# Moving on up into a real planted tank



## EnoOnraefi (Jun 15, 2015)

Hi all. Sorry if this is a bit long and confusing, I'm typing on my phone as we drive out of town on vacation. I was directed here from the DFWFishbox forums. I had a 35 gallon tank with a sand substrate that I have been planting with low light and in needy plants and maintaining for a year now.

I have been in the process of getting a 125 gallon long up and running, and had planned on taking the next year to get it running. The timeline for that was recently moved way up when the aforementioned 35 gallon started to leak. The fish are currently under a tank light and hob filtration in a rubermaid tote and the plants are in buckets near a window. I just resealed the 125 long and it is currently undergoing a water test while I am out of town. Unfortunately because of the time crunch my plans have been cramped a bit. So I'm getting things up ad running quick and dirty style to be upgraded in the future.


I'm planning a nice ballance between a community and a planted tank. For filtration I have 2 used marineland magnum 350s that I picked up cheap and am planning on running one on each end of the tank with mechanical and biological filtration only.(I plan on replacing these with a single larger canister in the future.) I can use my current glass heater until the budget allows for nicer titanium heaters, luckily it's summer and heaters aren't going to be as important right away. I am going to be building a nice stand and canopy for the tank as well. I have some MTS that a member of DFWFishbox is going to be selling me since I don't have the time to prepare it properly myself, and I'm planning to cap that with black sand.

My first question for you guys is what type of lighting can I get away with for a 72Lx18Wx22H tank? I can add more lights later to enable grow a wider range of plants in need be, I just don't want to be spending money now that is just going to be wasted when I upgrade. I'm currently looking at 3x 24" Finnex FugeRay Planted+ from Amazon. But if that isn't going to cut it I would love to know what will. I would like to be able to grow anything with this setup but I'm pretty sure I will not be able to on the current budget. I'm not opposed to building my own as long as it is cost effective, will grow anything I want, is upgradeable if need be, and doesn't take days upon days to get put together since my timeline is so short.

Question two is how necessary is it that I have co2 up and running when I start? I plan on getting it installed after a few months but again budget is coming into play here. Should I just run it as a community tank until I can get the co2 up and running? Or can I get some stuff in there before hand?

I look forward to hearing your input and any suggestions you may have. I'm new and I know that so any advice will be greatly welcomed.


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## CrownMan (Sep 12, 2005)

I have finnex ray 2 7000k lights on most of my 8 tanks, a couple of the Planted + on my lower light small tanks (a 7Gallon and a 40 breeder with two lights). The Ray 2 light have the highest par ratings and they are on all 3 of my CO2 tanks. They put out a strong light with very little heat output and don't use much electricity.

However, I don't believe they make them in lengths past 48". If you don't have a center support in your tank you would have to make one to house two 36" lights.

They also have a new one out that has a programmable system but I don't know a lot about it.

My largest tank is a 90 Gallon 48Lx18wx24h and have one finnex ray 2 on this tank. It is my low light community tank and houses many types of crypts and easier to grow plants like Bacopa, Hygrophila, Anubis, java fern and mermaid weed. If I wanted to convert to a CO2 tank, I would need to add one more Ray 2 to grow some of the more exotic plants.

Hope this helps.


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## EnoOnraefi (Jun 15, 2015)

So, going by what your saying, if I want to grow high light plants I'll need 2 rows of the finnex ray 2s? This tank's frame is split into 3 sections by 2 braces. I was planning on going with 3 24" fixtures attached to the canopy do you think that will work? Then I can just upgrade to another set of 3 when I can afford to add the CO2 system.

How much of a PAR difference are we talking about between the ray 2 and the planted+? Are the 660nm LEDs not as big of a deal as finnex makes of them?


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## Virc003 (Aug 18, 2011)

If you are looking for quick and cheap lighting, nothing beats the clamp on shop lights. I have a glass top so mine just sit on the tank but there are many different ways to attach them almost as easily. Best part is that when you are ready to upgrade you can use the old lights in the garage or where. Also since you are starting off small, you could onky put lighting above where your plants are.


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## EnoOnraefi (Jun 15, 2015)

Unfortunately this display tank is going in the entrance to my home. So, it will have to be at very least evenly lit and presentable from day one, I don't think the lopsided lighting will work for me. I think the ray2s are going to be my best bet. I just really wish that someone had a PAR comparison of the ray 2 and the planted+ 24/7.

I just got back in town and the new tank isn't leaking so as long as I'm physically able, tomorrow I'll be building a stand for it to sit on and going to buy some MTS from a fellow member of the dfwFishbox forums so that I can get things rolling and get the fish and plants out of plastic and back behind glass.

Keep the suggestions coming though. I realy appreciate all of the replies so far.


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## fishyjoe24 (May 18, 2010)

home depot sells t5 h.o. lighting, there good, I would just get better bulbs later on.


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## Michael (Jul 20, 2010)

Eno, I don't want to answer for Crownman, but having seen his set-ups, I think you would be fine with 1 Finnex Ray 2 on your tank.


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