[Eldimiis]

Hi everyone!

So I'm jumping into having my own planted aquarium. I haven't personally had a proper aquarium before, but I do work in a pet store and care for the aquariums there almost everyday. I've been researching lights for weeks, and my brain 100% fried by all the information so I need some help.

My plan is to have a carpet of Monte Carlo (Micranthemum). The Monte Carlo is the only plant I'm planning on having as I'm going for an open meadow look. It will be a low tech tank; I have a 29 gallon tank 30"L x12"W x19"H it's not started yet as I plan to do a dry start for the Monte Carlo in Carib-Sea Eco complete (I hear this reeks until you cover it with water, but I'm still willing to go forward with this) Planning on 1-2 inches deep in a sloped formation supported with plastic barrier walls to keep the shape over time.

My budget isn't the highest, but I was hoping to get some recommendations in the $50-$60 range and the most I can spend is gonna be $80. I've looked at a variety of lights from Beamsworks, Finnex, Hygger, and Nicrew. I keep getting conflicting information about their quality, and what I need for PAR without going overboard and getting nonstop algae. I would prefer a whiter to bluer look visually as that will go better with the scene I'm creating.

Thank you!

 

[Now3]

Hi everyone!

So I'm jumping into having my own planted aquarium. I haven't personally had a proper aquarium before, but I do work in a pet store and care for the aquariums there almost everyday. I've been researching lights for weeks, and my brain 100% fried by all the information so I need some help.

My plan is to have a carpet of Monte Carlo (Micranthemum). The Monte Carlo is the only plant I'm planning on having as I'm going for an open meadow look. It will be a low tech tank; I have a 29 gallon tank 30"L x12"W x19"H it's not started yet as I plan to do a dry start for the Monte Carlo in Carib-Sea Eco complete (I hear this reeks until you cover it with water, but I'm still willing to go forward with this) Planning on 1-2 inches deep in a sloped formation supported with plastic barrier walls to keep the shape over time.

My budget isn't the highest, but I was hoping to get some recommendations in the $50-$60 range and the most I can spend is gonna be $80. I've looked at a variety of lights from Beamsworks, Finnex, Hygger, and Nicrew. I keep getting conflicting information about their quality, and what I need for PAR without going overboard and getting nonstop algae. I would prefer a whiter to bluer look visually as that will go better with the scene I'm creating.

Thank you!

Probably won't get a monte carlo carpet in a 29 gallon tall with an $80 light from what I know, especially since you can't run co2.

 

[Eldimiis]

Probably won't get a monte carlo carpet in a 29 gallon tall with an $80 light from what I know, especially since you can't run co2.

Ah okay could you recommend a light that would work? I was just hoping I could get the light right away I can save up to buy a light.

 

[Rid]

Hi everyone!

So I'm jumping into having my own planted aquarium. I haven't personally had a proper aquarium before, but I do work in a pet store and care for the aquariums there almost everyday. I've been researching lights for weeks, and my brain 100% fried by all the information so I need some help.

My plan is to have a carpet of Monte Carlo (Micranthemum). The Monte Carlo is the only plant I'm planning on having as I'm going for an open meadow look. It will be a low tech tank; I have a 29 gallon tank 30"L x12"W x19"H it's not started yet as I plan to do a dry start for the Monte Carlo in Carib-Sea Eco complete (I hear this reeks until you cover it with water, but I'm still willing to go forward with this) Planning on 1-2 inches deep in a sloped formation supported with plastic barrier walls to keep the shape over time.

My budget isn't the highest, but I was hoping to get some recommendations in the $50-$60 range and the most I can spend is gonna be $80. I've looked at a variety of lights from Beamsworks, Finnex, Hygger, and Nicrew. I keep getting conflicting information about their quality, and what I need for PAR without going overboard and getting nonstop algae. I would prefer a whiter to bluer look visually as that will go better with the scene I'm creating.

Thank you!

It’s growing pretty well in my 75 gallon with a finnex 24/7. I’m also using excel daily.

 

[Eldimiis]

I'm not opposed to CO2 either

It’s growing pretty well in my 75 gallon with a finnex 24/7. I’m also using excel daily.

Glad to hear that! Thanks for the suggestion!

 

[Asteroid]

Personally I think your going to have a rough time growing MC in a 19" tall tank without co2 and an inert substrate.

Firstly that's a deep tank and to get the necessary intensity to the carpet you need strong light. Strong light without co2 doesn't play nice. Also during the dry start the MC will have plenty of co2 from the air, but once submersed it will have to not only transition to being submersed but also deal with almost no co2. You state that the only plant in the tank will be the MC, even tougher since there won't be fast growing stems to uptake organics.

Not saying it's impossible, but I doubt it will grow in a thick, lush lawn like you see in some pics.

 

[Eldimiis]

Personally I think your going to have a rough time growing MC in a 19" tall tank without co2 and an inert substrate.

Firstly that's a deep tank and to get the necessary intensity to the carpet you need strong light. Strong light without co2 doesn't play nice. Also during the dry start the MC will have plenty of co2 from the air, but once submersed it will have to not only transition to being submersed but also deal with almost no co2. You state that the only plant in the tank will be the MC, even tougher since there won't be fast growing stems to uptake organics.

Not saying it's impossible, but I doubt it will grow in a thick, lush lawn like you see in some pics.

After the responses here I'm thinking that the correct way to do this is probably gonna be going with CO2. I guess I have some more research to do. With that said do you have a recommendation for a light if I do CO2?

 

[Asteroid]

After the responses here I'm thinking that the correct way to do this is probably gonna be going with CO2. I guess I have some more research to do. With that said do you have a recommendation for a light if I do CO2?

There's lots of lights to choose from. The Finnex 24/7 might work if it's strong enough. I think your probably looking for 60-70 PAR at the 19". Another could be The Fluval 3.0. The beamswork are definitely the most reasonable, but you need the PAR I listed, some of them are very dim. Also it's better to get a light that you can program so you can run dimmer light for part of the photo period and a shorter time running full intensity. Running strong light all day is tougher to do without getting algae.

 

[Eldimiis]

There's lots of lights to choose from. The Finnex 24/7 might work if it's strong enough. I think your probably looking for 60-70 PAR at the 19". Another could be The Fluval 3.0. The beamswork are definitely the most reasonable, but you need the PAR I listed, some of them are very dim. Also it's better to get a light that you can program so you can run dimmer light for part of the photo period and a shorter time running full intensity. Running strong light all day is tougher to do without getting algae.

Yeah, I gonna save up the money and just do this the right way versus the immediate budget friendly way. Anything worth doing is worth doing right. Thank you!

 

[Asteroid]

Yeah, I gonna save up the money and just do this the right way versus the immediate budget friendly way. Anything worth doing is worth doing right. Thank you!

Yep, I think so. All plants will grow better with injected co2. If you want those lush looking lawns it's pretty much a necessity.