lighting help.

[ItsKourtneyYoC8]

I'm not sure what light to get for my 22 gal cube.
and was wondering if someone can give me the basics on lighting?

The plants I have in my 5 gall I need to transfer to the 22 cuse I need to take it down, sadly due to lack of space in my room -.-

but the plants are:
Amazon sword
Wistera
some type of anubias[ I think dwarf]
cyptii wendtii
and little teeny bit of java moss [getting more to make a tree]

and I want to get some dwarf hair grass
another sword or 2
maayybbe another wendtii and anubias[the dwarfs are so cute :3]

and there is this type of grass that I do't remember the name of but it's tall and it flows over the top its called jungle something, anyone know?

suggestions for plants are welcome!
I need more floating and stems[mainly stems]

[Oldfishlady]

You need kelvin in the range of 5000-7000k...Ideally 6500K for plants.

I use/buy the Daylight 6500k florescent bulbs from the lighting dept not the aquarium dept-same thing just cheaper....Also, I would pick up a new florescent light starter-I always change them along with my bulbs yearly-Even if they both still work-Starters are cheap and florescent bulbs intensity is lost over time even if they still shine. You can see the light but the plants can't to use it for energy/photosynthesis.

Jungle Val is most likely the tall grass plant-Mine get well over 5 ft long and have to be cut back every week or so. Great plant btw....

Your plant list are mainly low to moderate light and should do well with 6500k, however, in a 22gal I would use 2 bulbs 20w 6500k-unless the light strip is rated for a 40w. On a 10h/day photoperiod-along with root tabs for the rosettes-if you are using inert substrate and a water column food for the others.

[ItsKourtneyYoC8]

Originally Posted by Oldfishlady

You need kelvin in the range of 5000-7000k...Ideally 6500K for plants.

I use/buy the Daylight 6500k florescent bulbs from the lighting dept not the aquarium dept-same thing just cheaper....Also, I would pick up a new florescent light starter-I always change them along with my bulbs yearly-Even if they both still work-Starters are cheap and florescent bulbs intensity is lost over time even if they still shine. You can see the light but the plants can't to use it for energy/photosynthesis.

Jungle Val is most likely the tall grass plant-Mine get well over 5 ft long and have to be cut back every week or so. Great plant btw....

Your plant list are mainly low to moderate light and should do well with 6500k, however, in a 22gal I would use 2 bulbs 20w 6500k-unless the light strip is rated for a 40w. On a 10h/day photoperiod-along with root tabs for the rosettes-if you are using inert substrate and a water column food for the others.

I'm glad you told me that about the light dpt! I would have never guessed!
What is/where is the starter?? Is there anyway you can tell if the florescent is working or not?

and YES! Thats it! I like that it gets long like that and I don't mind trimming it once a week or so.

I think I'm going to try and find a 40w because the hood I have for the tank is glass with a strip for the light and on the other side flips up to feed, clean, etc.

But I also wanted to ask, since I'm doing a NPT will I need a filter?

so I would need some tabs for the amazon...
That explains why it's looking the way it is - poor plant :/

How would I go about feeding the amazon a tab>? Just throw it in?
I heard about puting them underneath the plants roots?

[Oldfishlady]

If you are going to do a soil based tank (NPT) you won't need to use any ferts-Due to the soil being high in nutrients already. But if you did use roots tabs-you cram them in the substrate near the base of the plant, otherwise the root tab could cause an algae problem if allowed to get into the water column.

Make sure your hood/light strip is rated for 40watts, otherwise, it could be a fire hazard-burn up-melt the hood....

Make sure that partition between the light bulb and water is always clean and free of debris for best light penetration to plants. I removed mine on the one tank I have a hood and on the others I don't use hoods at all...All open top with the light strips resting on the lip and some I had to make slats to rest on the lip for the light strip to rest on. I use yard sticks cut to fit....

The florescent light starter can usually be found in the lighting dept...Usually come in a 2 pack for under $2.00-be sure and get the correct watt.

http://www.homedepot.com/buy/ge-30--...ck--80620.html

I usually only use a filter in my NPT's on start up-once the soil matures I generally remove them on my 10gal and smaller tanks. I don't use a filter on my 25gal-but only because I haven't put the filter back together...lol.....

Have you read my sticky on setting up a NPT in the plant section....

[ItsKourtneyYoC8]

Some more plants I would like to get if lighting requirements are what I can offer:

chain sword-narrow leaf
water sprite
cabomba
and hygrophilia angustifolia?

Are these okay?
Would it be overcrowded? whats the maximum umber of plants would you recommend?

[Oldfishlady]

Great plants for a soil based NPT...

Here is the sticky-
http://www.bettafish.com/showthread.php?t=114575

[ItsKourtneyYoC8]

Originally Posted by Oldfishlady

If you are going to do a soil based tank (NPT) you won't need to use any ferts-Due to the soil being high in nutrients already. But if you did use roots tabs-you cram them in the substrate near the base of the plant, otherwise the root tab could cause an algae problem if allowed to get into the water column.

Make sure your hood/light strip is rated for 40watts, otherwise, it could be a fire hazard-burn up-melt the hood....

Make sure that partition between the light bulb and water is always clean and free of debris for best light penetration to plants. I removed mine on the one tank I have a hood and on the others I don't use hoods at all...All open top with the light strips resting on the lip and some I had to make slats to rest on the lip for the light strip to rest on. I use yard sticks cut to fit....

The florescent light starter can usually be found in the lighting dept...Usually come in a 2 pack for under $2.00-be sure and get the correct watt.

http://www.homedepot.com/buy/ge-30--...ck--80620.html

I usually only use a filter in my NPT's on start up-once the soil matures I generally remove them on my 10gal and smaller tanks. I don't use a filter on my 25gal-but only because I haven't put the filter back together...lol.....

Have you read my sticky on setting up a NPT in the plant section....

Okay, thats how i have my 5 gallon at the moment.
I neeeed to have a hood because My betta, Ciroc will be living in the 22 gal.
but if I should get a filter then I'll need to get a new hood because the light and filter wont fit with the glass hood I have with it now.
I hope I can find the right size, seems like it would be difficult to find a 22 gal cube hood -.-


and I could get those from the lowes down the street, probably the light too!

And, I've read your sticky over and over and completely forget to look it over again everytime unless someone reminds me about it -.-

[titusthebetta]

I actually have a question about this, too. My hood came with a small light that's apparently a 1 watt LED (I should check to make sure) light. It apparently has the option to hook up more, although their website does not sell extra lights to attach. What's a better way to have lighting if I wanted to add live plants? I can also add pictures if you need to see what the hood is like.