[Gilly13]

Yeah, you need to check your parameters because adding more light will amplify your existing conditions. My bet is that with a goldfish in a smaller tank, your nitrates may be a lot higher than you think.

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That's what I was afraid of. My nitrates are fine due to my weekly water changes and the only parameter that is a little higher then what I would like is my carbonate hardness, and I really don't want either of my fish in this small of a tank as they are too big but they were pond fish and the only ones I have left after a racoon came through.

When I first started switching to live plants the two fish destroyed everything, and I don't think I ever had enough plants at one time. After almost a year of research and trial and error I think i've started getting a handle on things and the fish seem to be board of the plants and have started leaving them alone. I think my algae blooms are due to a lack of plants.

I was just worried that this light would be too weak for the plants that I want to grow that are listed above. And that the brighter light would speed up plant growth and help to compensate for the damage the gold fish caused.
Thanks for the advice

So I guess my final question: would all of the plants that I have listed above be able to grow in this tank. I am planning on placing a massive plant order of 3 more crypts, some buce anubias, and ferns the rotala the lotus and the lobelia.

I have 3 swords in my tanks two of which are red and get real good color, 3 crypts, some buce anubais ferns the two hygros and one of the onion plants.

I knew going into this that goldfish are difficult to keep with plants but I love fish gold fish and koi, I like having fish with personality.
I also plan on getting a timer for my light because I think that might be a big part of my issue is my somewhat inconsite that I turn the light on and off.
Thanks for all the hlep

 

[Gilly13]

I think your current lighting is probably fine, and adding a timer would be a huge help simply because you can raise and lower your photoperiod as needed.

The downside to the FugeRay is that it is not dimmable (as far as I know), and you'll probably need CO2 unless you raise the lights or use something to dim it a bit.

Another option would be the planted plus 24/7 which is dimmable and can cover everything you are looking for

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Thanks for the info. I use liquid Co2 but I really don't want to mess with DIY co2 or pressurized right now. I'ed like to be able to keep this tank simple and I do get some decent reds on the swords and on my rotala colorata before the fish ate it.

I've looked into the 24/7 but that's just a little out of my price range and I've still been trying to read up on PAR ranges for low to medium light, according to one thread I read on here they put PAR for medium light plants at somewhere around 50 while still being able to use liquid co2, if i remember correctly.
Any way thanks for the insight