The Planted Tank Forum banner

150 gallon that is 31" deep and want to grow plants

2K views 11 replies 4 participants last post by  ziggnick 
#1 ·
hey guys im here from the angelfish forum and looking for answers on plans to do plants in a 150 gallon that is sort of deep 31" deep to be exact

i have figured that i would like to use filter sand and organic miracle grow soil and cap the soil with the sand unless anyone can disagree to this...

i am having lighting questions mostly, i am coming from a 45 gallon unplanted with lots of plastic crap lol i am wanting to brighten up the tank use some real driftwood and get some earthy green realistic tones in the tank

i am looking for any plants i can grow for as cheaply as possible i have a dual light that is high output with the purple and white bulb in there i am wondering if i am going to need more light as i know i am falling below the 1 watt per gallon but don't know how much more light i need and don't want to overbuy

if you could pair my lighting situation with a couple plants ill be golden even.if you tell me that your only saving grace to grow plants is anacharis
 
#5 ·
Ya we are having a small misunderstanding, my thought was to leave it on.the top of the tank.in rear portion where there is no glass? i am assuming this is a no no?

i should also mention i have just received this light while buying the 150 gallon aquarium off of craigslist

i read the par reading chart and info that was very helpful
 
#6 ·
Keeping it on top is fine. Keep in mind that the highest light will then be towards the back of the tank and the front will have less light. Also keep in mind your driftwood placement in terms of shadows and blocking light.

If the bulbs aren't new I would suggest two new 6700K bulbs but the fixture should work fine for low light.

Here's a list of low light plants (Source)

Java Fern - Microsorum pteropus
Windelov Java Fern, Windelov Fern - Microsorum pteropus 'Windelov'
Narrow Leaf Java Fern - Microsorum pteropus v. 'narrow leaf'
Java Moss - Vesicularia dubyana
Green Hygro - Hygrophila polysperma
*Sunset Hygro - Hygrophila polysperma 'Rosanervig'
Ceylon Hygro - Hygrophila polysperma 'Ceylon'
Rotala Rotundifolia - Rotala rotundifolia
Rotala Rotundifolia sp. Green - Rotala rotundifolia sp. 'Green'
Rotala Indica - Rotala indica
Hornwort - Ceratophylum demersum
Parrots Feather - Myriophyllum aquaticum
Moneywort, Water Hyssop - Bocapa monnieri
Brazilian Pennywort, Pennywort - Hydrocotyle leucocephala
Crypt Wendtii - Cryptocoryne wendtii
Crypt Balansae - Cryptocoryne Balansae
Pygmy Crypt - Cryptocoryne pygmaea
Guppy Grass - Najas guadalupensis
Anubias barteri - Anubias barteri v. barteri
Anubias barteri 'marble' - Anubias barteri 'marble'
Anubias barteri v. 'glabra' - Anubias barteri v. 'glabra'
Anubias nana - Anubias barteri v. 'nana'
Coffee leaf anubias - Anubias barteri v. 'coffeefolia'
Crypt retrospiralis - Cryptocoryne retrospiralis
Crypt spiralis - Cryptocoryne spiralis
Golden nana - Anubias barteri v. 'nana golden'
Narrow leaf nana - Anubias barteri v. 'nana narrow leaf'
Petite nana - Anubias barteri v. nana 'petite'
Philippine Java Fern - Microsorum pteropus 'Philippine'
Red Java fern - Microsorum pteropus "red"
Crypt Becketii - Cryptcoryne becketii
Pelia - Monosolenium tenerum
Waterwheel Plant - Aldrovanda vesiculosa
Bacopa - Bacopa caroliniana
African Water Fern - Bolbitis heudelotii
Hornwort - Ceratophyllum submersum
Crypt Aponogetifolia - Cryptocoryne aponogetifolia
Micro Crypt - Cryptocoryne petchii
Tropica Sword - Echinodorus parviflorus 'Tropica'
Downoi - Pogostemon helferi
 
#11 ·
Light goes through glass just fine as long as the rays of light are close to perpendicular. The more of an angle the worse it is, some light will bounce off the glass and is lost.

I think your tank will look better, and the plants grow better if you put the lights over the middle of the tank, not the back. Either centered, or a bit forward. Otherwise every time you look at the fish or plants you are looking at the non-lighted side. Fish show up much nicer if they are lit on the same side as you are looking.

Height of the light:
How deep is the substrate? Usually a planted tank has substrate that is taller than the bottom rim. Perhaps 2" or so at the front and can be made into hills and valleys, so can be a lot deeper near the back. A sloping substrate makes the tank look better. I would go with an absolute minimum of 1.5" at the front and 3" at the back, and more is better.
Then, if the light fixture sits on the glass lid, the bulb is still some fraction of an inch above the rim, perhaps and inch or so.
Height of the light is measured from the actual bulb to the top of the substrate.

Using the old 'watts per gallon' idea, larger tanks could get away with fewer watts per gallon, such as about 1.25 to 1.5 wpg of light from T-12 or T-8 bulbs, hopefully about 6,500K, or a mix of 'plant and aquarium' bulbs and 'daylight' bulbs.
I like a blend like that because the specialty bulbs contain more of the proper wavelengths for the plants, but make the fish look odd. The 'daylight' bulb fills in the spectrum better so the fish look good.

What are the other dimensions of the tank? Length, depth from the back to front?
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top