Newbie in need of lighting advice

[newscaper]

Hi all,

I’m new to the forum so please let me know if I am posting incorrectly.

Quick bio, I run a 130L rimless tank (Aquanano 130 if memory serves), it’s open top and around 6 months ago I removed all ornaments and manmade tat in favour of a planted aquascape. Been working hard on getting the best out of my plants and introduced pressurised co2 8 weeks ago. I’m struggling to get the balance right but getting there slowly.

My worry is my lights. I have 2 x fluval aquasky’s suspended at water level. The tank is 80cm across. One light is 80cm and one 45cm.

I’m concerned I am not getting enough light. I have them on full power white and red however I cannot promote pearling and tbh the plants are doing ok but not flourishing as I’d hoped.

I dose daily evolution aqua complete plant food and have good maintenance habits with weekly 50% water changes.

I’m considering a chihiros rgb or a twinstar 600s.

Sadly I have no experience of either light and have never seen them running.

Interested to know what people’s opinions on aquasky’s are and if they are powerful enough? What recommendations would be for alternative lighting?

Ideally looking for a good all rounder to help the plants thrive and fish look good.

Thanks in advance for any assistance

 

[Edvet]

1) we love pics, it helps us see how the tank is functioning
2)CO2: how are you dissolving it, how is the distribution, how are you monitoring.
3) do you have fish
4) what are you lighting and CO2 times
5) how much ferts

and welcome btw😉

 

[Zeus.]

Hi and welcome to the forum😀

1) we love pics, it helps us see how the tank is functioning
2)CO2: how are you dissolving it, how is the distribution, how are you monitoring.
3) do you have fish
4) what are you lighting and CO2 times
5) how much ferts

+1

 

[newscaper]

1) we love pics, it helps us see how the tank is functioning
2)CO2: how are you dissolving it, how is the distribution, how are you monitoring.
3) do you have fish
4) what are you lighting and CO2 times
5) how much ferts

and welcome btw😉

Hi and thanks for the reply.

I’ll answer questions below and pop on some pics.

I use a s/steel ceramic diffuser placed at the back right corner. I run a power head in addition to my filter so co2 is pretty well distributed I believe. I have a drop checker placed in the front left corner to monitor co2 at the furthest point.

Yes I have fish. It was and still is a community tank. I got in to aquariums as a family hobby. I used to let the kids choose the livestock without much knowledge of what was suitable for tank size and tank mates. I am now a lot more informed and appreciate my mix of fish may not be ideal, however they are all seemingly happy and have been so for a number of years. Only new additions in the last 12 months are 6 cardinals.

Lights are on between 6 - 7 hours per day. They are on at 7 - 8 am to check the tanks ok first thing and the 5.30-10.45.

Co2 is on at 5 am off at 6 am then on at 4 - 9 pm.

Ferts are aquascaper complete by evolution aqua. I’m adding 10 ml per day as I rekon I’m roughly medium to low end of high light.

I’m slowly planting by building up extras every two weeks or so. I figured putting tonnes in all at once may not be ideal as I’ve been slowly upping co2 and ferts so as to not create an imbalance.




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[newscaper]

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[Edvet]

For now it looks healthy enough. I would advice to get more plantmass, it helps stabilize the tank. You could use some cheap ones at first, Elodoa, watersprite and so.
Light will dictate CO2 usage, plantmass not so much. For now i would not get a new light just keep increasing plants till all is growing fine and healthy.
I see Anubias and Javafern, these don''t need a lot of light, and the rest can do with lower light too. There are just a few plants wich need high light and i would get it all going before you shift in higher gear. Just get used to CO2, place the DC in different places, very gradually increase CO2 levels. Increasing the light will multiply all needs ( ferts, CO2) and it''s easy to make it a algae garden, though the Tylomela''s might like it.

 

[newscaper]

For now it looks healthy enough. I would advice to get more plantmass, it helps stabilize the tank. You could use some cheap ones at first, Elodoa, watersprite and so.
Light will dictate CO2 usage, plantmass not so much. For now i would not get a new light just keep increasing plants till all is growing fine and healthy.
I see Anubias and Javafern, these don''t need a lot of light, and the rest can do with lower light too. There are just a few plants wich need high light and i would get it all going before you shift in higher gear. Just get used to CO2, place the DC in different places, very gradually increase CO2 levels. Increasing the light will multiply all needs ( ferts, CO2) and it''s easy to make it a algae garden, though the Tylomela''s might like it.

Great tips thank you. I’m going plant shopping tomorrow

Will keep preserving with the co2. Seems to be going ok so far.

I did suffer a small BBA issue but cleared up as fast as it arrived.


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[Matt @ ScapeEasy]

Have you got the java fern and anubias planted in the substrate? They should have their rhizomes above the substrate or they will rot. These plants are normally attached to decor.

I definately agree that more plant mass is needed and fast grower too. Please check your nitrates... it feel to me that you are dosing a lot of a complete fertiliser without much plant mass to process what you are adding.

I'm inexperienced with CO2 dosing but have never heard of someone doing a split photoperiod with it so interested in others views. It feels like just having the main photo period would help but I don't know if I'm just going off what others are doing here...