# NOOB needs lighting advice..



## fly4awhiteguy (Dec 27, 2011)

I have a 20 gallon planted aquarium with a yeast/sugar co2 system,substrate is a flourite/gravel mix, and using tropica aquacare ferts once a week.. at 1st I was using the stock 14 watt light that came in the lid with a plant/gro bulb. knowing that 14 watts of light wasn't enough, I went to home depot and bought a 2 x 32 watt flourescent light fixture with natural daylight bulbs. within a few days I noticed that all the torta vals were looking even worse than they did with the 14 watt, so I put the original light back. just wondering if there is a relatively cost effective way to do a DIY light setup that will be enough to get my plants healthy again because I am wanting to start a 55 gallon setup later this spring, and don't want to buy a big expensive t5 ho for a tank that will soon be replaced. 

plants are:
torta vals
crypts
crypt parva
hygro rosanervig
and 1 other plant I forgot the name of..

thanks in advance


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## charlie1 (Dec 1, 2011)

Could it be that your Vals were in rough shape to begin with & hence your new lighting had little or nothing to do with it`s further deterioration.
Just a thought.


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## fly4awhiteguy (Dec 27, 2011)

it is a possibility...I have 5 vals, and each one had 1 or 2 leaves that were brown, but a week later pretty much all the leaves are turning brown.. I have 1 other plant that I dont know the name of that is starting to wilt... I'll post a pic


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## fly4awhiteguy (Dec 27, 2011)

Does anyone know what this plant is?


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## Will (Jul 24, 2008)

Plants grow accustomed to an environment, when it changes, many plants will 'shed' or die back, before regrowing, new growth adapted to the new environment. Probably what your seeing.



fly4awhiteguy said:


> Does anyone know what this plant is?


hygrophila difformis


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## fly4awhiteguy (Dec 27, 2011)

Thanks, it was bugging me not knowing what that plant was.


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