Architect lamp + grow bulb for 3 gallon planted jar project?

[Kit Craft]

I am trying to figure out what to use to light my planted jar project. I don't have it planted yet. But I am having a hard time deciding on what to light with. My first planted project in a 12 inch cube taught me that I needed WAY less light than I thought, at least on such a shallow tank. I needed to filter my Aqueon Clip On Planted to about 50-60% for my low light plants. 

 

Anyway, will something like this work? Using grow light bulb in a desk lamp? Something like an a A19 or BR30 (GE). Plants can be decided on later, but I am thinking of some Dwarf Sag, Java Moss, Bacopa and Salvinia. I've seen people do something like this on youtube, but those creators make everything look easy...Me, I have a hard time with anything other than Jungle Val. and Java moss, lol. 

 

I mean, there are those bamboo boards designed for terrariums/planted bowls with a 5-17 watt led on them but meh the architect lamp looks nicer. 

 

I'd apricate any advice!

[JoeQ]

For my coming soon gallon bowl I'm planning on using a regular ole fashion desk lamp which should be pleanty.

[Kit Craft]

@JoeQ Oh, that is a cool lamp. Yeah, I am learning, so far, that I need way less light than I initially thought. My Jar is, oh, about 2.125 gallons after substrate and hardscape. I am pretty good at over lighting plants so I should probably err on the low side of things, lol. 

[JoeQ]

On 10/21/2023 at 5:53 PM, Kit Craft said:

@JoeQ Oh, that is a cool lamp. Yeah, I am learning, so far, that I need way less light than I initially thought. My Jar is, oh, about 2.125 gallons after substrate and hardscape. I am pretty good at over lighting plants so I should probably err on the low side of things, lol. 

I'm hoping I can go without a light and just put my bowl in a sunny spot! If not the desk lamp will be plenty I would think! 

[Kit Craft]

@JoeQ Sadly, mine won't be in an area with much natural light but that is a thought. I did think about setting up a 3-gallon bowl (I have a few as my wife uses them for crafts) on the espresso stand. Plenty of indirect sunlight there. But I will see if this jar goes well first, lol. 

[Kit Craft]

On 10/22/2023 at 5:08 AM, Pepere said:

Yes, but those videos are heavily edited and the creators choose whether or not to share their struggles and failures…

Oh, I am sure. It makes me curious though because I can grow stuff like Java moss in a jar with no direct light on my desk. And because, as I said, something like the Aqueon Clip on proved to be too much light for my low light plants. I am wondering just how much light I really need for Low-Medium light plants.

[JoeQ]

On 10/22/2023 at 11:53 AM, Kit Craft said:

Oh, I am sure. It makes me curious though because I can grow stuff like Java moss in a jar with no direct light on my desk. And because, as I said, something like the Aqueon Clip on proved to be too much light for my low light plants. I am wondering just how much light I really need for Low-Medium light plants.

As for above, the majic of television rules apply to YouTube times 1000. It's especially helpful to take any video seen there (or anywhere online) with a healthy dose of scepticism!!!

As for lightning, im almost willing to bet a well lit room (either by sunlight or artificial) will be more than enough for low~medium low plants. How the plants leaves react to the light can be used to tell if its sufficient.

[Kit Craft]

On 10/22/2023 at 12:50 PM, JoeQ said:

As for above, the majic of television rules apply to YouTube times 1000. It's especially helpful to take any video seen there (or anywhere online) with a healthy dose of scepticism!!!

As for lightning, im almost willing to bet a well lit room (either by sunlight or artificial) will be more than enough for low~medium low plants. How the plants leaves react to the light can be used to tell if its sufficient.

 Oh, for sure. When I see things like that I do think of the "nailed it" memes. Which is why I asked here. 🙂 

 

 

[Kit Craft]

Just as an fyi I ended up getting a Hyagger clip on nano planted light with an amazon gift card to see if it would work on the jar. To my surprise it fits like a glove. I was concerned as this is a cookie jar and has a huge lip, but this thing will fit on about anything as it has a massive base/screw. I guess that means I need another jar setup so that I have something to stick under the lamp that I didn't use, lol. Maybe a desk jar. But we will wait and see if my snails reproduce first. Making these little jars is fun.

[JoeQ]

Pics?

[Kit Craft]

On 10/25/2023 at 6:49 AM, JoeQ said:

Pics?

I can take some later if you like but the plants and snails are on their way from the distribution center to my local post office, so I won't be able to finish it until tomorrow. Right now, it is just substrate, hardscape and a small chunk of java fern on cholla wood. Well, and some hidden rock wool from another tank to seed with. I have another one on my coffee stand that I started, and I hope I have some leftovers to put it together, lol. It is only a 1-gallon jar, but I had a small piece of driftwood and some substrate left. I do have some have fern leaves floating in there and some small lava rocks from another tank tucked behind the wood that I am going to glue moss to. Figured I could use it, eventually, for any brown snails or wild type shrimp as a small grow out/overflow before tossing them in one of the cubes.

