Hey all.

Spring is here...summer is coming...

I am planning to start a new tank setup and would like to do some good planning before I actually start purchasing...

I will keep my current light setup: Coralife 2x96W
After reading Tom Barr's article on lighting and got some advice from him, I will be running my lights like this:

96W 6700 11am-10pm (11hours)
96W 10K 12pm-3pm (3hours)

FIRST QUESTION:
How big of a tank should I get?

36x18x18 (50G) or 36x18x20(55G)

- My parents do not want the tank to be bigger than 36"Lx18"W...so I can't change that.
- dutch style aquascaping
- I will be keeping few young discus and algae eaters...will focus on plants mainly
- I am not going to be standing the light fixture on legs.
- low maintenance (ie. biweekly water changes or less w/c per week)

SECOND QUESTION:
CO2 or non-CO2?

- I don't mind pruning everyweek, but preferrably biweekly
- but I do not want plants grow only an inch in a month...
- anyway I can compromise? good growth + semi-fast growth? perhaps shorter CO2 period?

THIRD QUESTION:
What substrate should I get?

- something good for planting.
- something that has high in nutrients (in case I go non-CO2)

Sorry if that is too many questions...I feel like I've learnt alot every since joining this site...and I really want to put all the stuff I've learnt into making an aquarium suitable for me...

Any help is appreciated.

Thanks!
Barry.

Planning is very important Barry, I'm at that stage currently, although my plans have been modified many times already. Be prepared for this.

As to tank size, if those are your only choices go for the deeper tank. Your lighting is about 2w per gal level. Should be OK but you may want to experiment with the photo period times.

If you haven't done so already buy a good plant book with the characteristics of the plants you like. Chose slow to medium growers to keep the gardening down and leave out the CO2.

You may want to research the Walstad method as this works for some and requires little intervention when going well.

Substrates are a big issue in my plans ATM the ones I want, Eco complete and Flourite are too expensive here, but generally considered the best option. I think in a Dutch type setup they put garden soil in their gravels as does Ms. Walstad.

Good planning.

Ian

Thank Ian for your input.

I made some modification to my plans...

- I don't mind pruning each week...more important...less water changes is preffered...
- I should have made a note that I currently have CO2 equipment running...so it will not be an additional investment...i was thinking of getting the CO2 running only during midday...(which both lights come on)...will that work?
- plants...I will want to be able to keep a variety of plants...ranging from rotalas, crypts, anubias, moss, ludwigas, etc...the common stuff.

Thanks.
Barry.

You may want to reconsider Discus. 50 gallons is small for a discus tank. They require a lot of space. I'm sure it has been done, but it is not advised. Jack Wattley (well known discus breeder) recommends 100+ gallons for discus. They will eventually outgrow your 50 gallon.

Just something to keep in mind

You actually have 2x 96w on for part of the day, giving you almost 4wpg. With that level of light, even if only for part of the photo period, you have to have CO2 anyway...

sawallace: Thanks for your suggestion, I will definitely reconsider.

Laith: Yes I do understand that there will be a time of the day where CO2 is required...I was wondering if it was a good idea only to provide CO2 during that particular time when the 2x96W occur.


- I still need to decide on the tank size...whether discus or not...50G will give me about 1.92wpg throughout my day(2x during midday) and 55G will give me about 1.75wpg

- CO2 or not? Seems like I do need CO2 during the photoperiod when my 2x96W is on. But will it be advisable to have CO2 on only during this period? and then off during the rest?

- Substrate. Haven't decide on it yet.

Thanks!

Re the CO2 I would leave it on during the whole lighting period.

Hey all. just some update from some research I have done so far.

This tank will be mainly a planted tank. fish will be a compliment. There will be NO discus. maybe just a few tetras...but mainly plants

this will be a CO2 enriched tank.

lighting will still be a 2x96W...and will be along this schedule still:

1x96W 6700K 11am-10pm
1z96W 10000K 1pm-4pm

Should I get a 50G (36x16x20)tank giving me about 1.92wpg throughout the day or 55G (36x16x22) giving me about 1.75wpg

suggestions?

My 2 cents .

I would start the c02 2 hours before the lights come on that way it can get up to 30ppm . Using Toms Venturi it takes around 2 hours for me to get to 30ppm at 1.5bubbles per second roughly.


JA

Well ... your lighting isn't 1.92 wpg ... its 182 watts/50 gallons = 3.64 wpg, a lot of light by anyone's standards ...