Amazon biotope/planted tank lights.....

[jbeining75]

I was thinking about the 55 gallon and Dave gave me a great setup for some cardinal tetra and bolivian rams...... I want a great mixture of amazonian plants that will cover tall in the back, shallow in the front........ Also should I throw driftwood in there or leave it all gravel and plants... I will use eco-complete for a substrate liner...... I'll probably end up getting a co2 system... For filitration I'll be running 2 Aquaclear 70's on it.... I may go to two 110's as the cardinals will be 48 with 12 bolivian rams... I have never set a planted tank this big before any suggestions would be helpful.... i have had planted before again just not this big..... What lighting would I need to support growth of the plants in a tank this big????

[cocoa_pleco]

i would get a 260w PC fixture myself but 2 108w T-5's are good too

[Algenco]

if you want CO2 then ditch the hob and go canister, much less CO2 loss and you can use a reactor:thumb:

[jbeining75]

A tank that big I would almost need to run co2 during the day and air at night right........ I guess I could run a fluval 405 on there.....maybe a fx5... fx5 might be too much...

[Incredulous_Ed]

You could get a coralife 48 inch strip light

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+3733+13733&pcatid=13733

[jbeining75]

4 X 65 watts 6700 degree only 259.99.... hmm the wifes not gonna like this lol.... Maybe the Red Jewels in the 55 gallon is better lol....

[Lady Hobbs]

My 55 planted has a 305 Fluval only, a DIY CO2 system and 130 watts. Higher watts would give me a better variety of plants and some reds in there but what I have has worked so far and I have swords, vals, ludwigia, crypts and moss.

(Not happy with the swords but I have hard water and perhaps that contributes to their problem.)

Use lots of wood or branches for an amazon look.

[jbeining75]

Yeah I'm debating if I really want to take this venture... I do but my wife isn't gonna like the extra 1000 dollars that goes into it..... Maybe a pair or Red Jewels or just silk plants.....sigh.....

[Dave66]

Yeah I'm debating if I really want to take this venture... I do but my wife isn't gonna like the extra 1000 dollars that goes into it..... Maybe a pair or Red Jewels or just silk plants.....sigh.....

J,
These (http://www.jbjlighting.com/sys_formosa_dx.html) are what I use in tanks under 200 gallons or so. One would run your 250-275 for 260 watts of power compact. One would give you enough light to grow most anything you like. You wouldn't get much change from 400 for automatic pressurized Co2.
Thing to do, J, is never, ever buy anything at once to avoid domestic strife lol. You might end up spending around 1,500 on the tank, but no reason SHE needs to know that . . .

Dave

[cocoa_pleco]

4 X 65 watts 6700 degree only 259.99.... hmm the wifes not gonna like this lol.... Maybe the Red Jewels in the 55 gallon is better lol....

my awesome 260w PC was $99 on ebay, came with moonlights and is mega sturdy, maybe i can get the link

EDIT- he ran out of the ones i bought but these are cheap too

http://cgi.ebay.com/AQUARIUM-LIGHT-48-REEF-ODYSSEA-260WT-POWER-COMPACT-LED_W0QQitemZ360024034712QQihZ023QQcategoryZ46314Q QssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

[smaug]

I was thinking about the 55 gallon and Dave gave me a great setup for some cardinal tetra and bolivian rams...... I want a great mixture of amazonian plants that will cover tall in the back, shallow in the front........ Also should I throw driftwood in there or leave it all gravel and plants... I will use eco-complete for a substrate liner...... I'll probably end up getting a co2 system... For filitration I'll be running 2 Aquaclear 70's on it.... I may go to two 110's as the cardinals will be 48 with 12 bolivian rams... I have never set a planted tank this big before any suggestions would be helpful.... i have had planted before again just not this big..... What lighting would I need to support growth of the plants in a tank this big????
Sounds like what you want I got.I use at the moment 235watts of CF lighting,I use 1 rena xp-2 for a filter,I have 15lbs of fluorite to 50lbs of fine river gravel,I run air at night only.I use the whole seachem line of ferts in the recomended dosages.I do not use injected or diy co2 only excel in a little more then the recomended dose.I am growing Big leaf sword[I dont know what its real name is]amazon sword,ozelot sword,lileopsis,dwarf lily,dwarf water cabbage,broad leaf ludwigia.A big piece of advise,do not over filter a planted tank that is what the plants are for.The ac70s or the 110s are overkil if you use just one canister filter big enough for a 55 gal tank.Your fish list sounds great,good luck!