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RE: Setting up new tank



  David,

	I have an Eclipse hood on a heavily planted 37 gallon tank(30 X 23 
  X 12(I think)). There are some real problems using an Eclipse hood on a 
  planted tank. You're already aware of the low lighting. But the biggest 
  problem is that it creates way too much surface agitation, thus causing the 
  water to lose CO2 very quickly. Another problem is that the lightling is 
  all in the front. This will cause the plants to all grow towards the light
  instead of straight up. The plants in the back suffer even if the plants in
  the front do well. The Eclipse is innovative, it's good looking and 
  it's a good design for a fish tank but not a planted tank.

	With all of this said, I should point out that my anubias barteri nana
  is doing very well. So are the Crypt Balansae and Java Ferns. Most of my
  Rotala Indica and Wisteria are also doing well. I do use laterite mixed with
  sand in the lower 1/3 of the substrate. I would recommend it. Also,
  I do weekly water changes. I have found that our well water has lots of
  CO2. After I do a water change, I leave the filter off the rest of the day
  and find bubbles coming off most of my plants. Without doing this once a week,
  I don't think I would have as much success as I've had.

	If you have space constraints, a cannister filter will allow you to 
  place it nearly as close to a wall as the Eclipse. With a canister filter,
  it's also very easy to add CO2 with a very simple yeast/pop bottle setup.
  
	Keith Woestehoff - who's making plans for a new 75 gallon planted tank
		with a canister filter, and 160-240 watts of lighting.