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Have a 40B qwith regular gravel. Have 4 bulbs vho fixtures so plenty of light. HAve regular gravel and no co2 or dosing.Can i support these plants.

http://liveaquaria.com/product/prod_Display.cfm?pCatId=2147

Before answering that, the million-dollar question is, are your vho bulbs intended for marine aquariums? The spectrum of light reefkeepers want for their aquariums happens to be better for growing algae than plants. It may be that some of the plants in that package would flourish (Anubias, java ferns and Amazon swords are quite hardy) and some wouldn't do as well.

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Also, 4ft VHO bulbs are rated at about 110 watts APIECE. I'm not sure why you'd like that much light over a 40Br planted tank. I hope you have CO2 and a lot of fast growers, cause that is quite a bit of light.

I'd suggest running 1 bulb fr 9 hrs. and two for only a couple. That's if you have a high tech setup in mind.

Also, as superlion suggested, please use 6700k or thereabout for daylight spectrum. This is better suited for growing plants.

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Critical Fertilator: The Micromanager of Macronutrients

got a new set of plants picked up some hardy plants. Would this be too many plants? The lights aren't that bright. They're a year old so they aren't that bright. It's 2 50/50s and 2 atinic. WOuld they be fine in regular sized gravel and no ferts?

-3 Amazon Sword (Plant Large, Potted)
-Anubias nana
-2 Micro Sword
-Anubias barteri round leaf
-2 Banana Plant
- Java Fern
- Ozelot Sword - Bare Root
- Radican Sword
-Dwarf Sagittaria

Importfan,

I would like to suggest that you think a bit about your lighting scheme first. As superlion and I stated, all that blue light isn't going to do all that well for a planted tank. That's even a lot of blue for a marine reef tank. I'll again suggest you look into only running a couple bulbs with 6700K daylight spectrum bulbs. 2 6700K bulbs will be more than enough light for any of the plants listed. I'd also try to encourage you to think about ferts. You're going to need them as well as a source of carbon and some fast growers with all that light. For the plants you listed, a single 96w power compact fixture is what I'd recommend you use. More llight will be wasted on those plants.

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Critical Fertilator: The Micromanager of Macronutrients

going to leave the light, unsure if i want to just dose excel or diy co2, any suffestions

Hi,
50/50 and Actinic Blue lights are designed for salt water
reef tanks. The invertebrates in them depend upon light
that strong and of those wavelengths for the types of
algae that nourish them and help color them.

In a freshwater tank they can burn the plants and will
washout their colors. You seem to be making due with
what you have instead of getting what you need. You and
your plants would be far better off if you were to replace
the old bulbs with more correct ones. That is no higher
than 10,000K max and preferably between 6700 and 8800K.

As far as CO2 is concerned, it is Carbon that the plants
need. Think of light as the engine for plant growth and
Carbon as the fuel for that engine. If you bombard the
plants with that intense a light, they will respond with
initially rapid growth as they use up the stored nutrients
trying to feed the engine of growth, and then when the
stored energy is used up, they will wither and die.
Unless, you provide the carbon and other nutrients
necessary. You can provide the carbon by injection of
CO2 gas, or by using Flourish Excel.

With a 40G tank, you are at the normal limits of DIY
CO2 injection. When you reach tanks of that capacity and
larger, you will need at least two and probably three
gas generators, connected in series, to provide enough gas
to bring the CO2 saturation up to the 20-30mg/l point.
That will require an additional number of generators ready
to be mixed to replace the active ones as they die out.
DIY CO2 can rapidly turn into a chore that takes time
and soon falls by the wayside. IMO, I'd save/wait longer
and purchase a bottled system.

If you are using standard #2 or #3 gravel that is fine
for plants as long as the substrate depth is 3-4 inches.

Frank

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