What type of light do my aquarium plants need?

Question

I don't know the names of the plants but i will provide pictures. I have two 13 watt 3000k fluorescent lights in my 5 gallon tank right now but as I understand it, you need something closer to "daylight". My question is shoud i go with a 5000k bulb or a 6500k bulb...or just stick with my 3000k?

Here is a picture of my set up...if anyone can identify the plants and let me know what light is best i would appreciate it very much!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v645/mcsassy/skittlestank.jpg

My plant on the left is dying...very quickly..each leaf is just deteorating away and I keep manicuring it. The one on the right seems to be doing just fine...it actually seems to be growing and expanding. I ordered two 13 6500k bulbs, seeing as this would be closer to the actual output of our sun and this would closer replicate a scenario where photosynthesis may occur.

Answer 1

The plant on the left, as PeeTee said, looks like a Cirinum, commonly called Onion Plants. If it is an Onion plant, it will have a large bulb, similar to an onion. The plant on the left has a lot of options, possible Chain Sword, Vallisneria, Microsword, or even Saggitaria. Either way, there is no reason not to get a light with a better spectrum. You should change out your lights once or twice a year to keep the spectrum at its sharpest. You may want to get a 6500K light (almost identical to daylight spectrum). This will improve the plant growth, and make your Betta look sharper... Contact me if you have any questions.

Soop Nazi

EDIT: Does the plant on the left display white stripes along the leaves? If so, you bought a terrestrial plant (non-aquatic). Pet stores often sell terrestrial plants as aquatic plants, with the intention of it rotting in your tank, you returning, and buying another. If it does have the striping, replace it with a true aquatic plant like one of the Cirinum species.

Answer 2

It looks like you have plenty of light. A rule of thumb is 2 to 4 watts per gallon. So twenty watts is all you really need. The next question is the spectrum of the bulbs. Most aquarium bulbs will cover enough of the specturm for most green plants. When you get into the Marine tanks some of the coral, clams and other critters will change colors according to the lighting. If the lighting is too poor they will turn dull or change to a color that you did not expect. Some will react to too much light as well. Your tank is small enough that the light will penetrate completely but if it was deeper a bluish light would be needed to allow the light to penitrate completely. Over all your fine with what you have. The TANK has plenty of light. Nice picture. :-)

Answer 3

Hi, you have a nice looking setup-not sure about the plant on the left but the one on the right looks like Vallis. This grows easily in many light spectrums & should reproduce by throwing out runners which grow roots & so on. I'm guessing they are just planted in the gravel & you may find this is not enough nutritionally for them to survive long-term.

A good method is filling small clear glass pots or jars with aquarium growing substrate & grow your plants in these. I have been doing this for a couple of years now & have not had to replace any plants-in fact they are growing so prolifically I have to constantly prune them & thin them out. I have 2 tubes, a standard white & 'tropical' pink. Together they produce a passable 'daylight' spectrum.

Answer 4

Plenty of light. The plant on the left may be a Crinium of some sort and the one on the right looks sort of like a Vallisnera,but I'm not too sure about either one.

Answer 5

2 problems with incandescant bulbs. they have awful performance, so that they in difficulty-free words positioned out about a million/4 of the gentle that a flouro tube will, yet in basic terms as a lot warmth. the colour of the gentle is undesirable for growing to be flowers, that's a yellow colored gentle in the route of the pink end of the spectrum. flowers like extra of the blue blue. perfect answer is to get some 'sunlight hours' colour Compact flouro bulbs that fit on your modern installation. they have a blue type of tinge to all of them lamps have a 'colour temperature' this can be a preparation guide to no matter if or not they are on the pink or blue end of the spectrum. Incandescant lamps are down round 3,000 . 'White' light fixtures extra like 5,000 and blue 'sunlight hours' tubes up round 7,000. some flowers like java moss or ferns can absolutely improve lower than incadescant lamps, yet no longer okay. All flowers will do better lower than shiny severe 'colour temp' lamps. regardless of the actual undeniable reality that your lamps look extremely shiny interior, they are boring compared to finish image voltaic that maximum flowers favor to improve in. Ian

Answer 6

I like your tank. plants often need 6500k and above it is up to you if you want to spend the money