# need help/suggestions for plants & substrate



## SOUPNAZZI (Sep 24, 2010)

20g High tank
Filtration is not an issue.. 
aquaclear 50 & a topfin 20

Current stock
6 Bronze cories
7 Serpae Tetras
5 Pearl Danios
2 Zebra Nerite snails

Lighting is a Zoo Med T8 15W 6500k Ultra Sun Super Daylight

Using liquid ferts at weekly water change.
I'm also using liquid CO2 for the plants.

Plants want to get ride of is a Large Amazon Sword and another type of sword..

I would like to change the substrate to something new. Currently in the tank is a two color gravel from a local LFS. Dark & Light blue colored.

The idea I'm going for is a plant carpeting the entire bottom. sopmething like marsilea minuta?. Would my lighting be ok? 
Then add maybe 2 plants
What about CO2, is Flourish Excel enough? 

What would you recommend for my current setup?

1) substrate for plants, safe for fish
2) plant carpeting the substrate, marsilea minuta ?
3) type of plant that I can use to create a tree ?


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## Darkblade48 (Jan 28, 2008)

Almost any of the substrates that you can purchase should be fine for plants and your fish. As Cories do like to dig in the substrate, a sandy substrate would be best.

For plants, with the current lighting you have, I would not suggest you attempt a carpet, even with low light plants such as _M. minuta_.

For plants that you can use to create a tree effect, you can try using various mosses.


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## SOUPNAZZI (Sep 24, 2010)

Darkblade48 said:


> For plants, with the current lighting you have, I would not suggest you attempt a carpet, even with low light plants such as _M. minuta_


Is the lighting not enough or too much? What lighting equip would you recommend?


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## SOUPNAZZI (Sep 24, 2010)

.hmm looks like my lighting doesn't mean the low light ratings for plants.

So either I can buy a kit to modify my perfecto hood light to increase the wpg or purchase a new lighting system.

I guess I will go to my local LFS on Dundas.. and see what they recommend for light equipment and make a purchase

don't feel too comfortable in modifying my existing equipment

Would this be better for my little project above ?
http://www.petsandponds.com/en/aquarium-supplies/c5813/c293075/p16872947.html

But would a co2 system help things with my current lighting for what I want to do?


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## Darkblade48 (Jan 28, 2008)

SOUPNAZZI said:


> Is the lighting not enough or too much? What lighting equip would you recommend?


Too little light.



SOUPNAZZI said:


> Would this be better for my little project above ?
> http://www.petsandponds.com/en/aquarium-supplies/c5813/c293075/p16872947.html


This light is extremely bright; it would give you very high light, and you would have to do a lot of maintenance in order to keep the aquarium algae-free.



SOUPNAZZI said:


> But would a co2 system help things with my current lighting for what I want to do?


CO2 can help regardless of lighting conditions. In low light conditions, CO2 is more optional, but once you have a highly lit aquarium, it becomes a necessity.


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## SOUPNAZZI (Sep 24, 2010)

Sorry .. I should have been more direct with my questioning.

Since my current lighting is 15W and I have a 20g high tank.
How many watts do I require, to have good lighting, so the marsilea minuta can carpet the entire bottom of the tank?

After some more research. Is this a reasonable rule of thumb?
1-2 watts per gallon are normally considered low light condition?

so I can go with 24W to 40W lighting and that would considered Low Light.. ?


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