# I am thinking of starting a planted tank



## aquariumfanatic (Nov 18, 2014)

Hello everyone,

I am thinking of starting a planted tank in the near future and I was kind of wondering if you had any advice about the setup. I have a 90g, an acrylic 40g long and a 29g biocube to choose from for the setup. Are any of those sizes better for a planted tank or is it just a matter of cost/preference? Also, what kind of lighting is best these days?

Thanks in advance for any advice!


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## majerah1 (Oct 29, 2010)

Welcome!

Depends on how big you really wanna go! Lighting nowadays, the best is either T5HO or LED if you can get a strong enough one. My personal preference is LED. Has that set it and forget it vibe. I have a 40 breeder which I love for plants, because the dimensions are better for scaping to me. It is basically personal preference.


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## aquariumfanatic (Nov 18, 2014)

majerah1 said:


> Welcome!
> 
> Depends on how big you really wanna go! Lighting nowadays, the best is either T5HO or LED if you can get a strong enough one. My personal preference is LED. Has that set it and forget it vibe. I have a 40 breeder which I love for plants, because the dimensions are better for scaping to me. It is basically personal preference.


I am leaning towards the biocube or the 40g long.

I have LED lighting in my biocube, but I think it is more for reef than what I would want in a planted tank. I am thinking it is split 10k/14k. Could I get away with just running the 10k lighting for a planted tank or do I want something like 6 or 8k?

The 40g long tank is shallow and everything is easy to reach, but I would have to get a complete lighting set up for it.

The 90 gallon is a nice big tank, but it is so hard to reach the bottom.


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## majerah1 (Oct 29, 2010)

6700 to 10000 is what you want, that mimics natural daylight.


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## Gizmo (Dec 6, 2010)

+1 on LEDs. They're energy-efficient, last forever, and add a nice shimmer to the water.

Research what plants you want. Look up how they grow and how to trim them, as well as their nutrient requirements (red plants need lots of iron, stem plants need well-fertilized substrate, mosses need well-fertilized water).

Also research how you want your "aquascape" to look. Think about Dutch Garden, Iwagumi, or a style that doesn't fit the mold. Small leafed plants make the tank look bigger, but are more demanding as far as light goes. Ground cover is the same way.

If you have any questions, we are all here to help!


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