[Clare12345]

Hi. I am upgrading my 1 year old tank from gravel to aqua soil and from a 15 watt flourescent bulb to a better one. I want to grow HC (dwarf baby tears) and so I will need moderate lighting. I want to keep the current basic lighting hood and just upgrade my bulb to keep costs down. Is this possible?
Can anyone suggest a bulb or wattage? I heard that for a lower number of gallons you would need a higher wattage for the correct lighting to reach the substrate.
Thank you!
Clare

 

[monkeyruler90]

a really easy and cheap solution is to go to the store (walmart) and buy an incandescent hood. then go to the lightbulb section and buy the daylight (6500 k) Compact fluorescent bulbs. they fit right in the sockets and give you a good amount of light that you'll be able to grow HC in. its easy and very practical.

 

[daverockssocks]

agreed. That's exactly what I did with mine.

 

[Rod Hay]

I've run 10g tanks using two flourescent fixtures on top, one right next to the other. This gives you 30w of light. However on a 10g, I still don't find this to be high light, rather medium light. Which means you can actually get away w/o using pressurized CO2 injection. At 30w I dose 2ml of Excel daily and the plants did great.

However, you can not use a hood that hinges. I place a large piece of glass across the top. One which is slightly longer that the rim and rest the two fixtures on top of this.

 

[Homer_Simpson]

I've run 10g tanks using two flourescent fixtures on top, one right next to the other. This gives you 30w of light. However on a 10g, I still don't find this to be high light, rather medium light. Which means you can actually get away w/o using pressurized CO2 injection. At 30w I dose 2ml of Excel daily and the plants did great.

However, you can not use a hood that hinges. I place a large piece of glass across the top. One which is slightly longer that the rim and rest the two fixtures on top of this.

In My Experience and you can check out my journal at http://azdhan.googlepages.com/thelostworld two 15 watt 6500K compact fluorescent with DIY c02 injection at 30 PPM as measured by a drop checker actually led to major algae issues over the "long run." And this is even with both DIY c02 and daily dosing of Excel at 2X regular dosage. I was only able to finally contain the algae issue by switching to 10 watt 6500 K fluorescent bulbs and maintaining the DIY c02 injection.

You may be able to get away with 30 watt 6500 K(2 15 watt) if you use aquasoil and DIY C02. I was using Schultz Aquatic Soil and water column ferts.
I know others who had as much as 2 23 watt 6500 K compact fluorescents over a 10 gallon, Aquasoil(original), water column ferts, Hagen non pressurized c02 system and with lights running 14 hours that did not have algae issues.

Based on such differences, I strongly believe that substrate makes a huge difference. Just out of curiosity, I had a 3 gallon that I previously set up as a low light with only 10 watts compact fluorescent and low light plants(Tom Barr type set up) and I have redone the tank with higher (15 watt compact fluorescent, no c02, excel dosing, no water column ferts) lighting and similiar plants using ADA Aquasoil to see how much of a difference in plant growth there will be and if any algae issues will materialize and if so what type.

 

[dylanserbin]

Man those big leafy plants look super healthy (sorry for my lack of plant knowledge). Great job.

 

[daverockssocks]

I have 38 watts (1 6500k bulb and a 20 watt OTT bulb). A little water column dosing, DIY Co2, and flourite substrate. I use it as a growout tank (hence the marselea minuta). The lights run 9am-1pm then take a 1 hour siesta, then run 2pm-9pm.

The apogenton (big leafy one) is in there for lack of a better place lol.

 

[chase127]

I have 38 watts (1 6500k bulb and a 20 watt OTT bulb). A little water column dosing, DIY Co2, and flourite substrate. I use it as a growout tank (hence the marselea minuta). The lights run 9am-1pm then take a 1 hour siesta, then run 2pm-9pm.

The apogenton (big leafy one) is in there for lack of a better place lol.

why is there a break in your lighting period? there shouldnt be one.

 

[daverockssocks]

I've heard some people talk about mid-day light siestas so I'm trying it out. Haven't seen much good nor bad so far. I'll most likely go back to on all day.

 

[chase127]

i would keep it for your whole photoperiod. i mean, you dont see the sun taking a rest mid-day do you?

 

[Homer_Simpson]

i would keep it for your whole photoperiod. i mean, you dont see the sun taking a rest mid-day do you?

The sun may not take a rest at mid-day, but in nature the weather is not the exact same and not every day is characterized by consistent sunny days. You have periods where you have rainy days and overcast skies which limits consistent light to aquatic plants. Before a major rainstorm, the skies may become overcast, and it may rain for a few hours before the skies clear up and the sun shines.

The whole idea of a siesta is to create a break in lighting to sort of act as an algae preventative and "confuse algae." The jury is out on whether it works all not but many folks resort to it without issues. You can obviously make the argument that in nature despite inconsistent light on a daily basis, plants and streams are still plagued by algae.

While I cannot speak for other peoples' experiences, I had the most stubborn case of green spot algae on the glass of my 40 gallon. I reduced my photoperiod from 10 hours to 8 hours and the greenspot algae was not phased after 1+ month. I then split the photo-period with a 2 hour siesta in between, so my lights run 6:00 to 10 a.m. off from 10a.m. to 12 p.m. and on from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. And guess what, no green spot algae; it rapidly cleared up. No other variables were changed, no increased phosphate dosing, no bumping up c02 levels, nothing. So, I think it is safe to say that the split photo-period helped clear up the green spot algae. I continue to use split photoperiod on this tank. I have no issues; green spot algae has not returned and there are no other algae issues.

 

[daverockssocks]

I never had any algae problems before so I can't compare before and after. The tank is so stuffed with plants I don't think there is any leftover nutrients for algae to get a hold anyway.

 

[josh1604]

Well homer i have been struggling with GSA problem myself ever since i moved into a new apartment about two months ago i can't seem to grow slow growing plants with gsa taking them over doing everything the same just switch to the GE 9325K bulb and gsa took off. So i think i will try that two hours siesta and see what it dose. I have been looking for some advice for a while, but nothing has worked hope this helps!!!!

 

[Homer_Simpson]

Well homer i have been struggling with GSA problem myself ever since i moved into a new apartment about two months ago i can't seem to grow slow growing plants with gsa taking them over doing everything the same just switch to the GE 9325K bulb and gsa took off. So i think i will try that two hours siesta and see what it dose. I have been looking for some advice for a while, but nothing has worked hope this helps!!!!

First of all, I have to apologize. Thinking back, it was actually noonburst that helped me get rid of the GSA and not split photoperiod. I remembered after reading my original post on this that the split photoperiod did not work. I have a two 55 watt AH supply lights. On a timer I set one tube to light for a total of 4 hours, then will the other light tube was setup on a seperate time to come on after 4 hours. FWIW, some people have claimed success getting rid of green spot algae by introducing Zebra Nerite Snails, but I have never tried so cannot say if it would work.

This is my original post on my GSA and how I got rid of it. You might find it useful in your struggle.
http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/algae/56231-green-spot-algae-treatment-suggestions.html

 

[maddyfish]

i would keep it for your whole photoperiod. i mean, you dont see the sun taking a rest mid-day do you?

Clouds?

Like the way it seems to rain every afternoon around 3pm for 30 minutes or so in the tropics?

 

[josh1604]

lol thanks for letting me know that, i already have a noon burst that been going for a while, i have nerites to but nothing seems to help?? ill take a look at that article though