includes:
4 panda corys
7 oto cats
2 siamensis algae eaters
6 black tetra
5 rummynose tetra
2 clown pleco
2 assasin snails

 

[Green Thumb Aquatics]

birghtwell aquatics stuff is great if its the brand I am thinking of, but you need more than just Iron and Micros, which is all you will providing with those two if I am correct with the Brightwell stuff....

I would suggest NPK from a place like Green Leaf Aquariums, dry dosing is easy with just macros and very cheap....

but you need to dose Macro nutrients in addition to Micro/Trace

if doing liquids they are tons of brands to chose from, I make some myself and its everything you would need for Macros...

 

[Kaygee]

So what kind of NPK do I need for my plants with the macros ? I know macro/micros well (work at hydro store)

Also what does your homemade brew consist of?

On a side note, back to my lighting, do I have enough for what I am doing? Swords, vallisneria, some java ferns and some flame moss ingest other things

 

[Kaygee]

Bump? (sorry for the bump but I'm still kinda lost )

 

[Tug]

Yes;

So what kind of NPK do I need for my plants with the macros ? I know macro/micros well (work at hydro store)

KNO3 and KH2PO4 for EI dosing and yes your plants will need the added nutrients - follow wet's calc to determine the correct amounts.

On a side note, back to my lighting, do I have enough for what I am doing? Swords, vallisneria, some java ferns and some flame moss ingest other things

One T5HO, say it's 21- 25 inches above the substrate, would provide about 30 - 50 μmol/m2s, along at the substrate. This should provide for plenty of light.

30-50micromol along the sediment is ample light for ANY species.

Diagram courtesy of VaughnH/Hoppy

Edit ~ wet's calc lists green thumb's homemade brew (Green Thumb Good S. Macro/Micro) with the other premixed solutions.
As the name implies, it is some good s. Of course, you need to add 34mL, 3 x week to meet your demand. Still better then most.

 

[Kaygee]

Thank you very much for the in depth reply it got my head right where it needed to be, I will probably go with the 3 part mix off of aquarium fertilizer.com for ferts.

 

[Tug]

You forgot KH2PO4

I had a link to a great container for keeping my powders dry, until my laptop crashed (literally crashed to the ground during a move).

If by 3 part mix, you mean the "Macro Micro Nutrient Mix" it does not contain any KH2PO4 (for obvious reasons). You will need to dose Mono Potassium Phosphate. Flourish Comprehensive has PO4, but not nearly enough.

I purchase nutrients individually - much easier to adjust the dose.

• Potassium Nitrate (KNO3) for N;
• Mono Potassium Phosphate (KH2PO4) for needed PO4;
• Plantex CSM + B for micronutrients.

If you have soft water, Barrs GH booster provides Ca, Mg and a little more K. Dosed once or twice a week insures you have plenty of Ca, Mg and K.
Or, you can purchase these nutrients individually as well.

Dose the dry fertilizer directly to your tank. Or, it's not that hard to make your own stock solutions if your so inclined.

 

[Kaygee]

I had a link to a great container for keeping my powders dry, until my laptop crashed (literally crashed to the ground during a move).

If by 3 part mix, you mean the "Macro Micro Nutrient Mix" it does not contain any KH2PO4 (for obvious reasons). You will need to dose Mono Potassium Phosphate. Flourish Comprehensive has PO4, but not nearly enough.

I purchase nutrients individually - much easier to adjust the dose.

• Potassium Nitrate (KNO3) for N;
• Mono Potassium Phosphate (KH2PO4) for needed PO4;
• Plantex CSM + B for micronutrients.

If you have soft water, Barrs GH booster provides Ca, Mg and a little more K. Dosed once or twice a week insures you have plenty of Ca, Mg and K.
Or, you can purchase these nutrients individually as well.

Dose the dry fertilizer directly to your tank. Or, it's not that hard to make your own stock solutions if your so inclined.

Alright, thank you for getting back I'll toss in an order for some mono potassium phosphate as well, then when I run out of the blend ill order the ingredients separately and go from there, I just need to get into a regime. I plan on doing the suggested dosing with the drop per gallon and 50% water changes to reset the water. I will increase a needed, but I am new to dosing an aquarium. I am not new to fertilizers at all though.