Help please - Lighting and Substrate

Hi Everyone,

So, my tank is built and ready and I am finally getting my new tank tomorrow hopefully (depending on the weather) very exciting times!

I have been planning and researching as much as possible in my free time and would really like some input from more experienced forum members on the lighting and substrate options please.

Firstly tank details are as follows:

1300 x 600 x 600
Sump filtration - only being set up on Monday next week so will have more specs on this next week
Fish to be kept in tank are: BGK, 2 x Rope Fish, 2 x Yo Yo Loaches, 1 x Asian Sun Catfish, 4 x Glass Cats, 4 x Clown Loaches, 4 x Bala's, 2 x Tucan Fish and 2 x Kuhli Loaches

The areas I am indecisive about are as follows:

Lighting:

I am in two minds here, please can someone that has experience, tell me, what is better, LED or T5 lighting for low tech planted tank - I have the option of going for proper aqauatic LED supplied by one of 2 reputable people - personally from the example I was able to see today it seems to be very dull, but that may have been that particular LED - had a lot of blue which I didnt really like... then the other option is a Reeftek 4 tube 1.2m 54w T5 light unit (I will more than likely replace the tubes with a better quality tube as I have heard that they dont supply these units with the best tubes).

Substrate:

My initial decision was to go for a mix of ADA amazonia II and Seachem Flourite Black - I have now heard that the Amazonia II has to be replaced every 18 months and that doesnt seem like such a great idea to me.... so the reason for having the Amazonia was for the nutritional value, and since the Flourite is apparently only good for iron, I would then have to use root tabs for extra nutrition for the plants as well as ferts, which is fine.

What I would like to know is, if anyone has had experience with either of the two, or even better, both of these products and if someone can tell me what the best would be as well as their opinion on the replacement of the substrate every 18 months please? I really like the consistency and texture of the Amazonia, but not if it has to be replaced every 18 months, and then if I went for the flourite only, I have the option of going for a mix of black and red (that deep terracotta red colour) which looks pretty nice.. or I could just go for plain black (which was my original plan).... so many options!

I have had to make many decisions up until now, but on these two things I am very unsure, there is so much info out there, it would take me forever to read it all to make an informed decision.... so please if anyone has experience or knowledge on these two things, I would really appreciate your advice so I can make the right decisions from the start

Many thanks!
Candice

 

Hi Candice,

Im going to assume here that your research into your fish choice will allow you to keep plants. I havent had any interest in some of those fish, so I'm not going to comment on them, I'll leave that up to the experts.

Lets get @Sean J to comment on the ada.

As far as lighting is concerned, for a low tech set up. Id recommend a T5 dual 54watt ballast with a sylvania growlux tube coupled with a 6500k tube. Some members would even say step up to a 10000 k tube. Low tech plants with a simple fertilizing regime (something like what @Dirk Bellstedt has to offer) will do fine under those lights. Personally, i wouldnt go LED.

Rgds

 

Hey Candice

Looking at your choice of fish, I am not sure that planted is the way to go. Loaches love digging... Digging fish don't really do well in a planted tank because they constantly uproot plants. A good option is to place epiphytic plants like Java Fern, Java Moss, Anubius and Bolbitus plants on to pieces of wood and rock. These attach themselves to the rocks and wood. and thus, the fish can't uproot your plants.

As far as lighting goes, I would definitely use T5's. Those cheal LED lights are cheap for a very good reason. They have a 50 000 hour life span, but the cheap ones don't often last even close to that long, I have found.

With regards to the Aquasoil question... No, Aquasoil does not last for 18 months. It lasts for 3 - 5 years. Obviously, some of the nutrients will be utilized by the plants as they grow and the substrate will become less nutritious over time, but you can always add to this by using ADA products like Multi Bottom and Iron Bottom. Or you can change your fertilizer system to compensate for the nutritive values diminishing from the substrate. Think of Aquasoil like potting soil. Eventually it will run out of nutrients, so you add more to the potting soil to keep your plants healthy.

Regards

Sean

 

Hi Ashley,

The fish choice are my current fish that I am rehoming into a bigger tank. I am very happy to hear that you think that the T5 is best and even happier to hear that dual one will do just fine, I thought I would have to go with 4 tubes. I will get the tubes you have suggested.

Thanks,
Candice

 

Hi Sean,

Thanks for the info, and if you had to choose between using Aquasoil + Flourite OR only Aquasoil OR only Flourite - which would you choose? considering the fish and considering the kinds of plants I will be able to plant - which would then only be what I currently have that don't get uprooted by the loaches which would be amazon swords, anubia and vallis? Would you say it is impossible to have a planted tank and the loaches? If this is the case then what substrate would you suggest?

Kind Regards,
Candice

 

If you decide to go for only epyphytic plants, like the ones I mentioned, I would go with a completely inert substrate. Not flourite or ADA. Save yourself the money. These plants will benefit greatly from column dosing of fertilizers. If you do decide to add stem plants at a later stage, then you can use some root fertilizers and tablets to add near the roots. Even Osmocote will work.

