Fert, CO2 and Light help

822 Views 4 Replies 2 Participants Last post by Hoppy, Sep 12, 2012

sbarbee54

Discussion Starter · Sep 11, 2012

So I am running a 55 tank with a medium-heavy planted tank. It has mgocps capped with pool filter sand. It also has Osmocoat root tabs in it. I am dosing Micro, Macro and Iron, I am running a CO2 setup. It is 20LB tank dual stage, electronic solenoid with bubble counter. I run it through a Aquamedic 1000 CO2 reactor. I have it turn on 30 min before lights and run until 30 min after lights. I am doing about 3BPS, my lighting is about 3.9 watts per gallon (I know PAR is better but do not know how to check that). I am running a 48" odyessa T5HO 4 bank light with reflector. Using 54watt 6500K grow bulbs in 2 and 2 10000K bulbs in the other 2. I keep getting algae in my moss I have on a piece of drift wood. I am getting good growth on plants, well most (Will take a pic so you better know) but cannot keep the algae at bay. I am running a SUNSUN404 & a Eheim 2229 with the breather plug so it just acts as a normal filter. I run Fine Corse filter floss at the bottom, followed by BIO Rings, then MatriX media mixed with Eheim media then to Purigen, to fine filter floss and BIO Balls. I do this in both filters. I have the spray bars pointing at each other at each end of the tank. I seem to get good flow, but what would go flow be considered??? I have a drop checker I am going to put in the tank tonight. I do weekly water changes 25 Gallons.

Fish are as listed:
3 pairs GBRS (Will be getting rid of one set they bicker to much having 3.
3 Albino Bushy nosed
8 Blue fin tetras
8 orange Vonrio tetras
6 JUlie Cories
6 Panada Cories
And a bunch of RCS/Fire red culls

I am looking for advice on fert dosing and CO2 dosing, as well as how long should I run my lights... I have let it go as I thought for a while, but I know I can dial this in way better. Help me make it better!

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Hoppy

· #2 · Sep 11, 2012

You just have far too much light. If you can run that light with only two bulbs you will get around 50 micromols of PAR, instead of twice that that you are probably getting now. That would be medium light intensity, and it will be far easier to get adequate CO2 in the water with that level of lighting.

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sbarbee54

Discussion Starter · #3 · Sep 12, 2012

How often should I dose fetz. How long should I run the lights

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sbarbee54

Discussion Starter · #4 · Sep 12, 2012

Any one has any more input I will take it?

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Hoppy

· #5 · Sep 12, 2012

I believe most of us use 6-10 hours of light per day. Some of us split that lights on time into two parts, with a 2-4 hour lights off time between the two parts, usually to allow the lights to be on both early in the morning and during the evening hours.

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