I hope when I get the plants in that this doesn't turn out like a "nailed it" meme.

 

Be forewarned, I am awful with photos, lol. 

 

Edit: Here is a crappy cell phone picture I sent my wife when I got the light in the mail yesterday. Still need to take the lamp of my bedside table and center the jar. And close the drawer...lol. That fern is likely not staying or at least not like that.

 

Anyway, that light is nice. It has like 6 adjustable brightness levels, three light modes and a timer for 6/9/12 hours. Quite impressed for under $20. 

Edited October 25, 2023 by Kit Craft

[JoeQ]

On 10/25/2023 at 11:23 AM, Kit Craft said:

I can take some later if you like but the plants and snails are on their way from the distribution center to my local post office, so I won't be able to finish it until tomorrow. Right now, it is just substrate, hardscape and a small chunk of java fern on cholla wood. Well, and some hidden rock wool from another tank to seed with. I have another one on my coffee stand that I started, and I hope I have some leftovers to put it together, lol. It is only a 1-gallon jar, but I had a small piece of driftwood and some substrate left. I do have some have fern leaves floating in there and some small lava rocks from another tank tucked behind the wood that I am going to glue moss to. Figured I could use it, eventually, for any brown snails or wild type shrimp as a small grow out/overflow before tossing them in one of the cubes.

I hope when I get the plants in that this doesn't turn out like a "nailed it" meme.

 

Be forewarned, I am awful with photos, lol. 

Thats ok, you'll have a good record of progress pictures. I recently posted a filled empty tank mostly just for the reasons of being able to see its progress in a few scrolls. But also partially because I'm always amazed an empty glass box holds water!!!! 🤣 

My intrest with yours is probably the same, the progress and to see the light you are using 

[Kit Craft]

On 10/25/2023 at 11:35 AM, JoeQ said:

Thats ok, you'll have a good record of progress pictures. I recently posted a filled empty tank mostly just for the reasons of being able to see its progress in a few scrolls. But also partially because I'm always amazed an empty glass box holds water!!!! 🤣 

My intrest with yours is probably the same, the progress and to see the light you are using 

Well, I was going to get that light, or a few, for some other projects as my wife found them online but ended up using something I bought locally. As per usual, I should have listened to my wife. I like this little light, at least how it looks and its functionality. We shall see how well it works with plants. It have it set two clicks from low atm. I'm just surprised it fits the rim of that cookie jar. 

 

As an aside, I think I am happier with the one gallon on the coffee stand. Idk why. It isn't going to have a light. Going for ambient house lighting and indirect sunlight. Just to see how things work. I am sure I will have some leftover plants that don't work for me in the other jar or some clippings from the moss and stem plants. Maybe a little Salvinia. Though I could get some bladder snail infested plants from my local fish store for that project and that gives me flora and fauna in one go. 

[JoeQ]

Very cool! Love it and will probably consider that light as well for my bowl project coming up! You should definitely start a journal, im pretty sure a number of us would like to track your progress as well as see the process from start to finish! 👏👏👏👏

[Kit Craft]

On 10/25/2023 at 12:49 PM, JoeQ said:

Very cool! Love it and will probably consider that light as well for my bowl project coming up! You should definitely start a journal, im pretty sure a number of us would like to track your progress as well as see the process from start to finish! 👏👏👏👏

As an aside, my shrimp and snails came today. My gosh, these shrimp are like 1/16 of an inch long, at most. I don't know if I will ever see them in the 3 gallon. Might keep them in the 1 for now with half the snails. I think I'll have plenty of snails quickly as they are already climbing all over each other. 

[JoeQ]

On 10/25/2023 at 2:31 PM, Kit Craft said:

As an aside, my shrimp and snails came today. My gosh, these shrimp are like 1/16 of an inch long, at most. I don't know if I will ever see them in the 3 gallon. Might keep them in the 1 for now with half the snails. I think I'll have plenty of snails quickly as they are already climbing all over each other. 

Soooooo cute! Whered you get them from?

[Kit Craft]

On 10/25/2023 at 3:53 PM, JoeQ said:

Soooooo cute! Whered you get them from?

Flip aquatics.

 

Lol, they are so well hidden even in the 1 gallon that I know I'd have not seen them for months in the three gallon. I got mostly new plants but I threw in some java fern leaves that I am floating to repropagate because I nuked them with too much light when I first got them. The shrimp seem to like those. Probably because they are an algae/biofilm farm.

Honestly, I didn't even intend to get shrimp. I just wanted snails. But they were on sale, and I am a sucker for sales and coupons.

 

The snails, both in the 3 and 1 gallons, are going for the driftwood. My mystery does the same thing. Loves the driftwood. 

Edited October 25, 2023 by Kit Craft
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