Light and pruning suggestions please!

[Candace]

Trying to figure out ways to make the fish less skittish since they've been in the tank since the end of September and still hide at the slightest movement.

For the light -
I have a 36 gallon bowfront tank so it's taller (about 21" tall). It's a plastic lid so I've had to get under the lid lights that attach by suction cups... They aren't the best and the tank is darker than the office area it's in. Does anyone have any suggestions for stronger under the lid lights I can try?

For the plants -
Everything is growing fairly quickly but with my tiger lotus and amazon sword plants they're growing lots of new leaves but not really taller. Is there a way I can promote height over fullness?

Stock:
14 Neon Tetras
1 Blue Ram
4 Mystery snails (may be temporary if they show signs of their shell growing too thin or fast due to the temperature of the tank, have a 10g set up at home just in case)


Picture of the tank (and I'm going to apologize now, since the office is brighter than the tank there's a lot of glare/reflection, but my camera also makes the tank seem lighter than it actually is when you look at it)


Parameters:
Ammonia - 0 ppm
Nitrite - 0 ppm (it was at .25ppm before the water change)
Nitrate - 10 ppm
pH - 7.6
Temperature - 78.8 F

 

[Fishfur]

Lots of plants have a mature height that they aren’t likely to exceed so it may mean selecting plants that can grow as tall as you want them to.

There are Echinodorus (swords) that get pretty tall but a good many won’t get to 21”. There are an assortment of stem plants that will easily grow over two feet.

The tiger lotus (Nymphaea zenkeri) is capable of growing a lot taller than your tank is, so give it some time. It may also send up floating leaves but if you don’t want those, cut them off at the base.

 

[Candace]

Does anyone have light suggestions for under the lid?

 

[tetraguy]

Amazon.com

I use this light under the hood in my 20 Tall on 25% intensity and tank is well lit and low light plants growing fine. Good luck!

 

[fishywoo]

Amazon.com

I use this light under the hood in my 20 Tall on 25% intensity and tank is well lit and low light plants growing fine. Good luck!

Whelp I just added that to my wishlist, lol.

Trying to figure out ways to make the fish less skittish since they've been in the tank since the end of September and still hide at the slightest movement.

For the light -
I have a 36 gallon bowfront tank so it's taller (about 21" tall). It's a plastic lid so I've had to get under the lid lights that attach by suction cups... They aren't the best and the tank is darker than the office area it's in. Does anyone have any suggestions for stronger under the lid lights I can try?

For the plants -
Everything is growing fairly quickly but with my tiger lotus and amazon sword plants they're growing lots of new leaves but not really taller. Is there a way I can promote height over fullness?

Stock:
14 Neon Tetras
1 Blue Ram
4 Mystery snails (may be temporary if they show signs of their shell growing too thin or fast due to the temperature of the tank, have a 10g set up at home just in case)


Picture of the tank (and I'm going to apologize now, since the office is brighter than the tank there's a lot of glare/reflection, but my camera also makes the tank seem lighter than it actually is when you look at it)
View attachment 892342

Parameters:
Ammonia - 0 ppm
Nitrite - 0 ppm (it was at .25ppm before the water change)
Nitrate - 10 ppm
pH - 7.6
Temperature - 78.8 F

Your tank looks very pretty! It's a little hard to see it clearly with the reflections from the room though. If you shut off the lights at night except for the tank light you'll get a clearer photo. Just a tip, and of course you don't have to, but I for one would love to see your tank better!
^_^

 

[tetraguy]

I don't think you'll be disappointed. I run the 19.9 inch on the 20T and the 15.9 inch on one of my 10gs. Both set to 25% on full spectrum for 8 1/2 hrs a day.

It grows jungle val, wisteria, hygrophila corymbosa, and amazon sword very nicely. No algea at all on current settings!

 

[ProudPapa]

. . . I have a 36 gallon bowfront tank so it's taller (about 21" tall). It's a plastic lid so I've had to get under the lid lights that attach by suction cups... They aren't the best and the tank is darker than the office area it's in. Does anyone have any suggestions for stronger under the lid lights I can try?

Are the suction cups the only thing keeping the light from falling down into the tank? If yes, that would make me very nervous.

 

[kansas]

Could you drill holes in the lid and use zip ties to hold the light in place?

 

[FishDin]

Your tank is coming along nicely.

Brighter lights won't help with skittish fish. I would install a background and maybe some hardscape that reaches to the top area of the tank. Epiphytes like Anubius, Buce and Java Fern could be attached to it.

You have some safe places / hiding places at the bottom, but Neons are not bottom dwellers, so that won't help much to make them feel secure. The Ram, however should appreciate them.

 

[Candace]

Are the suction cups the only thing keeping the light from falling down into the tank? If yes, that would make me very nervous.

Yes but they're also submersible lights, I just don't like the look of lights in the tank.

Could you drill holes in the lid and use zip ties to hold the light in place?

That's a good idea! The only other thing I could think of was super gluing the suction cups.