[cytojay]

Hi Everyone!!
Looking for some advice on dialing in lighting.
I’m running a 30” Finnex 24/7 CRV on a 20L Set to run at max for 4 hours in the morning lights off 6 hours and then back on 5 hours.
I have pressured CO2 cycling to run an hour before the lights come on then off 30mins before lights out.
I dosed the eco-complete substrate with Thrive caps. I’ve dosed the water column using the Dennerle System Set that a LFS gave me for more or less free but I decided to go with EI using NilocG 2 part w/GH booster (haven’t started using it)

Tank is stocked with:
Red flame sword
B. carolinia
DWARF S. subulata
DWARF E. parviflorus
A. reinecki (red scarlet temple)

12 Cardinals
3 Otocinclus
Bunch of ghost shrimp

Filtration is an Aquatop FZ7 with the UV running and the cabon filter still in it, gonna switch that out for some biomedia eventually, might toss in a couple dwarf catappa leaves I have once the carbon is outta there, add a little tannins.
Temp is at 77.5 running a Haydor inline with a rainbird controller
pH is 6.6-6.8
KH is 3
GH is <100ppm
NH3/NO2 0
Nitrate 5-10

Now the question.
With the light I'm running, is this considered low/med/high light?
I see all kinds of par ratings and what not but I'm still trying to appreciate the capabilities and short comings of this particular model of Finnex. I have a second light, same model, so I could bump up the light additions in 10% increments or is that over kill? I'd really like the plants to take off. Tanks been setup for a little over 3 weeks and had a nice algae bloom that water changes and stable light conditions beat back (that 24/7 mode was NOT working for me).
I'd love any constructive criticism or ideas on dialing in the balance in the tank in for max growth/low algae.
Thanks everyone!!
J

Week 2

week 3

 

[NoahLikesFish]

a siesta is only for a dirted tank. You probably have too much co2 going in, you need high light to effectively use co2

 

[Plinkploop]

Tank looks great. Are you doing the siesta for keeping algae at bay or to extend viewing period? It sounds like you're doing things fine. Are you noticing your plants having issues or is it just you want them to grow quicker?

 

[cytojay]

Tank looks great. Are you doing the siesta for keeping algae at bay or to extend viewing period? It sounds like you're doing things fine. Are you noticing your plants having issues or is it just you want them to grow quicker?

I’m up to drink coffee at 6:30 before the house wakes up, my time to chill and watch the fish do their thing, I like the tank lit up in the evening, so it’s a viewing thing.
NLF who posted above, so you think 1 of the 24/7s at max is not enough for the EI ferts and CO2? As I said I’ve got 2 of them, I may bump up the second light 10% a week and see how it goes. I’d really like to get more growth out of the AR, that’s the ultimate goal.

 

[Plinkploop]

You could try it, just keep an eye out for algae, as usual. I'm not sure on the optimum par value for AR growth so that might be a starting point to figuring out if it's a lighting or fertilization issue or if it's something else.

 

[typically]

It looks like you are getting decent growth with little algae. I would stay the course for a bit longer and see if the growth picks up. Putting a second light on that tank is going to be a LOT of light. If you did add the second light maybe use the second light as a boost for 2 or 3 hours during you later photo period. This might get you that extra growth without algae issues. Running both all the time might be overkill.

 

[cytojay]

Getting some solid growth using max on one light at 10% on the second, added some floating plants. Now to figure out how to use both of the Finnex lights in tandem to get some nice color effects without blowing up the algae situation.
Keeping the sand areas clean is a real challenge.

 

[cytojay]

Time for a trim/bigger tank... running 2 Finnex CRVs,
One is at max and the second is W40R40G40B100 for 8 hours. I’ll run one in night mode for 2-3 hours 4-5 times a week with no algae problems. The light filtering through the surface plants gives the sand a green hue, going to try and corral them away to make the sand pop more yellow.

 

[NoahLikesFish]

I’m up to drink coffee at 6:30 before the house wakes up, my time to chill and watch the fish do their thing, I like the tank lit up in the evening, so it’s a viewing thing.
NLF who posted above, so you think 1 of the 24/7s at max is not enough for the EI ferts and CO2? As I said I’ve got 2 of them, I may bump up the second light 10% a week and see how it goes. I’d really like to get more growth out of the AR, that’s the ultimate goal.

Yeah it’s because the dirt releases co2 that the p
Ants use in the day. You use the siesta to let the dirt release co2 because plants take all their co2 by noon according to lots of research. Do you dose when lights are out?

View attachment 1029770 Time for a trim/bigger tank... running 2 Finnex CRVs,
One is at max and the second is W40R40G40B100 for 8 hours. I’ll run one in night mode for 2-3 hours 4-5 times a week with no algae problems. The light filtering through the surface plants gives the sand a green hue, going to try and corral them away to make the sand pop more yellow.

Try growing a carpeting plant or add botanicals and mulm, it will help nutrient the plants or u can just do carpeting plants for looks. I’d get 3 more otos too btw they are social

 

[somewhatshocked]

a siesta is only for a dirted tank. You probably have too much co2 going in, you need high light to effectively use co2

No, a siesta period is not only for dirted tanks.

You don't need high light to use CO2 effectively.

Please stop trolling and giving intentionally misleading advice.