Plant Questions

[Julie]

Has anyone ever ordered from Ottawa Aquatics and picked up the items rather than having them shipped?

How do I calculate what power of light I require to have 2.5watts of light per gallon?
Is this correct - I have 30 watts of lighting.  My tank is 55 g - therefore I have around .5 watts/gallon?

Are Ozelot swords easy to care for?

Julie :?:

[BigDaddy]

Yes, that is correct ... you have 1/2 watt per gallon.

For sword plants, you want to probably go up to at least 1.5 WPG, if you can get over 2 WPG all the better.

As long as you have a tank large enough for the sword to grow out it (well, until you have to prune it out since most swords get larger than all but the largest tanks), swords are easy to care for

A nutrient rich substrate and/or root tabs are a good way to keep 'em happy.

PS - You can go pick up instead of shipping.. but call to make arrangements.

[Julie]

So that's why they won't grow.

Where can I get more wattage - does Home Depot or Rona carry them?

Thanks BD,
Julie

[BigDaddy]

You can get a 4 foot dual fixture shop light at home depot, reno.. any of those places.

Not sure if its a F32T8 or a F40T12... but one of those would be better than what you have now.

[BigDaddy]

Yeah, home depot has a dual T8 shop light by commercial electric for 8 US.

Here's the SKU if you wanna look it up

140904

SO, that would be a couple of F32T8 tubes.  32 Watts each.  So, 64 Watts over the tank, for a little over 1 WPG

The T12 tubes are 40 watts... if you can find em probably a bit more expensive though... F32T8 is a VERY popular light for commercial lighting = VERY CHEAP

[Julie]

Would an 18000k Aqua Glo work for plants?
I only have a perfecto hood on the tank.

[BigDaddy]

ANY single normal output fluorescent tube over your 55 gallon will not be enough for most plants.

NO (Normal output) fluorescents max out at 40watts for a 4 foot tube - Not enough

Now... you can retrofit your perfecto hood with two CF bulbs rated at 55 watts each.

http://www.ahsupply.com

Get the 2 x 55 watt kit and you'll be all set.

You can get the parts locally... but their reflectors are top notch, and no one in Ottawa carries water proof end caps for CF bulbs.

[dannypd]

You can get the parts locally... but their reflectors are top notch, and no one in Ottawa carries water proof end caps for CF bulbs.

Believe it or not, I got the end caps when I purchased a 10-15(?) gallon from WALMART two years or so ago...

I swear they were going to melt, but those things are tuff!

[BigDaddy]

I think you are referring to normal fluorescent end caps.

Walmart does not sell any aquariums or lighting kits that use COMPACT FLUORESCENT bulbs, just regular bulbs.

[dannypd]

OH, my bad then  :S