New Aquarium

In my tanks the red coloured plants always lost their brightness and died so I always stuck to the green ones. I did try more light but it caused algae problems, which then made my lovely tank look unsightly with green/black algae on the tank glass, gravel, plants, filter box and bog wood

 

Hi,

Know what you mean, but hopefully these are all true aquatics as the guy selling them makes out he is doing things properly - see the About Me at the bottom of this page -
100 Live Aquarium Aquatic Tropical Fish Tank Plants SUPERB QUALITY AND VALUE | eBay

Hi,

Did order some Ecinodorus Tennellus with that collection for the foreground but out of stock this week, hopefully arrive next week.

While Tropica have a nice traffic lights type of labeling, they specify what that means in terms of Lumens - see pic below

The AquaOne PlantGrow 45 that came with my s/h set up just states 18W, no mention anywhere of the Lumens output so rather difficult to judge how its compares.

I do have a Lux meter, but again not sure what distance from the led is appropriate or if it should be measured at the bottom of the filled tank - any suggestions or by chance any idea of the lumens output of that unit ?

 

Literature states that it is equivalent to 3x15w T8 tubes
If Daylight Spectrum Phillips rate them at 750 lumens a piece.

But then you are faced with height and light dispersion. You would probably measure from the substrate to the light source.
Again I state that folks today it seems and Aquarists included involve themselves in too many hangups over specific things right down to the nitty gritty minute degree...yes things do matter in all respects but to an ordinary joe who just wants to have a nice fish tank then I wouldn't get too hung up on certain specifics..because everything has an effect on each other if one goes out of cinque then it has a knock on effect to something else...and you'll spend eons trying this and that trying mostly in vain to counteract a problem which in turn will exasperate something else...then the next thing you know your tank is on sale on Gumtree or similar disposal sites..
My advice is for you to enjoy YOUR hobby for thats exactly what it is.
Make up a nice substrate like I already advised grab some ornamental wood/rock or whatever and offset it (dont just plonk it in the middle)...buy some easy plants such as Java Fern (better than Amazon Sword etc IMHO) Hygrophilia etc etc and go with what your kit provides.if you want to get into CO2 thats fine but again dont get too hung up on things..the market forces out there are stronger than ever and to sell a product they will tell you and make all sorts of claims usually laboratory controlled not in the real world....Go with what kit you have use commonsense ask questions and enjoy YOUR tank...dont buy on impulse and that accounts for fish species also. Keep it simple...Remember most of these show tanks you see are exactly that...they are set up purely for photographic purposes and stripped in a matter of months...Unless you have a scientific brain that can cope with all the problems this side of the hobby throws up and a huge wallet to chase solutions then keep it simple Find out what plants work for you given your system/water via trial and error if need be....most of all Enjoy your Fishkeeping.....Regards C

P.S. I have seen hundreds of tanks up and down the country some by techies with the latest and greatest newfangled equipment that cost a hell of lot of beer tokens having problems and on the flip side an ordinary guy with the most beautiful planted aquaria who hasn't got a blind fiddlers clue what he's doing right or wrong (whatever that entails)....

One of my earlier attempts... Dupla and Denerle where just about to break onto the scene The tank measured 24inches by 12 inches by 18 inches deep and I custom fitted 2x 18 inch daylight spectrum 15w tubes under the lid with reflectors.

 

Incidentally if your having trouble planting certain aquatic plants with little or no developed root system then you can use a plastic comb..place the plantlets between the teeth and push the comb or comb segments into your substrate...just a wee tip lol

One of my breeding aquaria....

 

Hi @BicC

Thanks for that info, though not being obsessive, just trying to get some benchmark on these modern led lights which I have never used before, always had tubes even on the marines I used to run.

Just that the Tropica site uses those simple 3 lighting levels so trying to get an idea of where my Plantgrow 45 fits in. Seems a very good site for identifying and detailing the plants needs.

Good tip about the comb

 

Nice, @BigC, I presume an Aphyosemion but which variety?

 

Chromaphyosemion malumbresi GEMLCG 07/50
to be exact lol.

 

I'll post my marine aquaria later lol
Yes the Germans seem to lead the way in all things aquatic...
They are very meticulous in every way..
I would buy all my fish from there but there is an export ban in place...for the market I'm in...

 

Hi FC.

Hitch hikers already !

Suppose you could take them out but equally their waste will help the maturation cycle, though in a small way.

Quiet a few fish that will eat snail eggs that will fit in your large tank.

Think I better get the magnifying glass out on mine.

What fish were you thinking of getting this week ? if going for a shoal perhaps half now and half next week rather than all at once.

 

Cardinal Tet's much nicer than Neons
Ditch the blood Parrots IMHO
I take it you mean Dwarf Gourami var..Trichogaster lalius

 

Blue gouramis are nice