# Twinstar 900s intensity level



## willsy (31 Mar 2018)

Hi

Just setup a new Aquascaper 900 180L with a Twinstar 900s.

Got my lights running at 70% to start with.

Has anyone got one of these? Does that sound ok?

Cheers

Will


----------



## willsy (1 Apr 2018)

willsy said:


> Hi
> 
> Just setup a new Aquascaper 900 180L with a Twinstar 900s.
> 
> ...


Should have also mentioned in dosing EI with CO2 at 30ppm (lime green drop check). Forgot to mention that info!


----------



## Zeus. (1 Apr 2018)

How long of a photoperiod do you have the light on for? Plus have you done a pH profile on the Tank. Getting the [CO2] optimum for lights on is critical, also having a lower intensity when lights first on helps too, takes time for plants to be ready for higher intensities.


----------



## willsy (2 Apr 2018)

Zeus. said:


> How long of a photoperiod do you have the light on for? Plus have you done a pH profile on the Tank. Getting the [CO2] optimum for lights on is critical, also having a lower intensity when lights first on helps too, takes time for plants to be ready for higher intensities.


7 hours photoperiod. Not exactly sure what  a pH profile involves. Could you point me in the right direction Zeus? Don't have a programmable dimmer at the moment so have to rely on simple on and off at my set level...


----------



## Zeus. (2 Apr 2018)

pH profile.
Get a cheap pH pen of eBay/ amozan
Take pH every 30mins from CO2 on till lights off
Do a graph. At lights off note the DC colour and pH that's target pH for lights on ( assuming your happy with colour pH change) my pH drop well over 1.0pH and DC light yellow in one tank and clear in other, these levels are pretty high and carry risks OFC. With a pH drop of 1.0 you should be fine and light green DC. PH pens are not accurate so the actual pH may ( or will ) be different from what the pH pen says but that's irrelavent it's the profile that's matters. Set the BPS at a rate that keeps the pH stable from lights on till CO2 off. Once you have your stable pH with BPS your corrosponding pH profile will let you know when the CO2 needs to come on. It may take 2 hrs to get target pH for lights on. One of my tanks takes 3 hours! But it is what it is having a stable pH from lights on till CO2 off is critical. Most plant issues in CO2 injected tanks are due to poor CO2 implementation with fluctuating CO2 levels and poor flow being the main problems.

I would start at 6hrs and 50% intensity for at least 4-6weeks.
If no programmable intensity well no choice except get the pH profile right.


----------



## willsy (2 Apr 2018)

Zeus. said:


> pH profile.
> Get a cheap pH pen of eBay/ amozan
> Take pH every 30mins from CO2 on till lights off
> Do a graph. At lights off note the DC colour and pH that's target pH for lights on ( assuming your happy with colour pH change) my pH drop well over 1.0pH and DC light yellow in one tank and clear in other, these levels are pretty high and carry risks OFC. With a pH drop of 1.0 you should be fine and light green DC. PH pens are not accurate so the actual pH may ( or will ) be different from what the pH pen says but that's irrelavent it's the profile that's matters. Set the BPS at a rate that keeps the pH stable from lights on till CO2 off. Once you have your stable pH with BPS your corrosponding pH profile will let you know when the CO2 needs to come on. It may take 2 hrs to get target pH for lights on. One of my tanks takes 3 hours! But it is what it is having a stable pH from lights on till CO2 off is critical. Most plant issues in CO2 injected tanks are due to poor CO2 implementation with fluctuating CO2 levels and poor flow being the main problems.
> ...


Wow, thanks for that explanation Zeus. Sounds like a sensible approach. I'll have a think how to implement this...


----------



## Zeus. (2 Apr 2018)

Glad it help m8. It was just a summary of what all the Gurus on here advise.


----------

