• You are viewing the forum as a Guest, please login (you can use your Facebook, Twitter, Google or Microsoft account to login) or register using this link: Log in or Sign Up

Advice re old Juwel tank

freded

Seedling
Joined
7 Jan 2009
Messages
12
Hi

I've been keeping fish for about 18 months but have never seriously tried a planted tank until now. My efforts at a planted tank have to date been to buy some potted plants from LFS, put them in one of my tanks and then watch them die or my cichids destroy them...

Anyway, I'm not ready to try my first planted tank and have acquired a Juwel tank from a friend-its one of the older models I believe and is 80cms across. Its only got a single light fitting and not sure of strength of bulb. I purchased a JBL Flora Start kit from my local LFS so have got substrate put in, with some new very fine gravel. I've also got one of those Nutrafin DIY yeast kits (and am using the receipe suggested by George Farmer) and have started putting some plants in (and have ordered a collection from Java Plants).

However, having discovered this site and done some reading, I'm concerned I don't have sufficient lighting in my tank and was wondering what the easiest/cheapest way to upgrade my lighting is.

Thanks in advance
 
First of all welcome aboard, it would help to specify which type of lighting you have at present and which wattage bulbs.

I have an 80cm Jewel Rio 125 and I just purchased a cheap T5 4x24w luminaire from ebay for £42+15delivery.

Doesn't mean you don't have enough lighting, just limits the plant range you can have in the tank and also their growth rates.
But using a yeast based CO2 solution I wouldn't advise having too much lighting anyway, but remember you will also need a good fertilization regime to keep those plants healthy and a good filtration turnover. And you can supplement the tank with EasyCarbo or Excel for the extra carbon boost for the plants.
 
Thanks. I'm pretty sure its a 20W T8 bulb as some digging around on net suggests these were standard with this size of older Juwel tank. Think the tank is 115 litres.
 
Back
Top