[cvas828]

I am really interested in adding one or two low maintenance plants to my tank. I am really not sure where to start. The big issue I had was lighting, so far from what I have read plants will need some type of fluorescent bulb for photosynthesis.

Can someone give me a link to just maybe a basic clip on lamp that would suffice. Or some general tips on this would be great. What I am looking for I guess is a place to start most of the info I have found is just general. I like to be well informed before committing to something and adding a plant seems like it will be like adding another fish to my tank. I have only had my tank for a couple of days and I know it is not anywhere near cycled.

I am still in the process of acquiring nitrate, nitrite, and PH testing material. I can tell you at this point my ammonia is 1ppm I will begin to perform frequent 25-30 % water changes depending on if this number spikes.
Thank you,
Cvas

[jake]

A great solution that I found with my first setup was a $4 clip on workshop lamp from walmart. I put in a plant growth bulb that I picked up at my local fish store. Plants flourished, and it was about a $10 investment!

[Daquarist]

Hey cvas828, welcome to the forum! I'm glad to see that you decided to go with a fw planted tank. Is this your first set up in a while?
I can definitely help you with some plant selections depending on what lighting you are wanting to start with. I will do my best to answer some of the questions you have posted but to be honest I can do a much more thorough job if I knew a little more:
What size tank did you just set up? (depth most important)
The reason I ask is because light gets refracted as it passes through water and is amplified the deeper you go. That is easily managed by either making proper lighting choices or proper plant choices.
What type of livestock are you planning on keeping in the tank?
There are a few reasons this is important. First being water conditions, to a certain extent, plants can be just as finicky about water conditions (ie temp, pH, etc) as some fish are. We want to make sure that there aren’t plant eaters, or if there are make the right plant choices. You also want to make sure that if you have fish that enjoy digging or rearranging your whole tank, you get the right type of plants who are ok with that.
As far as lighting…I have used hardware store strip lights, clip on lights, indoor plant growth fixtures and to be completely honest they work but not as well as something that was intended for aquarium use. A lot of that has to do with spectrum and more importantly durability. Usually you end up trying a couple of different things to try and save a few bucks and end up caving-in and getting the correct equipment after dealing with issues.
As for cycling…It’s a good idea to keep an eye on your parameters and I applaud you for it. I think you might have gotten some misinformation somewhere along the way. You should not really be doing water changes through your cycle. It’s like taking three steps forward and two back. A great product is beneficial bacteria in a bottle. It is a liquid culture of your beneficial bacteria that shouldn’t allow any of your parameters to spike through the cycling period. Even better, the tank can (and should) be fully cycled in 2 weeks vs the 6-8 weeks it can take by waiting on mother nature to run the “spiky” course.
Glad to help but I do expect and like pictures along the way. It is also fun to look back as the tank has progressed.
See ya around

[Bigdog]

If you got the money. I would get into the T-5 lighting system. Shop lights are good for plants that are easy to grow under a little light. Always make sure you use plant blubs.