Plants dying, concerned with lighting.

[CandleMaker]

I have a 20 gallon tank, I have eco-complete about 2-3inches deep. A Bio wheel filter and a pH about 7.6-8.0. A community tank with about 9-10 small fish. I read about WPG recently and from the math I did my two bulbs equal only 28 watts which means 1.4 WPG barely half the required 3 WPG Correct? Someone help me out, its a Solarmax HE T-5 Dual 24" fixture I bought for about 40-50 bucks. I have a bunch of Amazon Swords, some Java fern on driftwood and java moss floating around. With the tank at 78-74F Range.

Is it the lighting? What am I doing wrong the plants seem healthy while others are melting away or yellow.

[Hmoobthor]

Originally Posted by CandleMaker

I have a 20 gallon tank, I have eco-complete about 2-3inches deep. A Bio wheel filter and a pH about 7.6-8.0. A community tank with about 9-10 small fish. I read about WPG recently and from the math I did my two bulbs equal only 28 watts which means 1.4 WPG barely half the required 3 WPG Correct? Someone help me out, its a Solarmax HE T-5 Dual 24" fixture I bought for about 40-50 bucks. I have a bunch of Amazon Swords, some Java fern on driftwood and java moss floating around. With the tank at 78-74F Range.

Is it the lighting? What am I doing wrong the plants seem healthy while others are melting away or yellow.

first of all...what are the kelvin of the bulb and are u dosing ferts

[CandleMaker]

Originally Posted by Hmoobthor

first of all...what are the kelvin of the bulb and are u dosing ferts

How do I tell the kelvin of the bulbs?

I use half the recommended amount the bottle says for both Flourish and Flourish Excel because I always worried of overdosing because of weak bulbs.

[Hmoobthor]

Originally Posted by CandleMaker

How do I tell the kelvin of the bulbs?

I use half the recommended amount the bottle says for both Flourish and Flourish Excel because I always worried of overdosing because of weak bulbs.

usually it say something like ...5000k or 10000k on the bulb...usually on the left or right side

[somewhatshocked]

The Watts Per Gallon rule isn't something to concern yourself with, as it doesn't apply to modern equipment.

Is your tank a 20 tall/high or 20 long?

Either way, you've likely got too much lighting, aren't providing CO2 and could be providing less ferts than you need.

[CandleMaker]

Its 14W 10,000KK Day and the other one says 14W Acitinic 03


Tank is about 24'' long and about 17"high

[Hmoobthor]

Originally Posted by CandleMaker

Its 14W 10,000KK Day and the other one says 14W Acitinic 03


Tank is about 24'' long and about 17"high

if im wrong..i thougth acitinic was for saltwater?

Most of the plants u have don't really require any liquid fert... they don't take in that much nutrients from teh water column..

The amazon sword need root tab and the others just need a small amout of fert...

[micheljq]

Originally Posted by Hmoobthor

if im wrong..i thougth acitinic was for saltwater?

Most of the plants u have don't really require any liquid fert... they don't take in that much nutrients from teh water column..

The amazon sword need root tab and the others just need a small amout of fert...

I would replace the actinic buld, that's for growing corals, and get a bulb near the 6500K instead.

Michel.

[somewhatshocked]

Yep, your lighting is likely too strong.

You've either gotta start providing CO2 and dosing or cut that lighting down. You can do so by raising the fixture or by using fiberglass window screen to diffuse the lighting.

[james1542]

Yea the actinic bulb doesn't do much for photosynthesis, in plants or coral. It makes the colors pop though-so you have 14 Watts of lighting, which should be fine for most of your plants. I agree with Michel swap that for a 6500k. I'm guessing it's your sword is the one yellowing?-as Hmoobthor suggested, get them some substrate ferts.

[Gold Finger]

Yup. Yer two 24" T5 bulbs should put your light as high as you want to go for your setup, but you need 6500K bulbs for freshwater plants. Don't raise your light and don't stop using excel unless you want an algae farm. Light is measured in par. Google a "PAR lighting chart" and you will probably find one of Hoppy's excellent threads here on TPT and be able to figure out your approximate PAR . Your excell makes up for some CO2 and allows you to go up to around 50umol (PAR), but you must understand that if you go above this "low-medium" light level without CO2 supplementation you will get algae problems.

[Gold Finger]

If you don't have a light timer get one from a hardware store for $12 and set your lights for 8-10 hours/day.

[Kathyy]

If the sword plants have yellowing leaves and were recently bought from a fish store then it is likely the plant was grown hydroponically. Those air adapted leaves won't live long underwater but the strong crown of the plant has plenty of reserves to grow new water adapted leaves. The air leaves of the most common sword plant have long stems and short thicker blades while water adapted leaves have short stems and long translucent blades. I haven't bought java fern from a store, perhaps they do the same thing. Very often new plants in a tank will have a lot of die back. Look for new growth rather than worrying about the original leaves dying back. Do get some root tabs though, they really appreciate them.

Get a different bulb for your fixture, something between 5000K and 10000K. Make sure it has the same length and wattage as T5 also comes in HO which probably wouldn't work with your ballast. A 14 watt 24" bulb is T5NO. 24" T5HO bulbs are 24 watt - each.

Do read the sticky on the lighting forum although I do like the rough generalization of the second chart on this thread. It shows your fixture to be providing medium low light which is great for your particular plants.
http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/sh...d.php?t=105774

[CandleMaker]

Originally Posted by Kathyy

If the sword plants have yellowing leaves and were recently bought from a fish store then it is likely the plant was grown hydroponically. Those air adapted leaves won't live long underwater but the strong crown of the plant has plenty of reserves to grow new water adapted leaves. The air leaves of the most common sword plant have long stems and short thicker blades while water adapted leaves have short stems and long translucent blades. I haven't bought java fern from a store, perhaps they do the same thing. Very often new plants in a tank will have a lot of die back. Look for new growth rather than worrying about the original leaves dying back. Do get some root tabs though, they really appreciate them.

Get a different bulb for your fixture, something between 5000K and 10000K. Make sure it has the same length and wattage as T5 also comes in HO which probably wouldn't work with your ballast. A 14 watt 24" bulb is T5NO. 24" T5HO bulbs are 24 watt - each.

Do read the sticky on the lighting forum although I do like the rough generalization of the second chart on this thread. It shows your fixture to be providing medium low light which is great for your particular plants.
http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/sh...d.php?t=105774

I am going to conclude from this that If I had HO rather than regular HE that i'd need real co2.

I am going to change the Actinic bulb for a regular t5 daylight bulb and keep the same dose of Flourish Excel Co2 and purchase root tabs for the swords.

[CandleMaker]

And are all fixtures compatible with all bulbs pending on size obviously? I was wondering if its even possible to switch the bulb out on the fixture that I have.

This is what I have

http://www.kensfish.com/moreinfo/dee...fw-24inch.html