Brand New with planted tanks. HELP!!!

[Ocho Cinco]

This week was my first week ever with planted tanks and I was wondering if I was doing everything right so far. I have a 29 gallon tank with a Zoo med 17 watt bulb (5000 K). My lfs said that would be ok for now. Is it? I am eventually going to add another light strip. The lfs guy set me up with 4 easy plants. I have a live planted substrate. The tank has been running for like a year as a community tank but I just now switched it over to a planted tank. I have like 20 small fish in there. About how fast do plants grow? I's a saltwater guy so I'm used to slow growth. Any info, recomendations, tips, etc would be GREAT. Remember I'm bran new to this!!! Oh. probably a stupid question, but one of the plants I got come in a pot with stuff aroung the roots. I took the pot off, do I leave that "stuff" around it there?

Thanks!!!

[kornphlake]

You'll need more light. You might be okay depending on what plants you have but making some general assumptions I'd say you need to double the amount of lighting you have.

The best advice I can give is to search this forum and others and get an idea of what you'll need as far as lighting and equipment before you spend any more money on plants. Don't freak out if all your plants are dead in a month, I think every one of us has been there before. It's just part of the learning curve.

Planting in the pots has worked for me in the past, but it seems like the pots always get uncovered a little and look bad.

[Ocho Cinco]

I'm going to add another light strip soon. I took the plant out of the pot but there was like this sponge like material around it. I have no clue what it is, it might be part of the plant or something to hold in moisture. How much light do you think I'll need total?

[lauraleellbp]

Welcome to TPT!

To grow "easy" plants you generally need between 1.5- 2 watts per gallon (wpg), so I'd say you need about 50-60 watts over your tank. There's no way 17 watts is going to cut it! Bulbs that are rated between 5000-10000k generally will support FW plant growth, so that part is OK.

I would take the plant out of the rockwool- that stuff is crazy messy and it's easier to remove sooner rather than later. Doing it in a bowl of water makes it a little easier.

With that kind of advice from your fish store guy, I'd also be suspicious of the plants that were sold to you - especially if they came from one of the big chain stores (which have been passing off all kinds of inappropriate plants as "aquatic plants" that don't have a shot at living under water!!)

Any way you can post pics of your plants so we can take a look? You might want to double-check on the plants before removing the rockwool, in case you want to take them back...

[TubaTime1010]

Hey Ocho, you on N-R.com? i swear I've seen you over there!

I had a plant in that spongy stuff, too...I just left it on. I'm assuming the roots will grow thru it.

EDIT: I may remove the "spongy stuff"...apparently it's bad...lol

[lauraleellbp]

It's just really messy- kinda like Christmas tinsel, and could potentially cause big problems if it got in a filter impeller...

[Ocho Cinco]

Originally Posted by TubaTime1010

Hey Ocho, you on N-R.com? i swear I've seen you over there!

I had a plant in that spongy stuff, too...I just left it on. I'm assuming the roots will grow thru it.

EDIT: I may remove the "spongy stuff"...apparently it's bad...lol

Yeah I'm on NR. What's your NR name?

I just started working at that lfs. I trust him. He said that the light would dbe ok for the really easy to do plants but I would have to get another light later. I'm going to get another one very soon. The one I'm looking at is a double 30" bulb fixture. I would then be running 3 bulbs. What other 2 should I get along with the one I currently have?

[lauraleellbp]

How many watts and what kind of fixture? (EG Power compact, T8 or T5 fluorescent...)

[Ocho Cinco]

This is the exact one I'm trying to get. http://detroit.craigslist.org/ele/647582633.html

Check it out and let me know.

[lauraleellbp]

I personally wouldn't pay that much for a 2 year old fixture with standard fluorescent bulbs.

If you're serious about wanting good growth from your plants you'd do better with a fixture like this:http://www.bigalsonline.com/BigAlsUS...lestriplight30

[Ocho Cinco]

I'm not all that serous about it. I just want a tank with live plants in it. I'm getting that one for $20. All the single new strip lights around here are like $30 new, without a bulb. That online light is like $50 after shipping. What kind of growth would I get with that $20 fixture and new bulbs?

[lauraleellbp]

You're going to spend another $25 or so on just new bulbs...

Check out the list of Low Light plants in the sticky at the top of the Low Tech forum, IMO that's the best place to start with plant selections

[Ocho Cinco]

I figure I'll have to buy 2 new bulbs for it. Unless I can just use one of the bulbs it comes with. I'll check that out, thanks!!

[fishsandwitch]

Dude,those bulbs are not going to be any good. buying a new light is going to be cheaper and better.

[Ocho Cinco]

What if I can get the fixture for like $15? There's no way I'd be able to get that coralife light at a lfs for $40. At least I don't think so. If I can get that other light for 15 should I go for for it?