My First planted tank - Low tech

[Chrisvx220]

Today I have set up my first ever planted tank it is low tech 20"x20"x24" with a pond soil substrate topped with sand, light is a beamswork 10 x 3w which if I have my calculations correct works out around 0.7w per US gallon, will this be sufficient being that the tank is 24" deep or would the addition of another unit the same increasing the total to 1.4w per gallon be preferable?

 

[Chrisvx220]

Before adding water

 

[Chrisvx220]

With water

 

[faizal]

It's looking really nice . Looking forward to more updates.

 

[Chrisvx220]

Thanks, I just hope the plants survive, not fussed if they grow really slowly just hope they don't all melt away! The eleocharis, cryptocoryne parva and hydrocotyle all look quite delicate and I imagine could go either way, everything else looks a little more robust, guess time will tell!!

Found this pic showing par for two units side by side which is way higher than I expected, so I am hoping I'm at the uper end of low tech par parameters with just one unit and given the bit of extra depth!

 

[Chrisvx220]

Noticed the nymphia has phenomenal growth, it has only been in the tank 3 days!!

Day one

Today!!!