# Is my lights low or high?



## Planted Bows (8 Nov 2016)

Hi all 

I seriously cannot get my.head around how to work out if my light is classed low, medium or high light?! 

I have the aquael 30  litre shrimp setup with the 6w led sunny tub upgrade from the florescent tube.

My substrate at the front is only a few inches thick but towards the back if say it's nearly half way up the back of the tanks and slops down if you catch my drift.

Please can someone help me as this is driving me out!!

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## rebel (8 Nov 2016)

Low to very low. Any pics?


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## Planted Bows (8 Nov 2016)

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## Planted Bows (8 Nov 2016)

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## Planted Bows (8 Nov 2016)

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## Planted Bows (8 Nov 2016)

There we go. I have some HC Cuba coming in the post in the next few days, will I have a problem? 

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## Planted Bows (8 Nov 2016)

The output is 6500k so I know the colour temperature is ok

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## Planted Bows (8 Nov 2016)

The thing I'm looking for is a simple calculator telling what my watts per gallon are 

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## rebel (8 Nov 2016)

Planted Bows said:


> The thing I'm looking for is a simple calculator telling what my watts per gallon are
> 
> Sent from my D6603 using Tapatalk


There isn't one.

For HC cuba, light and CO2 are both important. With the light itself, it als depends on penetration to the level of the substrate.

If I were to guess, in that tank, I'd say you won't be able to grow cuba in a lush manner. Try M. Monte carlo. It's an easier carpeting plant.


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## Planted Bows (8 Nov 2016)

Well I've just found something where you take the watts and divide by us gallons. Which would be 6/8 so that gives 0.75 watts per gallon....this is low isn't it? Am I right in saying that I'd need between 2/3 watts per gallon to be successful in growing most plants? I do have Co2 injection into the tank via a FE. Starr if the day my DC is dark green then just before lights out its near yellow. 

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## rebel (8 Nov 2016)

If you have CO2, then you can just lower that closer to the water and try to grow HC.


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## roadmaster (8 Nov 2016)

Not sure the plant in left foreground is true aquatic unless it's a type of Lily.?
Look's strangely like a house plant I killed this past summer on the patio.


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## kadoxu (8 Nov 2016)

The Watt per Gallon thing doesn't really work with LEDs...


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## Planted Bows (8 Nov 2016)

roadmaster said:


> Not sure the plant in left foreground is true aquatic unless it's a type of Lily.?
> Look's strangely like a house plant I killed this past summer on the patio.


Well theres a funny story behind that! I brought it from eBay sold as a red tiger lotus. However there no shoots etc so I couldn't be sure what it was.....a month later and out pops 5 shoots which are clearly not red tiger lotus.

Gives a nice sway to the tank though from the flow going round. Will in time buy a proper red tiger lotus though.



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## Planted Bows (8 Nov 2016)

kadoxu said:


> The Watt per Gallon thing doesn't really work with LEDs...


How can I tell if my light will be good enough to grow carpet plants? I've been reading across the Web that the smart leddy that aquael do grows MC perfectly but not sure about HC Cuba?? 

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## dw1305 (8 Nov 2016)

Hi all,





Planted Bows said:


> a month later and out pops 5 shoots which are clearly not red tiger lotus.


It is definitely a water lily. 

cheers Darrel


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## Planted Bows (8 Nov 2016)

Thanks for clarification on the plant darrel

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## roadmaster (8 Nov 2016)

Well I think between the Lily and the floating plant's,that a stronger light might be able to be used .
Otherwise, I think regular thinning out of the floating plant's and trimming on the lotus will be needed to keep from blocking too much light for carpet plant's.
Lighting appear's to be bout right for the mosses attached to the branches and floating plant's presently growing on surface.
I might be tempted to use several pot's of crypt parva for slow to form carpet without increasing the lighting much at all.


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## Planted Bows (8 Nov 2016)

I've just had a look at those crypts, they look nice... Im going to try the HC Cuba on the higher levels which are at the back and quite possible those crypts you recommend.



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## kadoxu (8 Nov 2016)

Planted Bows said:


> How can I tell if my light will be good enough to grow carpet plants? I've been reading across the Web that the smart leddy that aquael do grows MC perfectly but not sure about HC Cuba??


You need to check PAR and/or LUX they provide and light dispersion angle to get an idea.


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