New high tech tank

[kjacks]

I have a fairly new 75g high tech, high light tank set up. I really need another opinion on this. Its been a while since my last aquarium setup. I have t5 6700k @ a little over 4wpg. Pressurized co2, w/sms 122 controller, ph set at 6.8. Co2 reactor. Fluval canister filter. Flourite substrate (3" deep). Full line of seachem ferts, according to seachems website schedule. I have a few rasbora tetras, 3 black mollies, 3 cory cats, 2 chinese algae eaters, 2 botia coaches, and a few shrimp... I want to grow riccia, glosso, and some red plants. My question is, how high do the lights need to be off the water? How should i be dosing ferts? What about co2 dosing? Just want some feedback... Thank you.

[kjacks]

Originally Posted by kjacks

I have a fairly new 75g high tech, high light tank set up. I really need another opinion on this. Its been a while since my last aquarium setup. I have t5 6700k @ a little over 4wpg. Pressurized co2, w/sms 122 controller, ph set at 6.8. Co2 reactor. Fluval canister filter. Flourite substrate (3" deep). Full line of seachem ferts, according to seachems website schedule. I have a few rasbora tetras, 3 black mollies, 3 cory cats, 2 chinese algae eaters, 2 botia coaches, and a few shrimp... I want to grow riccia, glosso, and some red plants. My question is, how high do the lights need to be off the water? How should i be dosing ferts? What about co2 dosing? Just want some feedback... Thank you.

Nobody can help?

[stevenjohn21]

4 Wpg is a lot, riccia and glosso can grow in half of that with plenty of c02 . If you have a drop checker then add as much c02 as you can to get the DC fluid turn green and add a bubble of c02 each day , making sure the fish arntgasping for air. Every tank is different so nobody will have a lot of answers ... It's a trial and error situation and one of the few things that your on your own with in this hobby. Regarding dosing , just follow the seachem chart for a week or 2 and see how the plants react, if you need to add more of one fert then do so. Again every tank is different.

[kjacks]

Originally Posted by stevenjohn21

4 Wpg is a lot, riccia and glosso can grow in half of that with plenty of c02 . If you have a drop checker then add as much c02 as you can to get the DC fluid turn green and add a bubble of c02 each day , making sure the fish arntgasping for air. Every tank is different so nobody will have a lot of answers ... It's a trial and error situation and one of the few things that your on your own with in this hobby. Regarding dosing , just follow the seachem chart for a week or 2 and see how the plants react, if you need to add more of one fert then do so. Again every tank is different.

Thank you. I currently don't have a drop checker, but i will be purchasing one asap. Another question is how to keep the red plants red? And i have some rotala indica that old leaves are browning on the edges and growth seems to be stunted. Any suggestions?

[stevenjohn21]

Just keep dosing your ferts and check Hoppys light chart, keep your light on high and as much C02 as your fish will allow and the reds should come.

[kjacks]

I am currently running an oddysea 4 bulb t5 with 6700k bulbs and moonlight led's. I also had an aqualife 2 bulb t5 6700k, but took it off.. the 4 bulb is 5" above the water.... should it be mounted higher?? also the co2 has not kicked on all day. I am using a PH controller to dose co2, with a set point of 6.8... should the co2 be setup differently??? Just want to make sure enough co2 is present without gassing... ordered a drop checker, but is not here yet...

[kjacks]

What about the wpg rule? Does it differ from tank to tank? How much is too much?

[somewhatshocked]

Watts Per Gallon is no longer really a thing - especially with modern planted tanks. The reason? Please refer to lighting stickies for details about PAR.

The reason, in short: 26watts of CFL lighting directly over a 10gal tank is way more light than that same 26w bulb would deliver if suspended three feet above the tank.

[stevenjohn21]

The light fixture you have is known to have a low end reflector/ballasts which means another company's exact same fixture will produce more PAR than your oddysea.
When i first started i opted for a cheap fixture and bought the 4x18 T5ho fixture for my 10 gallon tank. I run all 4 lights and find its perfect for this setup. However if i had got say a Catalina fixture i would have only needed a single light fixture for the same results. With regards to how much C02, just keep checking your fish, obviously if they are gasping for air then you have too much.

[kjacks]

I have two bulb aqualife t5Ho with separate reflectors for each bulb. Would this be better? Its also a 2x54w setup.

[kjacks]

Originally Posted by kjacks

I have two bulb aqualife t5Ho with separate reflectors for each bulb. Would this be better? Its also a 2x54w setup.

I switched to a two bulb T5. It has one 54w 10,000k bulb, and a 54w 6700k bulb. It has a separate reflector for each bulb. It is 4" above the water. Is this too low? I have it on a timer set for 8 hrs a day. I hope this works along with th pressurized Co2 and Ferts daily

[kjacks]

Originally Posted by kjacks

I have two bulb aqualife t5Ho with separate reflectors for each bulb. Would this be better? Its also a 2x54w setup.

I switched to a two bulb T5. It has one 54w 10,000k bulb, and a 54w 6700k bulb. It has a separate reflector for each bulb. It is 4" above the water. Is this too low? I have it on a timer set for 8 hrs a day. I hope this works along with th pressurized Co2 and Ferts daily..