What about the Seachem Flourish Excel? I've looked at that and read many
different opinions of it on the NG's. Would it be enough to balance out the
increased lighting or would full-blown CO2 be an absolute must. I feel
comfortable with DIY CO2 except for the risk of pH swings in my otherwise
already acidic water (varies around 6.5-6.8 according to my test strips).

~Scott


"Dunter Powries" fech.redcap@spedlin wrote in message
...
Scott wrote in message
news:jkoSb.5775$Ii2.4678@lakeread03...
"Kay" wrote in message
news:ZTTRb.171548$I06.1705747@attbi_s01...
Scott wrote:

I currently have a 29 gallon aquarium setup as a planted community
tank
(20w
fluorescent bulb, no CO2, liquid supplement fertilizer only). I'm
considering purchasing one of those wrought iron stands designed to
hold
2
aquariums. Initially, I was just going to put a 2nd 29 gal tank on
the
bottom, but then my LFS showed me a 37 gal tank that would fit on
the
top
shelf. So now I'm wondering about using the 37 gal as my new planted
tank
and converting the 29 gal into a non-planted community tank. Are
there
any
advantages or disadvantages to a 37 gallon tank over a 29? I asked
my
LFS
this question and they only mentioned the issue of getting plants
and
fish
that will inhabit the top third of the tank... recommended tapegrass
and
hatchetfish for this.

I also was looking into getting a 55/65w PC flourescent lighting
setup
for
my planted tank. If I happen to use a 37 gallon tank then my guess
is
I'll
need more lighting, correct?

Thanks for any info,
~Scott


I have a 37 and the height is a problem for plants, I added compact
florecents 65 watts, and can grow all med to low light plants, I'm not
sure If I could grow high light plants would have to upgrade the
lighting I think. I love the tank! I hated the problems witht he
plants
and brown algae, but the new lights stopped that. If I were to do
again,
I would have just picked the 29, I treat the 37 like a 29 anyways I
have
a pair of kribs in it.

Kay


Thanks for the info.

Yeah, I'm now thinking about building a simple canopy(the kind that's
split
in two with a piano hinge in the middle) and installing a 2 x 55w
compact
fluorescent kit from AH Supply. Depending on how things worked out, I
might
also consider DIY CO2 for the tank also. Right now I do have a serious
problem with that nasty brown algae that seems to coat just about
everything
in the tank if I don't scrub it off. I really hope the enhanced lighting
from AH Supply helps with that problem.

The Good News: the increased lighting levels will definitely eliminate the
brown algae (diatoms).

The Bad News: if you don't start the CO2 at the same time as the new
lights, you will rapidly encounter all the other kinds.