Cameron Ford
Seedling
Hey, I'm Cameron from Edinburgh. I've kept fish and planted tanks for decades but have been travelling for work the last 15 years so haven't had a tank at all.
I've now taken early retirement and plan on making up for that gap!
I'm here because the amount of products available and knowledge around seems to me to have exploded(in a good way).
So I will be looking for advice. In particular, to get started for substrate and for lighting.
So my first tanks will be two 6 ft tanks (6 x 2 x 2).
I'm confused as to substrates, they all have their pros and cons it seems to me with ADA being the best but more expensive. So I was thinking of mostly using that but also some others to bulk out maybe. I also need top layer to be Cory barbel friendly.
Lights seem a bit confusing too. I was thinking 2 of those ADA Solar RGBs for each tank but not sure if that's overkill. I know they're expensive but my first 2 tanks are display in my living room so willing to spend extra. Of the other lighting available, there seems to be a lot that are decent but I find the specs confusing.
I also grow tropical plants under lights (sodium, metal halide, led and fluorescent) so have lots of spare equipment but I'm assuming it's a little too powerful or there's a drawback I'm not aware of. Isn't aquarium lighting essentially the same but marked up for higher profits for manufacturers?
Anyway thanks for listening to an old man Havering and thanks in advance for any advice.
I have read a lot of the forums but I don't seem to be able to clarify any of the above from them definitively. So any help would be greatly appreciated.
I've now taken early retirement and plan on making up for that gap!
I'm here because the amount of products available and knowledge around seems to me to have exploded(in a good way).
So I will be looking for advice. In particular, to get started for substrate and for lighting.
So my first tanks will be two 6 ft tanks (6 x 2 x 2).
I'm confused as to substrates, they all have their pros and cons it seems to me with ADA being the best but more expensive. So I was thinking of mostly using that but also some others to bulk out maybe. I also need top layer to be Cory barbel friendly.
Lights seem a bit confusing too. I was thinking 2 of those ADA Solar RGBs for each tank but not sure if that's overkill. I know they're expensive but my first 2 tanks are display in my living room so willing to spend extra. Of the other lighting available, there seems to be a lot that are decent but I find the specs confusing.
I also grow tropical plants under lights (sodium, metal halide, led and fluorescent) so have lots of spare equipment but I'm assuming it's a little too powerful or there's a drawback I'm not aware of. Isn't aquarium lighting essentially the same but marked up for higher profits for manufacturers?
Anyway thanks for listening to an old man Havering and thanks in advance for any advice.
I have read a lot of the forums but I don't seem to be able to clarify any of the above from them definitively. So any help would be greatly appreciated.
