Planted Tank Questions

[iAquanaut]

I'm no expert at that level, but I am certain that with common stocking levels you can get 10 to 15ppm of CO2 and perhaps more if you save the CO2 produced at night. Otherwise, measure pH and KH mornings and night and work-out the corresponding CO2 levels (plenty of tables on the internet) and find out.
5000 to 6500K is a good light temperature. 10000K is NOT recommended. You can also combine different tubes to give an optimised K-rating. I can help you with that.

Thanks Dutchman! I think that I'm going to try to keep the bulbs to 6500K. How exactly could I combine different tubes to get an optimised K-rating?

[Dutchman]

These are some popular combinations:
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Most popular is the combination between an 830 Warm White and the 865 Cool Daylight. Just find out if you can get any of these, and at what price.

[freshfish]

Thanks Freshfish!

How much lighting would you suggest I provide so that I do not need to inject CO2 but still have a relatively highly lit tank?

I would recommend two T5NO bulbs or three T8 bulbs. You may have to DIY a fixture, as the 2x T5NO Coralife fixtures that I have over my own low tech 46gal may have been discontinued?

Here's my own 46gal, so you can see how they light the tank:


And Cor, here's a pic for you of my 90gal, taken just before a massive trim I finally did yesterday... I'll try and get some after shots up soon in my journal LOL