tek lights

[supaflyz]

Hey guys I want to grow some kind of carpet plant for my aquarium. Are the tek lights enough light for them to grow well? I have the 4 bulbs one. I tried before with all kind of plants. Rotunda, some kind of plants that look like grass, a bamboo plant( not a real bamboo but resemble it) Not the one you find at them asian grocery store either. I have metal halides but really don't want ot drill holes on my ceiling and the electricity bill. I want mine to look like that. Is it possible with the light I have now?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KVwBWXVod7M

[mark razmandi]

whats the WPG? do you run co2? dose ferts?

[supaflyz]

I have to check the wpg. Its 180 gallon tank. I have to check the wattage on the light. I have co2 running i use fert. sometime only.

[mark razmandi]

I have to check the wpg. Its 180 gallon tank. I have to check the wattage on the light. I have co2 running i use fert. sometime only.

for any kind of ground cover you are gonna need both co2, ferts and super high light.

[Mzungu]

for any kind of ground cover you are gonna need both co2, ferts and super high light.

Not necessarily. In a 180g, you can use plants such as Saggitaria subulata for a carpet, which doesn't need too much. With medium WPG and CO2, and occasional ferts as you say you're dosing, they should grow fine.

[kwc1974]

There are some plants that will do carpets at "lower" lights, but most produce the best carpets at high light conditions

but back to the question. You can get tec lights. the more light the better. if money is not an issue in purchasing get the one with the most bulbs. Or another lighting manufacture that has como lights MN/T5 or MH/PC. If you want high light turn on all of the bulbs. For lower light turn off some of the bulbs to the desired brightness. Better to get the best fixture now instead of wanting more later after you have had a fixture for 3 months.

The second question is yes you can hang the MH pendants without drilling into the celing. Create a support bar to span the length of the tank (HAW did this with their 8 foot tank)

Also, is this a standard 180G? What is the depth of the tank? Carpet plants might have a hard time growing the carpet you are wanting in too deep of a tank. If you are wanting glosso or HC you will need intense lights. Marselia spp will do better in lower light conditions.