# Too little light?



## oldbloke (7 Sep 2013)

I'm having a real job getting plants to grow in swmbos nano 30. The light looks really poor and I wondered if this is the problem. It's a 9w tube over 30l. 
I'm using EI and Easycabo and even the wisteria is struggling, and that's one plant I can now grow!

Apart from anything else it really looks dull.

Cheers.


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## sa80mark (7 Sep 2013)

My guess would be that the light is not the issue, the only reason I say this is ive got a dennerle 30l cube which is pretty much the same dimensions as yours and mine runs a 11watt light and im 100% convinced its a bit to bright, I have no doubt at all that a 9watt would be more suited to my tank size,

Ive read I think on here somewhere that wisteria doesn't do well with liquid carbon not sure if this is right or not im sure someone more experienced will have a better idea than me

Hth

Mark


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## bridgey_c (7 Sep 2013)

I have a 30 litre fluval nano with the same light probably and I had to cover the glass with a clear plastic and add some floaters to keep the intensity down. The easy to grow plants are doing fine and at a much nicer rate than my co2 tank!

what substrate are you using?


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## oldbloke (7 Sep 2013)

It's the same as one of my other tanks...........aquasoil with osmacote, topped with moggy litter.


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## sa80mark (7 Sep 2013)

Plants liquid carbon will melt (complete list)

Heres a link to where I saw about wisteria as I said I dont know if this is the cause though


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## oldbloke (7 Sep 2013)

sa80mark said:


> Plants liquid carbon will melt (complete list)
> 
> Heres a link to where I saw about wisteria as I said I dont know if this is the cause though


 
I never gave that a thought!


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## squid102 (7 Sep 2013)

Remember that our perception of light is different to the plants. Just because it looks dull to us doesn't mean that the plants aren't getting enough of the right spectrums for them. When you say they are struggling what exactly do you mean. Slow growth? Leggy growth? Visible deficiencies?


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## oldbloke (7 Sep 2013)

Non existent growth and gradual melt.
I have the light on for 5 hours.


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## squid102 (7 Sep 2013)

sa80mark said:


> Plants liquid carbon will melt (complete list)
> 
> Heres a link to where I saw about wisteria as I said I dont know if this is the cause though


This link doesn't say that Wisteria has a problem with liquid co2. He asks which plants in the list might be affected and further down the thread someone says they have wisteria and it is fine.

How long has the lighting been at 5 hours?  When are you adding the liquid carbon? Any pictures of the tank?


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## oldbloke (7 Sep 2013)

IMG_5346 by threequartersky, on Flickr

Added about an hour before lights on.
Been this regime for about 10 weeks


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## squid102 (7 Sep 2013)

Ah yes, the macrame Fourth Bridge!

I'm going to have to leave this one to the more knowledgeable on here. Although personally, I would have increased the photoperiod from 5 hours long before now. I thought that a short photoperiod was a good idea for new tanks to allow emersed plants to adjust to being submersed but I would have thought they would have adjusted by now. But then, I could be wrong.


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## oldbloke (7 Sep 2013)

Ok mate, thanks for that.

Does anybody know the results of too little light? If any.


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## ceg4048 (8 Sep 2013)

Your problem is insufficient CO2/flow/distribution if you are getting melt.

Cheers,


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## oldbloke (8 Sep 2013)

Ceg, I have been paying attention and doing my homework, so that was the conclusion I came to.
However, I am dosing 4ml easycarbo daily into the tank (20l) and thought this must be enough.
I am a bit reluctant to up it because of the fish.

Cheers.


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## ceg4048 (8 Sep 2013)

Good-on-ya mate.The next thing to look at is flow/distribution. Even in a small tank it can be possible to have poor distribution.Is that a spraybar seen on-end? Sorry, I can't quite make it out. If yes, then try raising it to almost the level of the water. Also try mounting it on different walls of the tank.

The other possibility though is that the plants are responding negatively to the Excel. The stem plants shouldn't have a problem though. Also, when are you dosing the Excel.....and, of course, you are dosing it every day....aren't you?


To solve your bulb looking dim problem, try getting a bulb that has a lot of green/yellow. Then it will look brighter to you.

