With the plants you mentioned you can get away with the light you have on your tank, the only one I'm wondering about is the Amazon Sword. That one likes medium to strong light, but will survive in lower light. The light on your tank looks low to medium.

If you want the plants to really grow well then changing out your light is going to be needed, and unfortunately you'll probably have to change the hood out on your tank to get the light to work with the tank. I'd go with the Aqueon VeraTop, it's a glass canopy and the back has a plastic piece that can be cut to fit your equipment. I just set my lights on top of the canopy as I find that easiest for me. For lights the Finnex is a good one, and the stingray should work with the plants that you have, you can also go with the finnex planted light if you are planning on getting into plants that like a strong light. That's if you are set on the Finnex brand. Right now I'm using the Nicrew lights, they are a medium brightness light, and my plants seem to grow well under them, and the light is cheaper then the Finnex. I have cryps, repens, ruffled amazon, water wisteria, anacharis, and anubias in my tanks.

All of the plants you mentioned, except for the Amazon Sword, are water column feeders and are going to need a liquid fertilizer. I'm not sure if you know aor not, but Seachem Excel is basically just carbon, it's not a liquid fertilizer. The only reason I know is because I got totally confused and ended up researching whether I should get it or the regular Seachem Flourish. Surprise, surprise, it's best to get both but if only getting one go with the Flourish because that one is the liquid fertilizer. I ended up getting both.

For the Amazon Sword you are going to need to get root tabs sooner or later because it will deplete the substrate of nutrient, it also needs iron to do well.

 

Ahh, this is so helpful! Thank you so much, I have no clue what I'm doing really.

I'm really glad I bought only one amazon sword now. I don't think it's going to work out... (I'll see how long it lives as is I think)

So, I need to use Seachem Flourish Excel and Seachem Flourish for my plants to do well! I had no clue that Excel didn't include nutrients/fertilizer, so thank you so much for letting me know! Just went and added flourish to my cart.

Bummer about the new lid, but I will definitely go get a new one then! Thank you for the recommendations!
I'll grab the Aqueon VeraTop. I was afraid of the glass lids since I wasn't sure if there'd be space for my equipment! Good to know I can cut plastic on the lid for room!

There are two nicrew lights that seem to fit my tank. Which one do you use?


NICREW LED Aquarium Light for Planted Fish Tank, White and Tri-Colored RGB LEDs - 18 watt, 16-20 inches, 9000k

https://www.amazon.com/NICREW-Aquar...icrew+led+aquarium+light+20+inch&dpID=41eJPgtRMJL&preST=_SY300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch

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NICREW BrightLED Aquarium Light, High Illumination Fish Tank Light for Freshwater Tanks - 20-24 inch, 18 watt, 7500k

https://www.amazon.com/NICREW-Aquar...icrew+led+aquarium+light+20+inch&dpID=41hgElzeLIL&preST=_SY300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch

They seem to be lower in wattage, but higher in kelvin, so I'm not sure which is best, another reason why I'm double checking which you have used and like. Thank you so much for your help! I'm really clueless just starting out with this stuff, and I really appreciate it!

 

You're welcome! I'm glad I could help :-D I know that when I started out a year or two ago I was asking just about all the questions you are, and I'm still learning. Just this past month I was researching the Seachem Excel and Flourish because in the past I only bothered with root tabs LOL. I was honestly thinking I would only need one or the other and just going by the name I figured it would be Excel.

I have the second light you listed, but I do not have the particular size you would need. One of mine is bigger, 30-36", but no longer listed on the page, and that's the one I love. The other one is the smaller 12-16", and it is dim, that size I don't like and would not recommend. I honestly don't know how bright the 20-24" light would be, but according to the reviews it's a good, bright, light.

 

Yes, I'm really glad you stopped by to help! Was really worried about lighting and my plants dying. Ha. Good of you to help someone now that you've figured everything out yourself.

Yeah, I was just thinking the C02 from Excel, the light, and the substrate might be enough. I'm sure with all this stuff I bought things will be thriving in no time! (once everything gets here anyway).

Ah, perfect! I just watched some youtube reviews on that one you use and it looks really good! I just bought the new lid and light now!

I want so bad to go get a fish now, but going to try cycling with fish food and getting all the plant stuff setup. I've never done a fishless cycle before, so hopefully it goes fine (and doesn't take /too/ long).

 

I'm glad I could help!

I just do fish in cycles, so far it's worked well for me and my boys, the trick is to keep an eye on the ammonia and nitrite, don't let them get above .25ppm, and keep up with the water changes. Speaking of which I need to go test the water and do a water change on my newest boy who's tank is cycling.

 

Ooh, yeah. When I get a fish it's been an impulsive buy. ^^; But my latest fish was really sick and died, and since I decided to switch to plants, figured I'd try fishless cycling too. That said, if I see the perfect fish, I might go ahead and buy the fish. I'm going to try to avoid looking at them when I go to the store to much to see if I can hold off though.

Good luck cycling your new tank too! And congrats on your newest fish.