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Do I need more light?

Akmaliano

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17 Mar 2017
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I'm currently running a Fluval Fresh & Plant 2.0 59w (at 100% brightness for 7 hrs a day) together with Fluval Roma 240's stock led strip for 8hrs. The stock light isn't bright at all and completely inadequate for a planted tank (now idea how Fluval can sell the tank with that light).

Mine is a heavily planted tank to which I add 75ml of EI daily (micro and macro interchangeably), 8ml of Easycarbo a day, CO2 injected with limegreen-yellowish drop checker, 50% weekly WC, no algae problems (touch wood) and the plants are doing well.

Now, in the last few weeks I've been wondering whether I can increase my lighting. Although the plants are doing well, they don't seem to me to be growing as fast. Also, is the Fluval F&P sufficient for my setup?

I've been thinking of getting one more light unit preferably cheaper than the Fluval F&P's as they're a bit of a rip-off. something like a Chihiros etc would do, and run it for a 3-4 hrs a day, in addition to the F&P I already have, just to give that extra boost to my plants.

What do you guys think? Is it worth it, or not? Would this work? Any risks and what to do to minimise them?
If you agree that adding extra lights would be ok, then which one (make and model) would you recommend for my tank (Fluval Roma 240)? It'll need to fit neatly under the hood.

Thanks
ak
 
So you have good growth & a little algae but, you want more :)
I would describe your post as quite unusual because the majority of folk are desperate to achieve what you already have!
Anyway, it may be better to increase your light duration than the intensity, although you don't state how long your lights are on at the moment?
Do you have a photo of the tank?
 
Hi foxfish, thanks for your reply. As you may have noticed, the light are on for: Fluval F&P - 7hrs at 100% brightness, stock LED strip - 8hrs (30 mins before and after the F&P).
Yes, I agree I'm quite fortunate to have a tank that's running well (touch wood!). Knowledge and information I've gained on this forum have helped me a lot to get there. However, I had a couple of reasons to be considering whether I could increase the light my tank was getting:

1 - my previous tank was a Juwel Rio180 with T5 HO lights on for 7hrs and the plants seemed to be growing faster there. For example, my limnophila hippuridoides seems to take much longer to grow now than in the previous setup. Maybe that was because the T5 lights were generally stronger that the F&P LED, or the depth of the Rio was slightly less than the Roma 240 (50cm vs 55cm) thus affecting the PAR reaching the substrate level. I'm not sure.
2 - generally, I wasn't sure if one F&P 2.0 59w would be sifficient for a tank like Fluval Roma 240. I've seen a few people on this forum with an identical tank doing really well with much more light than this. I think I've seen someone with F&P 2.0 59w and 46w on their Roma 240. Obviously, the second light would be running for a much less time than the main one, say 7hrs plus 3-4hrs of additional light. Hence I just wanted to hear some opinions. Your advise of potentially running the lights for longer is interesting and I'll def consider that. Do you think if I gradually increase the F&P's photoperiod to 8 hrs would be fine?

I don't have an up-to-date pic of the tank with me but I'll take one tonight and post it here.

Many thanks
ak
 
Here you go as promised some pics of my tank. Pics taken on my phone so pls excuse me if the quality isn't very good.
Basically, in 4 months pogostemons have only reached this height whilst the eleocharis acicularis is not growing tall (it seems to stick to the substrate); after a month or so limnophila hippiridoides is still hidden behind the pogostemon.
Don't take me wrong, I'm not complaining at all. I'm very happy with how my plants are doing (touch wood!) It's just I'm exploring if there are more opportunities to improve the speed of their growth and their 'lushness' :D
 

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Looking at the P erectus which I've grown in nonCO2, low CO2, moderate CO2, varying light (HOT5, Kessil, sun, (window) shade), varying fertilizers ...

- those lower dropped leafs are what I see with inadequate light rather than non-CO2 - which tends to grow quite slow, & shorter (or is this just a function of slow?) & retains its older (lower) leafs

Tall tanks are not the easiest to light - PAR drops off rather sharply as water column height increases beyond 45cm
(Sanjay Joshi has done a rather comprehensive series of PAR value vs (water) distance for various light sources) & when choosing LED for deeper tanks look for high intensity LED (this can vary for a given watt & manufacturer LED just as with T5 lamps), minimum 1watt LED + distribution & total wattage - lens & reflector also significantly affect substrate PAR (for x watt LED)

I have old Oceanic "Show" tanks which are 55cm high, moderate CO2 (at best - re fish sp. that prefer lower CO2)

Chihiros & similar do grand on tanks under 45cm height
 
Tall tanks are not the easiest to light - PAR drops off rather sharply as water column height increases beyond 45cm
(Sanjay Joshi has done a rather comprehensive series of PAR value vs (water) distance for various light sources) & when choosing LED for deeper tanks look for high intensity LED (this can vary for a given watt & manufacturer LED just as with T5 lamps), minimum 1watt LED + distribution & total wattage - lens & reflector also significantly affect substrate PAR (for x watt LED)

The Fluval Fresh & Plant is supposed to be a high light with good PAR levels at substrate but by the looks of it it's not performing as well. Can you suggest any other lights of similar price that would completement well with my tank?
 
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