[fredfish]

any advice on how to grow plants out of HOB filter. how set up the media with the plants? and is there a cheap clamp on style light I could use? I want to avoid hanging a light from the ceiling. any other tip or advice is welcome

 

[thedood]

Check the riparium section. Also here: http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/25-riparium-terrarium-vivarium/1006345-true-marginal-aquatic-plants-planted-ripariums.html. As far as cheap clamp on lights they make a cheap clamp on shop light which I have used myself: Shop Bayco 75-Watt Incandescent Portable Work Light at Lowes.com Stuff a low cost cfl in it and youre ready to rock.

 

[Diana]

Start with small house plants and wash off the soil, or start with cuttings.
The roots will grow through sponges, and that is ok. Just check that the roots are not getting into the impeller.

 

[GrampsGrunge]

This one is similar to the ones carried at our Bi-Mart 8.5" and they work well with both sub 30 watt, spiral CFL's and the new A19 LED interior light bulbs.

Shop Bayco 150-Watt Incandescent Portable Work Light at Lowes.com

Thread about setting up a planted HOB.. http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/8-general-planted-tank-discussion/170324-planted-hob-thread.html

 

[fredfish]

thanks for the info everyone , exactly what I was looking for

 

[theatermusic87]

There is also a planted hob thread with lots of good info as well as a thread on riparium plants linked in my signature.

Also Walmart had an accent light for ~10 dollars that you could mount to the wall with a single screw and plug it into your light timer, I use that with a small cfl bulb

 

[fredfish]

This one is similar to the ones carried at our Bi-Mart 8.5" and they work well with both sub 30 watt, spiral CFL's and the new A19 LED interior light bulbs.

Shop Bayco 150-Watt Incandescent Portable Work Light at Lowes.com

Thread about setting up a planted HOB.. http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/8-general-planted-tank-discussion/170324-planted-hob-thread.html

ok so if I went this route, with the a19 led youre saying anything under 30 watt would work? I am leaning towards LED because of less heat

 

[GrampsGrunge]

That's entirely your call.

I'm just a bit infatuated with these new LED bulbs, (which are about 9 to 12 watts) you can get spiral CFL's in a wider choice of kelvin color and brightness and they tend to be cheaper. I recommended a limit on the CFL's maximum wattage, as the ones above 22 watts tend to run a bit warm in these reflectors.

This was an experiment that seems to be working well for my tanks. The clamp-on lamp fixture I have has a pretty good focus and spread for either bulb, it spreads the light in a wider, less focused pattern, since I also plan to use my HOB filters for immersed plants the lights sit a few inches above the tank's rim.

 

[fredfish]

ok I am somewhat new to planted tanks so I apologize for my confusion, but when I am looking up these a19 LEDs there is quite a few different ones. My questions what range specs should I be looking for with LEDs as far kelvin, lumen, watts etc. a lot of them also say watts equivalent. Thanks for your help

 

[GrampsGrunge]

ok I am somewhat new to planted tanks so I apologize for my confusion, but when I am looking up these a19 LEDs there is quite a few different ones. My questions what range specs should I be looking for with LEDs as far kelvin, lumen, watts etc. a lot of them also say watts equivalent. Thanks for your help

TCP 60W Equivalent Daylight (5000K) A19 Non-Dimmable LED Light Bulb (6-Pack)-LA1050KND6 - The Home Depot

..for 6 it's about $4.00 a bulb, was about 19.00 a week back, they got popular, good ratings, lots of satisfied users. Once again, your call as they make these from 600 lumens to 1650 lumens, (in range of incandescent replacement equivalent wattages, unfortunately you have to extrapolate..) but the price is all over the place. The TCP's get good owner reviews, I've used Fiet 22 watt 5000K CFL's before these, and they were fine.

Color in Kelvin would be 5000K as it's the most commonly available 'daylight'. These "60 watt" incandescent equivalents put out 900 lumens, it's really a lot of bang for your energy budget of 8.5 watts consumed, not too many others are as efficient. CRI of about 82, not great like 90 but better than most. I ran budget "24,000 hour Full Spectrum" T25 fluorescent tubes over my early tanks for years, and they were 5000K and a CRI of about 85. For screw-in LED bulbs, these are a bargain.

 

[fredfish]

Ok makes better since thanks for the detailed info

 

[Convict with convicts]

The plant, I can speak on. I have a pythos growing wildly out of my 55/75 hob. As someone said just watch and trim roots. They go wild... Also make sure you rinse the roots well for unwanted friends and dirt. As for the light, tbh.... I don't even use one near it. I think is survives off my TV light lol. Plus the ei steroids. I will say this, downside is I struggle to keep any nitrate with that thing growing