Juwel Rio 240 Lighting

[Glank27]

I have just set-up my Juwel Rio 240 aquarium which is equipped with 2x 54W T5 "Hi-Lite" tubes (1 "Nature" 4100K and other "Day" 9000K).
Is this light ok for growing plants successfully? I mean is it a low-light set-up or medium-light set-up? I am new into the hobby so need some advice prior to planting. I am aiming to plant some Ludwiga Repens or Hygrophila Polysperma in the back, Vallis minitwister in mids, and anubias and crypts in foreground along with mosses and ferns tied onto wood decor.
Later on i will add reflectors to the light unit, but for now it`ll stay as it is, since i have just cashed out to purchase the aquarium and stuff.

 

[peter1979]

seems ok to me, around 2 watts per gallon, but from what other people will tell you, it's all about PAR, which is way over my head.

 

[ceg4048]

I have just set-up my Juwel Rio 240 aquarium which is equipped with 2x 54W T5 "Hi-Lite" tubes (1 "Nature" 4100K and other "Day" 9000K).
Is this light ok for growing plants successfully? I mean is it a low-light set-up or medium-light set-up?

There is no plant that you cannot grow with this. The best thing you can do right now is to forget about low or medium light. What is more important is your CO2, your nutrient levels, your flow rates, and your distribution techniques. These are the issues that will determine what plants you can grow successfully, not how much light you have.

Cheers,

 

[Glank27]

seems a bit complicated for a beginner. I will have a non-Co2 set-up (or at least i will dose Seachem Fluorish Excel as liquid Co2), so will have to stick with "easy" plants.

 

[ceg4048]

Well, it's complicated even for the people who have been doing it for years. You just have to get over that and execute the best practices learned from the mistakes and successes of everyone. Excel counts as CO2 injection, and a 240L Excel tank is actually more complicated than a gas injected 240L tank, simply because the size of the tank introduces problems in the distribution of the products that you are adding. Also, Excel is not cheap on this size tank. You would be best served either using gas injection, or using no form of CO2 at all with this sized tank, as strange as it seems, unless you can afford the high Excel bills.

Cheers,

 

[peter1979]

You could set up a FE CO2 unit for about 100 quid, which would last 3-6 months before you need another 30 quid FE, but you would probably do more excel than this in a year, and the regulator would last years hopefuly. I decided to go this way on a nano tank, with the possibilty of using it on a bigger tank next year when i have more space. Its not difficult to set up and much easier to maintain than injecting excel on a daily basis. There are good artciles on here to show you what to do.