So I have 7 Discus I am growing out and I am considering getting a 120 XH tank for them. The height on it is 26"! I know shorter is preferable for planted tanks, and I find my 55 gallon to be the max height for ease of reaching the substrate. However I am wondering if anyone has had success with a tank this high? I am also wondering what kind of lighting it would take to give decent par? Any thoughts on this would be appreciated?
Getting started with a fishless cycle on my 120. No plants yet but the LED bar makes my goal of 75% of low range par at less than 50% of control. At 100% par readings are in the upper part of the medium light scale. Water is still clearing from initial water fill and these numbers will improve with clear water.
So I have 7 Discus I am growing out and I am considering getting a 125 XH tank for them. The height on it is 26"! I know shorter is preferable for planted tanks, and I find my 55 gallon to be the max height for ease of reaching the substrate. However I am wondering if anyone has had success with a tank this high? I am also wondering what kind of lighting it would take to give decent par? Any thoughts on this would be appreciated?
Thanks Mark! I won't be doing LEDs although they make sense for the width of the tank. 60" light fixtures are rare and bulb choices are very limited!
exv I don't plan on using co2, from what I've read so far about Discus, I think low maintanance plants are going to be the way to go. So far this is a list of plants I think I will use.. unless they die on me of course...
Hygro angustifolia
Brazilian Pennywort
Crypts
Hoping Dwarf Sags will work for me in low tech
Would like Stargrass and Alternanthera reineckii, but not sure that will work in low tech
Hygrophila polysperma 'Rosanervig'
Wisteria & Water Sprite to help keep the water clean but will toss later on if needed.
Maybe a sword if I can find one I like, I'm not crazy about the huge ones for some reason.
Want to stick with stuff that likes higher temps and preferably of south american origin, but I am open to anything that looks good really. I am probably forgetting something.
I was really hoping someone would respond to my thread. I am considering just hanging my 48" fixture over it. Not sure if that will be enough. The 120XH is 60" wide and 26" tall. Anyone??
Two to three T5HOs at about 30" from the substrate would probably work well for low tech / non-c02. But four bulbs would be too much. Those plants don't require much in the way of lighting. But ime hygro and swords do fine in discus temps (82-86F).
Thank you so much for your thoughts. I discovered I can turn my fixture on with 3 lights in it. It was odd because one set of lights only worked with both bulbs but the other set would work with only one. Not sure if it would be bad long term to run it like that.
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