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Does my first vivarium have too much light?

2K views 2 replies 2 participants last post by  HashBaz 
#1 · (Edited)
I'm not getting the growth I expected from my first vivarium. A local friend suggested that it might be too much light. Reducing my light intensity is not easy due to the (stupid) way I wired it. So I am hoping for a second opinion before I rewire it.

Here are my tank specs:
75 gallon aquarium
4 x 55 Watt power compact bulbs (3 @ 9325K and 1 @ 10,000K)
lights about 7" above glass top and 24" above vivarium floor
lights on 12 hours per day
misted 3 times per day
glass top with no ventilation
about 74° during the day
humidity is very high (LOTS of condensation on the glass)
No circulation fans
ABG mix substrate (light, fluffy, moist, organic soil)
Zero fertilizers (except for frog poop from 6 baby dart frogs)
Plants have been in for 3 months
Frogs (living fertilizer sources) have been in there for 1.5 months
No pond/waterfall/water feature

False bottom. 1/2" of water on bottom of tank. Eggcrate supported 2" above the water level. Window screen and soil on top the eggcrate.

Plants: HC, hygrophila polysperma, Echinororus red diamond, Echinodorus midifleur, Echinordorus quadricostatus, Lobelia cardinalis, subwassertang, fissidens fontanus, needle leaf java fern, trident java fern, riccia, anbias petite and Cryptocoryne wendtii.

The HC and Lobelia were transplanted from an emersed tank. Everything else came from a submersed tank.

All of the Cryptocoryne died the first week. About half of the Echinodorus and anubias died the first month. Everything else is still alive but growing slowly.

The new leaves on the red echinordorus plant come in very small and a very deep purple. The new leaves on the HC are TINY.

Do you guys think I have too much light? Or on too long?

I could not find any guides to choosing lighting intensity other than "since algae is not a problem you can use as much light as you want".

Thanks in advance.
 
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#2 ·
If anything I would guess transition shock. If overlighting was going to do anything, it would be to bleach out leaves on some plants, but Cryptocorynes and swords should easily be able to handle the light you are giving them.

Sometimes the leaves will die off when you remove these plants from the water, especially with Anubias, but new leaves should be growing.
 
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