New 95 gallon, discus tank.

[kh971]

Wow, I have had tanks all my life and so many different tanks. My last was a fulll blown 210 reef, fully automated. I sold it, when my second child came along.
Well I could not stay away for long and I am back with a 95 gal. Wave tank.
I am in the process of making a stand to go with the tank. I have a nice wet/dry filter and a Mag 9.5 for return.
Since this is going to be a discus/planted tank, should I get a light with 2 t5 bulbs and not compact fl's?

 

[krafty]

I like the look of t-5's in a discus tank, it seems to show off the blue well but I don't think it's "better" either way. The plants will grow well in both situations with good water conditions

Rick

 

[corigan]

CF bulbs are expensive, and sometimes hard to find. I would go with the T5's for sure. I still have some old CF fixtures around, and it's a bear to get bulbs sometimes, and like stated, pricey comparative to T5's.

 

[zippgirlrn]

hi, I have a reef tank and freshwater tanks and I am getting ready to atempt my first freshwater planted tank (low tech and low light), I found this site to be very useful, the planted tank forum,

 

[kh971]

Thanks guys, and Zipp. I appreciate the info, I have to get cracking on the stand and finish it and order my stuff.

 

[kh971]

Well you know I am setting up a 48x25x24 Discus/planted tank and it has been a long time, I just don't know if I should go with 4 48" T5's or 2 48" T5's?
I feel that 4 T5's would be too much or am I wrong? I want this to be a really nice tank, not afraid to spend to spend the money on it. So 2 or 4 T5's???
Thanks for the info!!

 

[corigan]

The higher light you go, then you would want to have some sort of co2 suppliment. It all depends on what you want to go with, a low light no co2 setup or a high light with injected co2 setup. The link above is a great site and can help you decide what you want to do. Personally, I like to be able to grow whatever I want. So I would go with a highlight co2 injected setup (4 48"). Of course that is super high maintenance with big weekly water changes, dosing of phosphates and nitrates keeping them in a 1:10 ratio, etc. A low light no co2 is kinda slow growth and you are limited to what you can grow. I would read up on that site posted above and decide what you want to go with.

 

[acroholic]

What Corigan said.

Plants are like corals in the amount of light they need. Some need low, some medium and some high. The higher to light needed, the more CO2 and micro/macro ferts you will need as well.

Two T5s would be suited to java fern, anubias, and other low light plants. If you want high light plants, then you are talking more bulbs, CO2 injection and micro/macro ferts supplementation. And with higher tech comes more cost and more time input from you.

CF technology is kind of old, and you will be facing an ever decreasing amount of choices in bulbs/kelvin ratings/etc. I would pick T5 over CF any day of the week.

 

[kh971]

Thanks for all the responses, Wow, planted tanks sure have come a long way.
I used to have a 210 reef, custom calcium reactor, big dual needle wheel skimmer, ATO, and everything was on timers. Custom 100 galllon refugium.

Now, I want a new discus tank and I picked up a 95 gallon Wave tank, brand new!!! Big 200 gallon wet/dry with a Mag 9.5 for return. I have to make a custom stand,and get my substrate, locate some rocks for my tank . A build in progress.

 

[acroholic]

kh971;553036 wrote: Thanks for all the responses, Wow, planted tanks sure have come a long way.
I used to have a 210 reef, custom calcium reactor, big dual needle wheel skimmer, ATO, and everything was on timers. Custom 100 galllon refugium.

Now, I want a new discus tank and I picked up a 95 gallon Wave tank, brand new!!! Big 200 gallon wet/dry with a Mag 9.5 for return. I have to make a custom stand,and get my substrate, locate some rocks for my tank . A build in progress.

Post your build thread here in the FW SIG Forum.

 

[wineman]

kh971;553036 wrote: Thanks for all the responses, Wow, planted tanks sure have come a long way.
I used to have a 210 reef, custom calcium reactor, big dual needle wheel skimmer, ATO, and everything was on timers. Custom 100 galllon refugium.

Now, I want a new discus tank and I picked up a 95 gallon Wave tank, brand new!!! Big 200 gallon wet/dry with a Mag 9.5 for return. I have to make a custom stand,and get my substrate, locate some rocks for my tank . A build in progress.

kh971,

I have 3 five gallon buckets full of Flourite:

http://www.seachem.com/Products/product_pages/Flourite.html">http://www.seachem.com/Products/prod.../Flourite.html</a>

Just taken out of my 75gl planted tank...I am sure we can work out a cheap price if you are interested. LMK

Dennis

 

[krafty]

How is the build coming along? I always wanted to set up a Discus Biotope tank. But then kids came along

Rick