diffusing light with tannins

uberape · 01-07-2013, 01:14 PM

i have 2x 24w over a ten gallon and the algae is rampant. i also need to lower ph for fish and plants. can i hit two birds with one em maybe three or four cattalpa leaves? they diffuse light and lower ph but dont know what qualities of the light they diffuse.

uberape · 01-07-2013, 01:58 PM

To clarify: can i use cattalpa leaves to leach tannins to blacken the water and thus diffuse the light; rather than remove a lightbulb?

**Aquatic Delight** · 01-07-2013, 05:27 PM

why would you want to do that?

**acitydweller** · 01-07-2013, 05:29 PM

to reach your objectives, might i suggest adding floater plants to target the nitrates while also diffusing the light intensity to more agreeable levels. The floaters would start to absorbe the excess light and consume the nutrients in the water column to hopefully hasten algae progression.

puopg · 01-07-2013, 11:56 PM

Thats a ton of light man. You can get away with half of that.

uberape · 01-08-2013, 10:04 AM

ive only got diy co2, and the light is too much and algae is terrible. but thought if i took away a whole 24w the lighting might not be sufficient to grow my carpet plants.. ill put in a few pieces of frogbit, i just thought that they dont diffuse light more like block it completely. but finally yeah i took out a bulb and will experiment. i tried carpets before and thought it was the lights you see but now maybe it was ferts. I've got root medic root tabs now after the rave reviews so fingers crossed.

01-07-2013, 01:14 PM	#1
uberape Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: edinburgh Posts: 37	diffusing light with tannins i have 2x 24w over a ten gallon and the algae is rampant. i also need to lower ph for fish and plants. can i hit two birds with one em maybe three or four cattalpa leaves? they diffuse light and lower ph but dont know what qualities of the light they diffuse.

01-07-2013, 05:27 PM	#3
Aquatic Delight H is for Hillstream (View User Tanks) PTrader: (6/100%) Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: San Antonio TX Posts: 1,285	why would you want to do that? __________________ __________________________________ Will ________________________________ my 29g story To See all of my photos Click ME!

01-07-2013, 05:29 PM	#4
acitydweller ओं मणिपद्मे हूं (View User Tanks) PTrader: (124/100%) Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: New York, NY Posts: 6,043	to reach your objectives, might i suggest adding floater plants to target the nitrates while also diffusing the light intensity to more agreeable levels. The floaters would start to absorbe the excess light and consume the nutrients in the water column to hopefully hasten algae progression. __________________ Namaste ओं मणिपद्मे हूं My life extends far beyond the limitations of me Keeper of the LIST

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01-07-2013, 01:58 PM	#2
uberape Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: edinburgh Posts: 37	To clarify: can i use cattalpa leaves to leach tannins to blacken the water and thus diffuse the light; rather than remove a lightbulb?

01-07-2013, 11:56 PM	#5
puopg Planted Tank Enthusiast (View User Tanks) PTrader: (3/100%) Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Sacramento, CA Posts: 517	Thats a ton of light man. You can get away with half of that.

01-08-2013, 10:04 AM	#6
uberape Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: edinburgh Posts: 37	ive only got diy co2, and the light is too much and algae is terrible. but thought if i took away a whole 24w the lighting might not be sufficient to grow my carpet plants.. ill put in a few pieces of frogbit, i just thought that they dont diffuse light more like block it completely. but finally yeah i took out a bulb and will experiment. i tried carpets before and thought it was the lights you see but now maybe it was ferts. I've got root medic root tabs now after the rave reviews so fingers crossed.