# Lighting question



## jessp118 (Dec 10, 2012)

I have a 15 watt florescent light on a 10g tank. What level of lighting would that be considered? What easy plants can I have with this lighting?


----------



## bniebetta (Feb 26, 2013)

Someone recently told me that it isn't the wattage you want to look at, it's the kelvins. I guess for a planted tank you want to be between 5000 and 8000 or something like that, I can't remember exactly. If it doesn't say the kelvins, you might consider it low light just to be safe. I have heard that anubias, anacharis, moss balls, wisteria are easy. I have all of them but I am new at planted tanks so all I can really tell you is that mine are still alive so far haha. I think the anacharis looks funny, but it is a good start. I have heard it is impossible to kill moss balls and they are fun so I recommend them. Have you thought about what you are going to use as substrate? Unless you are using an enriched substrate you may end up having to supplement with water column ferts or use root tabs.


----------



## jessp118 (Dec 10, 2012)

To be exact, I have a perfect-a-lamp F15T8 18in. I cant find any info on the kelvins for this light. I'll go with low light then. I have gravel and ill be using root tabs. if i see any problems then ill get a liquid fertilizer. I have a moss ball right now. I was looking for rooted or free floating.


----------



## bniebetta (Feb 26, 2013)

I hate it when people dont list things like that. You could check a local pet store for bulbs, mine was 15 dollars for like 18000k until I can get a pro-grade one.


----------



## jessp118 (Dec 10, 2012)

I got two Anubis plants. The full name was not listed (plant in a tube). I'm attaching the pictures below. I looked at bulbs while i was at petco, the 18in ones i saw were 20$. That will be my next task.


----------



## DefStatic (Mar 17, 2013)

jessp118 said:


> I have a 15 watt florescent light on a 10g tank. What level of lighting would that be considered? What easy plants can I have with this lighting?


There used to be an old rule of you needed 1watt per gallon at least to be considered low-med light. The new standard is PAR, but good luck measuring that.


----------



## DefStatic (Mar 17, 2013)

jessp118 said:


> I got two Anubis plants. The full name was not listed (plant in a tube). I'm attaching the pictures below. I looked at bulbs while i was at petco, the 18in ones i saw were 20$. That will be my next task.


Anubis should be tied to a rock or piece of driftwood. In a substrate like your that might work, but it's growth is dependent on it's rhizomes being able to get light.


----------



## OrangeAugust (Jul 23, 2012)

DefStatic said:


> There used to be an old rule of you needed 1watt per gallon at least to be considered low-med light. The new standard is PAR, but good luck measuring that.


What is PAR?

To the OP: the Kelvins is the most important, but if you don't have enough wattage, it won't matter the K rating of your bulb.


----------



## DefStatic (Mar 17, 2013)

OrangeAugust said:


> What is PAR?
> 
> To the OP: the Kelvins is the most important, but if you don't have enough wattage, it won't matter the K rating of your bulb.


PAR = photosynthetically active radiation

Watts per gallon (because of LEDs) is a done standard, but can stiull be used with non-LED lights for a best practice purpose.

Funny thing, with low light plants, I am actually not doing bad with an old school 20w T12 Plant light in a 30gal. But growth is limited.

Once you start crossing the line between med-high light, you start having algae headaches.


----------



## jessp118 (Dec 10, 2012)

DefStatic said:


> Anubis should be tied to a rock or piece of driftwood. In a substrate like your that might work, but it's growth is dependent on it's rhizomes being able to get light.


the first one has the rhizome exposed. the other is a but more buried because the roots are short. I'll keep an eye on them and raise the rhizome of the second one out of the gravel.


----------



## ao (Feb 29, 2012)

I'd say that if your light looks white rather than orangish... you should try using it ^_^

PAR measures the amount of light that can be used by plants.


----------



## jessp118 (Dec 10, 2012)

Ok i have a problem, my water is turning white. Is the because the root tabs?


----------



## ao (Feb 29, 2012)

u mean like cloudy? rot tabs leeching into the water column could certainly be a primary reason. I would advise to do a water change, then test your nitrates.


----------



## jessp118 (Dec 10, 2012)

aokashi said:


> u mean like cloudy? rot tabs leeching into the water column could certainly be a primary reason. I would advise to do a water change, then test your nitrates.


Like a white cloudy look. I did a little research and determined that it is a bacteria bloom due to the 2 root tabs I put in. They didnt say to do a water change, but I did it anyways last night. It is cloudy again this morning.


----------



## Nicci Lu (Jan 7, 2013)

Get rid of the root tabs. Anubias really don't need them, they pull most of their nutrients by their leaves from the water column. The main function of anubias roots is to anchor the plant to something. If you really want to use ferts, try a liquid like Flourish. But anubias have pretty low nutrient requirements, so if two anubias are the only plants in your tank, you can probably skip liquid ferts, too.


----------



## ao (Feb 29, 2012)

test your nitrates. you may need to do more water changes >.<


----------



## isochronism (Nov 24, 2012)

I did try root tabs once and had the same result.
I change to slight Seachem ferts.


----------



## WolfHhowling (Apr 10, 2013)

I have 15 wat bulbs in my ten gallon tank. If your hood takes the little ones and there is two of them.

YOU have plenty of light for anything really. I grow hornwort in there, water sprite, ruffled amazon sword liked it in there too. So did the alge......


----------



## jessp118 (Dec 10, 2012)

WolfHhowling said:


> I have 15 wat bulbs in my ten gallon tank. If your hood takes the little ones and there is two of them.
> 
> YOU have plenty of light for anything really. I grow hornwort in there, water sprite, ruffled amazon sword liked it in there too. So did the alge......


There is one 15w tube


----------



## DefStatic (Mar 17, 2013)

Cloudy water could be a bacteria bloom. But I think your gravel is too loose for root tabs. They will just dissolve and leak into the rest of the water.

Only stem plants need root tabs, and they would need a different substrate. Your plant needs liquid ferts.


----------



## jessp118 (Dec 10, 2012)

Ok now there is a problem. The rhizome of one of the plants has dark brown spots. the rhizome is not burried at all and the leaves still look green and healthy.


----------

