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Too much light?

Ccoll

Seedling
Joined
11 Apr 2014
Messages
5
Hey guys,

Recently joined last night and I have a question around my new high tech setup.

I have a handmade tank which is 21uk gallons long (25us) which was started a few days ago with HC foreground.

I replaced the lights with 4x39w T5HO fixture, and these sit around 7 inches above the water level. Depth of tank is 35cm water level.

I don't yet understand watts per gallon rule as I'm aware this isn't necessarily accurate.
This would work out at 6.2 watts per us galon with all 4 bulbs on. This seems a lot.
The four bulbs are 2x 10k white and 2x growth red.

Should I be using two bulbs the majority of the time?

The CO2 is set to 5bps as there's no stock at present so I have it high while the HC is transitioning.

I'd like to optimise the light timing etc to allow for good growth without burning everything under the sun :)

Thanks :)
 
definately is too much light, even two bulbs. Begin with one bulb at most or you'll induce algae.
 
I can understand 4 might be too much, but one doesn't seem enough.
What's the reason if you don't mind me asking?
 
Because I got brown algae using 120 w T8 tubes over a 300 L tank! And I was using full EI and CO2. So I had to reduce the lighting to 60 w. If you tank is new, 1 x T5HO is MORE than enough, trust me.
 
Hi Victor,

I appreciate your reply.

I understand that your saying it's enough, but I'd like to understand the reason why.

As I understand, certain plants require higher light, or whatever the respective parameters might be. From what I gather, half a watt per galon wouldn't be sufficient for the kinds of plants I'm trying to grow.

If you could help me understand your reasoning better, that would be great :)
 
The problem is not so much the amount of light you want to use but trying to match the amount of C02 required to match that amount of light.
If you don't have any fish, you do have extremely good flow & C02 distribution then, perhaps you could run 4 x tubes without to much algae but it will never be easy.
However if you have 2 bulbs, no fish & perfect distribution, then you will stand a far better chance of achieved a lush algae free tank.
In most cases we also keep fish so you have to restrict the amount of C02 to keep them from dying, so you then need very carful monitoring of the C02....that is a lot easier with lower light than living on the edge with 4 tubes!!
C02 is the governing factor not light.
 
That makes more sense :)
I think it's going to take a while to figure out the best combination for my tank.
No doubt it'll be easier once it's established and it settles down.

I've also read that dosing nutrients shouldn't be done in the first few weeks. Is this correct?

I'll read up on par and try to make some sense of it. The table helped demonstrate the what but not the why.
I have a bad habit of overthinking, and I find I need to understand the chemical and biological processes to be able to understand what I'm trying to achieve. Logical cause and consequence etc.

I'm sure I'll have more questions tomorrow haha! In the mean time, I'll drop the light down for certain.
 
Always better start with less light before ur plants get going. If u have high light without plants taking it, algae is taking over. It's like giving a runner lots of "energiser" without building up his mussels and shape first. He'll colaps. Systematic work and building up all what plants need having the basic elements in balance "light and nutritiens" on mind. if one goes lower than the other one,u get problem. on lower light,u have time to observe if u have enough nutritions (also means a good distribution) and slowely start increasing the light. The starting point depens on what plants u having. If u starting HC up need more light to start with than if u do echinodorus for instance. It's the balance what matters isn't it. Good luck P




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C02 grows plants...from my experience, you can grow HC perfectly fine with low light.
I'd rather grow hc under lower light conditions otherwise you spend all your life trimming and scooping it out of your tank. Just because you add co2 to a tank doesnt mean you have to nuke it with light too
 
HC on low light, really? Well done you. Fair enough ;)

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HC on low light, really? Well done you. Fair enough ;)

Sent from my HTC One mini using Tapatalk
There is a limit but yes fairly low light
I have hc in my 35l and its lit by 2x8w t5no if i only use one the hc slowly dies back so a single t5ho should be more than enough to grow hc
 
2x8w T5 for 35l is rather above medium light already. 1x8w T5 in 35l for HC would I'd think be on the edge?! Depends how hight above the tank obviously. I don't think nothing less than that would be considerable for HC though would be?!

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Btw as said light and nutritients need to be balanced.that's the best way.if u add too much co2 without having light u waste ur co2. If u got too much light and not enought co2 u starve ur plants and grow algae. Simple

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