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So im just finishing the planning part of setting up the 40G breeder for bolivians, just curious on substrates i was thinking eco-complete b/c i want to go heavily planted, then i have been reading up alot and i hear they prefer a sand substrate and suggestions? Also if i go with the eco-complete, just curious on suggestions for plants that will give the fry the best cover and work work the best in a 40g planted. For light i have a coralife 196 Watts, there are 2 seperate switches and it is 96w per switch, due to me wanting to breed them i dont know if i will be using ferts might try pressurized co2 in the near future, but for time being nothing addl.

Hi,
If you are going to use both lights for 196 watts it will
give you 4.9 wpg and you will have to use CO2 injection.
If you are going to drive the plants that hard, then you
have to give them the nutrients, especially Carbon, to
sustain them.
Running only 96 watts is slightly over 2 wpg and you could
"get by" without injection CO2.

Frank


-->>> The Confidence of Amateurs, is the Envy of Professionals <<<--

Donky,
196watts on a 40, your asking for trouble. I have the same coralife fixture on my 72g and it's plently of light at 2.7wpg. As Frank said you'll have over 2 actually 2.4wpg with the one bulb. Even with Co2 running 4.9wpg gives you very little room for error without having major algae problems.

As far as the bolivians, I have two and they just recently spawned on a flat piece of petrified wood they then moved the eggs to a borrow they dug in the eco complete and I counted at least 100 free swimming fry. Unfornutalley all the plants in my tank weren't any match for the pencilfish and cardinals that I have and I believe they all got eaten.
Pretty much any fine-leafed plant will work well. Javamoss is got in the beginning for food and cover.

My Scapes

i will just be running the 96 in total, and c02 is a possibility just not yet. So im preety much just looking at 96W right now so just a little over 2wpg, so im looking at basically just the anubias, and the ferns and some different mosses. As far as the substrate since im not using any plants that needs high nutrients, should i still get the eco-complete,or go with a sand substrate or just normal natural gravel?

Donky,
96watt of 40 is 2.4wpg. With compact fluroscent bulbs that's still pretty good light differently at least medium.
You can even set a timer and have 192watts for an hour or so. I would defintely go with the eco. It will grow much better plants than plain gravel. Also you could grow a wide variety of plants with that setup. You should still use ferts.

My Scapes

thnx for the reply, well i have no problem using the ferts but could it possibly harm the fry if breeding occurs? eco-complete it is. Will the rams appreciate caves and rock work or should i just go with taller plants, like the giant vals and some bigger anubias and crypts?