Need some advice for Dry-Start Method

[kinokunya]

Hi all,

Flora is only Glosso with Amazonia substrate. Using a Gex glass lid over, which is not air tight like the plastic wraps like some of my fellow Singaporeans over at AquaticQuotient did. Reason being the temperature and humidity for Singapore is quite high.

CO2
My tank will be non CO2, after flooding the tank can I dose excel for the first few weeks and eventually stop excel? Do I need any other traces when using Amazonia substrate?

Lighting
My Gex Genoah 200 cube tank (approx 5 US gallons) when flooded, will house a pair of German Blue Rams, 5-6 tetras as dithers, and 2 otos.
The tank is sited away from the living room window. Can I employ a night photoperiod (10pm - 6am) for my glossos?

I am using the default GEX 蛍光ランプ ナチュラルホワイト GL-12NW that came with the tank.
A1018_Z2.jpg

The light bulb is more than 2 yrs of casual usage.
Read my local forums and someone mentioned changing light bulbs every 4 mths.
Will my current lighting suffice or do I need new replacement light?

What is the difference in GL/ PL/ FL forms of light bulbs? I am quite confused.
I also see units like 6500K, Lumen etc. Can I just base on WPG for my selection of bulbs?

Thank you very much.


Day 0, last night.