Cheers,


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## oldbloke (8 Sep 2013)

Yes, it is a spraybar. As far as I can see, distribution is ok. It's a fairly powerful pump and looks like everywhere is covered.

I dose an hour before lights on. The tank does get a fair bit of natural light but no direct sunlight at all. And yes.....every day without fail!




ceg4048 said:


> yellow


Cheers.


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## ceg4048 (8 Sep 2013)

OK, like I mentioned, it' looks a bit lo. Definitely also look at different walls though, just to check.

Cheers,


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## oldbloke (8 Sep 2013)

ceg4048 said:


> OK, like I mentioned, it' looks a bit lo. Definitely also look at different walls though, just to check.
> 
> Cheers,


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## ceg4048 (8 Sep 2013)

Also, not sure because of reflections and so forth, but can you confirm the spraybar holes are pointing horizontally and not down? And that you don't have another filter outlet point crosswise or opposite the direction of the spray?

Cheers,


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## oldbloke (9 Sep 2013)

It's actually pointing up to take a bit of the sting out of it.
Otherwise it's like watching the fish in a washing machine....


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## squid102 (9 Sep 2013)

Up? As Clive says, it needs to be higher and pointing across the tank. You could always take the sting out by making the holes a little bigger. 

Another thing - where is the inlet? I can't see one on the same side as the spraybar. If it is on the opposite side of the tank then there may be very little flow, if any, under the spraybar where your wisteria is.


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## dw1305 (9 Sep 2013)

Hi all,


oldbloke said:


> I have the light on for 5 hours.


 Have a longer lighting period, I'd go to at least 8 hours. Then if the plants are still pale and not growing satisfactorily add some more fertiliser. If you have floating plants you can use them to judge whether it is a CO2 issue. *If your floating plants are pale green or not growing, it isn't a CO2 issue*. 

cheers Darrel


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## oldbloke (9 Sep 2013)

squid102 said:


> Up? As Clive says, it needs to be higher and pointing across the tank. You could always take the sting out by making the holes a little bigger.
> 
> Another thing - where is the inlet? I can't see one on the same side as the spraybar. If it is on the opposite side of the tank then there may be very little flow, if any, under the spraybar where your wisteria is.


 

I'm happy to do this but could you please explain the reasons behind it? I thought as long as I'm getting ok circulation.....

The inlet is on the top at the right side.

Cheers.


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## oldbloke (9 Sep 2013)

dw1305 said:


> Hi all,
> Have a longer lighting period, I'd go to at least 8 hours. Then if the plants are still pale and not growing satisfactorily add some more fertiliser. If you have floating plants you can use them to judge whether it is a CO2 issue. *If your floating plants are pale green or not growing, it isn't a CO2 issue*.
> 
> cheers Darrel


 

Thanks Darrel.
The duckweed looks ok.colour wise but it's "legs" have come off!


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## foxfish (9 Sep 2013)

Spray bars are best placed just under the surface pointing directly towards the front glass & aimed about 25mm below the water level.
The reason is .. this placement produces a circular flow within the tank.
 The jeted water is pushed along the surface, down the front panel & along the bottom then back up the rear panel to re circulate....


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## oldbloke (9 Sep 2013)

foxfish said:


> Spray bars are best placed just under the surface pointing directly towards the front glass & aimed about 25mm below the water level.
> The reason is .. this placement produces a circular flow within the tank.
> The jeted water is pushed along the surface, down the front panel & along the bottom then back up the rear panel to re circulate....


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## ceg4048 (9 Sep 2013)

oldbloke said:


> It's actually pointing up...




Cheers,


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## oldbloke (9 Sep 2013)

ceg4048 said:


> Cheers,


 

Sorted.....


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## oldbloke (1 Oct 2013)

dw1305 said:


> Hi all,
> Have a longer lighting period, I'd go to at least 8 hours. Then if the plants are still pale and not growing satisfactorily add some more fertiliser. If you have floating plants you can use them to judge whether it is a CO2 issue. *If your floating plants are pale green or not growing, it isn't a CO2 issue*.
> 
> cheers Darrel


 

Upped the period to 8 hours and things are looking much better!

Cheers!


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