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Beginner needs help with plant selection on 4 gallon finnex

4K views 41 replies 10 participants last post by  merk1_99 
#1 ·
Hi I am a beginner to the freshwater planted world. I need help choosing plants for a 4 gallon finnex gallon tank. The tank comes with the stock 13 watt light. The tank will contain a single betta. I would like to add another fish but realize that probably is an impossibility. I am confused whether the 13 watt light makes the tank a low light tank or a medium light tank. Since wpg is useless on a smaller tank. I am guessing I will make a DIY CO2 system at some point. The substrate will be eco-complete. Help me choose some plants for the fore, mid, and background. Also can someone point me to good online vendors. The local LFS's do not have a good stock of plants or knowlegable staff.

TIA
 
#28 ·
This looks quite a bit like my tank thus far, so good to compare notes (and maybe crib a little) from the responses. Ecocomplete, the Finnex 4g, which I like very much--had it about 9 months.

I'm looking for a good heater for this size, so if you find a good one post the details.
 
#29 ·
I have a stealth 25 watt have yet to plug it in. Tank is at 61 degrees b/c house is cold. I will plug it in tomorrow after the tank clears....pics for sure... The peat moss is because I am using Diane Walstad/Tom Barre no CO2 method. The peat moss will provide nutrients for the ECO. Tank will be heavily planted on Tuesday. I have read quite a bit on this method. I am ok if the water is not ultra clear, in nature there is very little very clear lake ecosystems....
 
#31 ·
Just got the news from the plant place. Won't have the plants till next Weds or Thursday. You think they could have put something on the web site that it takes a week and a half to ship.......Hopefully the tank won't suffer in the meantime....I am thinking about buying another stock Finnex light for the tank. The 13 watts seems dark to me. I would feel more comfortable getting another 13 watts on the tank... I am not looking to get in the high light category. I am ok to be in the low to medium light.

My options for lighting are:

$35 for a new finnex 4 light

$85 for a 2 fan 3 13 watt light fixture from catalina or the below 2 lights

http://www.bigalsonline.com/BigAlsU...al2x18watt12powercompactstriplightwlunarlight

http://www.bigalsonline.com/BigAlsU...alifeaqualightdoublelinearstrippowercompact12
 
#32 ·
The 2 fan 3 13 watt light fixture from catalina sound like the delux model. If money is not an issue then this will give you the most light.

If you are not looking to spend as much you can get one of these clip on that work pretty well:
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+3733+8154&pcatid=8154

If you get the Coralife Aqualight-Double Linear Strip Power Compact-12" be sure to change out the actinic (blue) bulbs.
 
#33 ·
I'm going to have to think about the light for a day or two. The catalina will give me more light than I want as I do want to keep it so I don't have to does CO2. But the Coralife is only 3 less watts....I guess I need to check the cost of the bulbs to make the decision. Plus I need to research catalina fixtures to make sure they are decent...With the catalina I can always just run 2 bulbs.
 
#34 ·
Still waiting on the plants to arrive. Its taking forever. The supplier said I should have them no later than Thursday. Once I get it planted I will post pics otherwise there is not much to see. I have a too big pc of driftwood that I need to cut down. Also my daughter is insisting I put her pink and purple hoop in the tank. I need to figure out how to aqua scape around it since it is her fish.

I have pretty much decided on buying the catalina 3 13 watt system. I will probably only run two lights but who knows down the road I may go with CO2 so why not buy one light instead of upgrading later.

I am having fun with this tank. My only problem is its so small its hard to have any fish. I would love to get a finnex 8....
 
#35 ·
Well my first load of plants is delivering today. And I have a few odds and ends delivering either tomorrow or Saturday.

I am going to order from Catalina the 2 bulb 13 watt light fixture. Its $40 dollars cheaper than the custom 3 bulb light from them, and I believe that the 26 watts will be good enough. I am not ready to truly commit to DIY CO2 or pressurized. I have excel and want to start there.

Bulb selection does it really matter if its 6500k, or 10k? My understanding is 6500k is more what plants need?
 
#36 ·
Bulb selection does it really matter if its 6500k, or 10k? My understanding is 6500k is more what plants need?
I've found that there is no difference in plant growth with any number between 5,000k and 10,000k. It's just a matter of preference. The lower range tends to be yellower where the higher range tends to be bluer.

I go more for the higher range as I like that color spectrum, but I swap from 10,000k to 7,200k to 6,700k depending on my mood.

So pick anything between 5,000k and 10,000k and your plants will be fine.
 
#37 ·
Cool. This freshwater is so much different than saltwater. A 6500k in salt will outgrow a 10-12k bulb all things considered equal.

Plants and pics later...

They sent me regular anubius nana....not the petite as ordered....this plant place is just killing me...Also the didn't have my dwarf hairgrass or blyxa japonica. So I got some java fern, and crypts. I was able to score a small amount of dwarf hairgrass, and some peacock and java moss from someone in the swap and shop. But I won't have those till hopefully tomorrow. Can't wait to plant....
 
#40 ·
I have a FInnex four gal and I hope I am not too late on this suggestion. For more light I just went and bought one of those Home Depot $20 lamps. I use it along with the 13 W light that came witht the finnex and I can grow anything, I was finally able to grow HC. Once I got the HD lamp on there THe HC took off in a couple of weeks. I highly recommend them. I have since removed the 13 w light and know I just use the HD light.

You can also look at the Ott lightes that Ugly Genius uses, you would have to contact him about the specs though as I have not used them but they look great on his tanks.

As far as fish I used to have a dwarf puffer fish in mine, Just one though. He/she was very comfortable until my DIY CO2 system back up into the tank and the PH levels raised too much for him. he wasnt the same after that and died a few weeks later. (I have pressurized now). Now I have 8 Rasboras Briggatae in there along with 12 tiger shrimp and it always activity going on. Its quite fun to watch now. The Rasboras are very small and I think the perfect size for this size of tank. I got mines from Pedro on this forum.

I hope I helped, And I cant to wait to finally get to see some pics, already.


EDIT: We really Finnex owners really need to get the Finnex tank club going, I think I see a new Finnex four gal every month on this forum. LOL
 
#41 ·
Well I am on vacation starting tomorrow and will update with pics. Instead of buying a new light I had and old 15 watt t-8 lying around. I threw that on with the 13 watt kit light and it has helped immensely. The growth in the tank with no ferts so far has been explosive. I have trimmed once my tank but I am letting it grow willy nilly for now as I think I will be purchasing another Finnex 4 for a male hm/plakat. I did take out two of the Java ferns and put them in a seperate tank. I may be removing one of the banana plants as well since it is crowding my val, and a crypt which has had some explosive growth. Good news is I have plenty of plants to put in the finnex. This is such an addiction the small tank size makes me want more. I promised my wife after I took down my 75 gal reef that this 4 gallon would be the only tank. But now I want another, and I possibly have space for another 4 gallon tank.....This will be the last new tank I think for awhile.
 
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