Lighting

[reeffreak25]

I have a 55g planted tank with two 65w 50/50 pc's. I recently ordered a co2 setup, so I decided to throw on a TT NO strip light that was laying around. I will be changing the 50/50's to 6500k and using the TT to make it not so yellow. It is heavily planted with swords and pennywort. Does this lighting sound okay? And how many bubbles per second should I start out with? Here's the plant list if needed: 3-E. bleheri, 2-E. amazonicus, 2-E. osiris, 2-E. ozelot, 2-E. rubin, 3-E. parvifloras, 1-H. leucocephala.

[Ed13]

Except for the parviflorus and the Hydrocotile all of the swords you want grow to at least 24" or more in height and are also very wide. Once had the pleasure of seeing a 30" wide E. Rubin in the pond of plant producer estimated depth at around 48" and the plant was just about 8-10" from the surface. One of the greatest things I've seen in this hobby to date.
Maybe revise your selection a bit. Try to get more of a foreground and midground. I know you did not ask for this advise but in a 55g you'd wish you had.
And yes two 65w pc on a 55g is more than enough for a basic set up. As for the Co2 will it be pressurized. If so a Ph controller is of great help, otherwise just start with a small dose at first. Maybe a bubble every 6-7 seconds since most likely the plants will have to adapt from a submerged state and the work up from there.

Good luck!

[reeffreak25]

The only plants with any size to them at this point are the 3-E. bleheri. I am getting 2-3 leaves per month on most of the plants though. The co2 will be pressurized. I just looked over and saw lots of bubbles coming off of my plants. Is that "pearling"? It has to be the new strip light. I plan on moving up to a 150 or 210 in the not too distant future.

[reeffreak25]

I knew red rubins got large but I didn't know it was that large. Right now they're only about 3 in tall. The only thing keeping me from getting a ph controller is the calibration and changing electrode mess. Is it a pain?

[diablocanine]

Don't set CO2 by bubble count. Set CO2 using KH/PH. Use a bubble count as a reference once you determine your saturation....DC

Good reading:

http://www.csd.net/~cgadd/aqua/art_plant_co2chart.htm

http://www.rexgrigg.com/

[reeffreak25]

Thanks for the info, can't wait to put my newly acquired knowledge to use.

[Ed13]

I knew red rubins got large but I didn't know it was that large. Right now they're only about 3 in tall. The only thing keeping me from getting a ph controller is the calibration and changing electrode mess. Is it a pain?



not just the rubins but, most Echinodorus species will grow extremely large( I mention earlier a thread where we had to remove 2 E bleheris from a 75g tank that kept outgrowing the tank weekly, the biggest was close to 27") E muricatus(for example this is a pond only one) is the biggest, I am fortunate to have good climate all year round so growing them in ponds its great. The same plant producer also sold me two E amazonicus, the biggest at 24" for a 180g tank that was going to be set up.

I compare them to South American Red Tails of the plant world;) , the plant won't thrive in small tanks and like RT people buy them under the "its small now" or the "I'll get a bigger tank later on" . However, unlike the RT that will suffer when referring to planted tanks you are the one that suffers because the aquascape got out of hand.
If you truly are going to get a big tank then you have some of the best choices! Otherwise, its money spend that could have gone to a better purpose.

And DC is right, bubble count is not the best way to set Co2, I prefer PH controller when it is an option but, customers rarely want what they feel is a wasted expense.
BTW, once you start adding Co2 the growth will increase a lot

[reeffreak25]

The only thing keeping me from getting another tank is my wife, and if I lean on her long enough she'll crumble. Hopefully in three months or so... six max. Thanks for your help though, I'll post pics once I have some worth showing off.