Aquasoil and flourite will definitely benefit plants that root in the substrate, but it wont do much for plants that don't root into it.

Vallis and swords are the only plants that would benefit from Aquasoil or flourite, but then again it's also just as easy to use root tablets for these plants. And it's way cheaper. Just make sure you use good quality Tabs.

I would not say it's impossible to keep loaches in a planted aquarium, you just need to plan your tank very carefully. Like where you plant your plants, maybe make a barrier of pebbles that the loaches can't move and plant behind this. You just need to plan well.

 

@Sean J, and Candice I can add my 2cents worth on the loaches, I currently have two yoyo loachs and I am. It having any issues with them and my plants at all... I also have inert soil, and have awesome growth in my tank. BUT I need to add that I am running Co2 and frets, no root tabs of any sort...

But I am also not an expert that's just my setup...

 

Thanks Lizid, it was my intention to get the Co2 from Sean once everything was set up and I had done everything else I need to do to get the tank up and running and to the point that I will need it... so I am willing to give this a go, but think I will take the advice and not spend a whole lot of cash on expensive substrate, when inert will do with ferts, root tabs if necessary and Co2 when I get to that point... now just to find out what substrate is inert, black and fine enough for the loaches... never ending learning curve

Kind Regards,
Candice

 

Candice,

If you are planning on going CO2, then I would say plan on getting the additional 2 tubes, and plan on a good substrate. You can't just add one and not the other without an algae bloom.

I think you should decide first of all if you want to go fully planted, or completely low tech with easy plants. Low tech will not need CO2, and will probably land you up with further headaches. Fully planted needs intense planning... and as I have recently discovered, deep pockets!

 

Hi Ashley,

Thanks for the input, you are quite right I need to decide what it is that I want, I keep thinking I have it all figured out and then something pops up to challenge my plans lol...

I am very keen on having a planted tank, even if its not completely planted, and I am prepared to put the time, effort and money into it, I guess I sometimes feel like 'what if I cant grow plants' and then I would have spent an additional R800 - R1000 on substrate that is useless to me, however, like you say, its actually simple as to what one needs to be successful with growing plants, excellent light, a good substrate and ferts (Co2 depending on high tech or low tech). I will certainly go for low tech plants to start, but perhaps it is wiser to be prepared now for something better, so when the time comes that I want to try my hand at more difficult plants to grow, I will have the right environment set up for them already and will then just have to add the Co2 at that stage. I also definately dont want to deal with an algae bloom...

Having said that, I am still indecisive about which substrate will be best, there are just so many options... as for the lights I have gone with the dual T5 54w unit as you originally suggested, and can always purchase another dual T5 54 unit when I want to grow more high tech plants as the tank measurements from front to back are 600mm and will allow for that. I requested the quote from lamphouse for the tubes you suggested and this was his reply to me, what is your advice here:
[FONT=&quot]
I would like to convince you not to use the 6500k as it will be very yellow in your tank, and just look dodgy.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]I would like to suggest the 8000k Lamp which will do the same job but visually be far better. [/FONT]



I am trying to find a thread on substrates, so if you perhaps know where it is, if there is one, please can you send me the link? would be great to read about various types and peoples experiences with them.

Thanks,
Candice

 

If you can get the 8,000K I will be very jealous.

Then I would recommend 2x sylvania grolux and 2x 8000k

Sent from my GT-P1000 using Tapatalk 2

 

Thanks! just called them to confirm and they have got stock, so I can go pick it up on Monday! they are so reasonable with their prices! I'm getting so excited now tank should be arriving in the next few hours

 

Hey there, ADA was also a little pricey for me. I have been doing the planted tank thing for 2+ years now and I know the potential of a low tech setup. This is my new community tank after about 3 weeks. Low tech 2ft 2X13w 10000k T5, NO Co2 only dosing with Seachem flourish and excel as directed. I have inert gravel and im using Sera Florenetta A. The amazon in the picture is over 2 years old and I have harvested over 5 amazons from it over the years. The A. Crispus in the tank have already got 3 flower stems.

Like I was told 2 years ago here you can have an incredibly beautiful low tech tank that almost requires weekly trimming just get the right plants take time to research and find them and you will not be disspointed.

 

Thanks snyper564, for the info and the pics, I am going to look at the new natural sand gravel my LFS is getting on Monday then once I know what it is and can do research and see if it has any nutritional value, I will decide to either use that or ADA and/or Flourite black, monday is D day for the decision. Its great to see a planted tank with good care looking so great even with inert substrate and no Co2, shows it can be done. I may still go for the ADA and/or Flourite for future plants I may want to attempt to grow, but as I say will decide on Monday after seeing what my LFS has to offer - he says no one else in CPT has it, so lets hope its something nice