Hello everyone, so I've got this 10 gallon tank running for about 3 months in my balcony and it's low tech with only a single sponge filter. It's planted with a few buce, java fern, and anubias all attached to driftwood. As for the stocking, it's got a nerite, like 8+ ramshorns, about 4 trumpet snails, 10+ Black Choco shrimp, and a few Caridina shrimp native to my area (I live in the tropics). It only gets indirect sunlight throughout the day and never direct light. So I'm asking if I could add a light to it and not experience algal blooms due to the added lighting. If I said something silly or missed something please enlighten me because I haven't really used or know much about lighting. Thanks!
Do I need a light for an outdoor indirect sunlight tank?
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Well, it should be fine. Maybe.
I need to ask you what your reason for adding a light is?
From the info given I would say, you can add a light no problem. To make sure the algae is under control you may want it to be adjustable. at that point you may find the price to be... well this is where I would like to know why you want the light. Because again, you may not need it.
Those plants should be fine with whatever light they have now, they are lower light, hardy plants. My guess is you just want faster plant growth.
Do you use root tabs or ferts? Maybe try that first? get an all-in-one fertilizer instead of tabs would be best since everything is attached to driftwood.
a little more description on the shade they get too or a photo. is it really shady, just barely in the shade so still bright? being in the tropics you have more regular sun than us. I know it still moves a lot but it's more normalized. So maybe move the tank? it's only ten gallons, moving would be easy. I should say here, not having direct sunlight is good. Short version on that is you can't control it.
PS, go easy on the fertilizer, your invertebrates won't like large parameter changes. I actually almost killed two shrimp last night changing their home tank. They are back and kicking now, but they were close to paralyzed when I came to check on them. (second tank's parameters had changed more than I thought.)
I need to ask you what your reason for adding a light is?
From the info given I would say, you can add a light no problem. To make sure the algae is under control you may want it to be adjustable. at that point you may find the price to be... well this is where I would like to know why you want the light. Because again, you may not need it.
Those plants should be fine with whatever light they have now, they are lower light, hardy plants. My guess is you just want faster plant growth.
Do you use root tabs or ferts? Maybe try that first? get an all-in-one fertilizer instead of tabs would be best since everything is attached to driftwood.
a little more description on the shade they get too or a photo. is it really shady, just barely in the shade so still bright? being in the tropics you have more regular sun than us. I know it still moves a lot but it's more normalized. So maybe move the tank? it's only ten gallons, moving would be easy. I should say here, not having direct sunlight is good. Short version on that is you can't control it.
PS, go easy on the fertilizer, your invertebrates won't like large parameter changes. I actually almost killed two shrimp last night changing their home tank. They are back and kicking now, but they were close to paralyzed when I came to check on them. (second tank's parameters had changed more than I thought.)
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I would not add light to a tank that is on a balcony getting indirect light unless its a very very dark balcony. I've taken par measurements INSIDE my window at various points of the day getting only indirect light and the ppfd is around 50. That's inside my house. Outside its closer to 90.
The issue here is figuring out how much light you have on that balcony. A par meter would be best but you probably don't own one and they are expensive. You can get a rough idea of par by downloading the lux meter app to your smart phone (or using an actual lux meter) and dividing the result by 80. Just take a measurement where the tank is located. If the estimate is higher then say 30, you should not add a light.
Also root tabs are not going to do much for any of the plants listed as none of them grow in substrate. Also all the plants listed are slow growers. The only real way to make them grow faster is with injected co2. If you do that you can up your light and fertilizer at the same time. Without doing that I would counsel patience instead.
The issue here is figuring out how much light you have on that balcony. A par meter would be best but you probably don't own one and they are expensive. You can get a rough idea of par by downloading the lux meter app to your smart phone (or using an actual lux meter) and dividing the result by 80. Just take a measurement where the tank is located. If the estimate is higher then say 30, you should not add a light.
Also root tabs are not going to do much for any of the plants listed as none of them grow in substrate. Also all the plants listed are slow growers. The only real way to make them grow faster is with injected co2. If you do that you can up your light and fertilizer at the same time. Without doing that I would counsel patience instead.
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I'll add that depending on your level of indirect lighting Salvinia/Frogbit are great for sucking up excess nutrients that would otherwise go towards algae production.
Since the tank is outside the floaters might add a more natural look to the tank?
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Since the tank is outside the floaters might add a more natural look to the tank?
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Thanks for everyone's input, I've decided that I won't need a light. I planned to buy one to supplement the indirect light and also to have better lighting during cloudy days especially during the rainy season. Thanks to minorhero for pointing out the lux meter app, I've used it and did what you said and the result was in the high 40's (at least at noon).
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Divisor for daylight is more like 43.5
3200-3700 lux then would be 73.6- 85 par.
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