Habitat - Indoor :: Planted Tank

[Tucker Allen]

Hey everyone,

I made Tucker's old tank into a planted tank. I have a few questions though. Does anyone grow plants to feed to their turtle? I have a small left over bit of Anacharis, Java or Water Fern, and Amazon Swords in this tank.

Are the aquarium lights that came with the hood sufficient to grow the plants? It's an 8,000 K 17 W bulb in a 20 gallon tank. the tank has about 19 gallons in it.

Should I add fish and a bubbler?

Let me know your thoughts. Thanks!

[Ranger The Red Ear Slider]

Take out that gravel, He can eat it and get hurt. Add sand its cleaner nicer and you can still plant your plants just as easily.

[kriminologie]

This is his turtle's old tank, no gravel danger there!

I'd also like to know other people's experiences on lights and wattage for plant growing.

[Ranger The Red Ear Slider]

Ohh! Okay I don't know much about plant growing, Ancharis grow like crazy and don't need much other then some light and water.

[rsour24]

fish would help, and u have less than 1 watt per gallon right now which isnt good. you want a minimum of 2 watts per gallon for most planted tanks. although ive seen ppl break this rule in small tanks such as yours and get away with it

[sflemin2]

I don't have a light yet for mine (all funds have been going to the new turtle tank) so mine is in the sun. I have the dreaded blue green algae .

Tucker, my plants grew so much better when I put a little betta fish in there! I wouldnt get a betta if I were you since your tank is bigger but you should get some fish to help fertilize . My turtles LOVE weekends because its when I trim down the plants and they get lots of water sprite (because thats all the pet store had lol).

[Ranger The Red Ear Slider]

Wouldn't a normal fluorescent light bulb do good as a light source?

[Tucker Allen]

That's what I'm thinking. The normal light should work. The light is only a few inches or so from the tops of the plants so it should make them grow. I'll just watch the plants. If they aren't growing in a few weeks or so, I'll look into getting a new bulb. I did get two fire guppies though! They look awesome. Have red/orange tails. Looks neat with the blue/black gravel.

[Ranger The Red Ear Slider]

Thats what I used for my anacharis and they grew like crazy with it. I don't thing plants need any kind of different lighting since they do grow in nature from one light source.. the sun haha.

[sflemin2]

I just got a normal light for mine.. curious to see how it goes! I will update in a week

[Miss Tee]

The blue is so nice...great job, Tucker Allen--

I don't have a light for my new tank yet either...Just the UVA & UVB..but I couldn't use a hood b/c the hoses come up over the edge and then a hood can't sit there?

[Love of Animals]

Hoods sometimes have pieces that are perforated in the back. This way you can cut off the pieces to fit your tubing.

[sflemin2]

I have had my regular ol cabinet light over my tank for a few days now.. plants arent growing as fast as they did with sun/household light but the algae is much better. I want to get the hood and light but the hood alone is $30!!!!!!!!!!!

[VeipaCray]

The blue is so nice...great job, Tucker Allen--

I don't have a light for my new tank yet either...Just the UVA & UVB..but I couldn't use a hood b/c the hoses come up over the edge and then a hood can't sit there?

You can cut or drill notches in the back side of the hood to let the hoses come up and into the tank while the hood is in place. Look at the build thread in my signature for an example.