will 72 watts meets the "low-tech" for tank 18" deep?

sea-horsea · 05-13-2008, 09:07 AM

the exact measurement for the tank will be 28x16x18H...and I will have ~2" substrate....will 72 watts be too much for low tech? I will be dosing excel here and there...thank you.

also should I dose fluorish or fluorish potassium? i see some holes on my leaves and search the forum, which came up saying that its the potassium deficiency that cause the "pin hole" on my leaves...

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**jaidexl** · 05-13-2008, 11:12 AM

I would call it well into mid tech especially if the light has an efficient form factor. But after the tank matures for a year or so you should be ok for low maintenance ie no CO2 or ferts, grow lots of floaters, and fully stock the tank with fish.

Tank depth doesn't effect much when you're talking within the two foot range, over that then the lumen output from the bulb starts to make a more noticeable slump.

A tank can be run low maintenance with higher light as long as you let the tank 'gunk up' so to speak, to allow fish and waste to compensate for lack of CO2 injection and ferts. Excel will help alot until that day. Just try and tailor your water changes to leave 10 or so ppm nitrate present at all times and hopefully that'll allow other nutrients to linger as well.

My 30gl with 96w finally grows well without ferts after a few years of running and a full stocking level with lots of feeding, still running DIY CO2 though. I would imagine you could accomplish this a lot quicker as long as you use floaters and heavy stocking from the get go. A year is usually how long it takes one of my own tanks to really become established and that's probably directly related to my own husbandry. So I guess what I'm trying to say is it's possible whenever, every tank is different.

As far as the potassium, try what you like and see what happens, no danger of overdosing anything but your wallet. I'd imagine you can let the fish/waste/food take over at some point.

sea-horsea · 05-13-2008, 06:22 PM

thanks for explaining...now I got a better look at this thing...wow reading many threads and never had this pointed out....thanks again

**jaidexl** · 05-14-2008, 09:02 PM

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/ph...75-update.html

Chibils · 05-26-2008, 10:41 PM

72 watts of what? 72 watts of VHO and 72 watts of HPS are two different beasts.

sea-horsea · 05-26-2008, 11:51 PM

72 of power compacts

05-13-2008, 09:07 AM	#1 (permalink)
sea-horsea Planted Tank Enthusiast (View User Tanks) PTrader: (9) Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: El Monte, CA Posts: 555	will 72 watts meets the "low-tech" for tank 18" deep? the exact measurement for the tank will be 28x16x18H...and I will have ~2" substrate....will 72 watts be too much for low tech? I will be dosing excel here and there...thank you. also should I dose fluorish or fluorish potassium? i see some holes on my leaves and search the forum, which came up saying that its the potassium deficiency that cause the "pin hole" on my leaves... __________________ ITS NEVER ENOUGH!!!

05-13-2008, 06:22 PM	#3 (permalink)
sea-horsea Planted Tank Enthusiast (View User Tanks) PTrader: (9) Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: El Monte, CA Posts: 555	thanks for explaining...now I got a better look at this thing...wow reading many threads and never had this pointed out....thanks again __________________ ITS NEVER ENOUGH!!!

05-26-2008, 11:51 PM	#6 (permalink)
sea-horsea Planted Tank Enthusiast (View User Tanks) PTrader: (9) Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: El Monte, CA Posts: 555	72 of power compacts __________________ ITS NEVER ENOUGH!!!

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05-13-2008, 11:12 AM	#2 (permalink)
jaidexl Custom User (View User Tanks) PTrader: (25) Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: 33908 Posts: 1,808	I would call it well into mid tech especially if the light has an efficient form factor. But after the tank matures for a year or so you should be ok for low maintenance ie no CO2 or ferts, grow lots of floaters, and fully stock the tank with fish. Tank depth doesn't effect much when you're talking within the two foot range, over that then the lumen output from the bulb starts to make a more noticeable slump. A tank can be run low maintenance with higher light as long as you let the tank 'gunk up' so to speak, to allow fish and waste to compensate for lack of CO2 injection and ferts. Excel will help alot until that day. Just try and tailor your water changes to leave 10 or so ppm nitrate present at all times and hopefully that'll allow other nutrients to linger as well. My 30gl with 96w finally grows well without ferts after a few years of running and a full stocking level with lots of feeding, still running DIY CO2 though. I would imagine you could accomplish this a lot quicker as long as you use floaters and heavy stocking from the get go. A year is usually how long it takes one of my own tanks to really become established and that's probably directly related to my own husbandry. So I guess what I'm trying to say is it's possible whenever, every tank is different. As far as the potassium, try what you like and see what happens, no danger of overdosing anything but your wallet. I'd imagine you can let the fish/waste/food take over at some point.

05-14-2008, 09:02 PM	#4 (permalink)
jaidexl Custom User (View User Tanks) PTrader: (25) Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: 33908 Posts: 1,808	http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/ph...75-update.html

05-26-2008, 10:41 PM	#5 (permalink)
Chibils Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0) Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Marietta, GA Posts: 8	72 watts of what? 72 watts of VHO and 72 watts of HPS are two different beasts.