FishProfiles.com Message Forums

I have a 46 gallon S.A. tank. The only plants right now
are Wisteria, java fern and java moss. All lower light.

I've been having a problem with algae attaching itself to these plants and causing many of the leaves to fall off or not grow well.

Here's my lighting situation.

I have a Current USA fixture that can hold 2 96watt bulbs.
I currently have three bulbs available that I could use.

They are:

96watt dual daylight 6,700/10,000k
96watt coralife 6,700k
96watt dual Actinic 420nm/460nm

Which combination of bulbs would be best for my current plants & algae currently and which would be best if I got
higher light plants.

I think I will be told that the 96watt 6700k bulb is good for my current situation and anything else would be overkill. Although I do like the way the Actinic looks at night with the other bulb off.

And if I get higher light plants I should use the 6,700k and the 6700k/10,000k bulbs for a total of 192 watts.

By the way my tank is about 20inches deep and I have eco-complete as a substrate. Again my big problem has been algae (hairish) on my plant leaves and all over my javamoss

Thank you in advance for your response.


My Scapes

Hi,
I would use either of the 6700K bulbs and chuck the
third. The dual bulb might be interesting. The
wisteria will take off I suspect, and the other two
will just keep "plodding along." The other two are
slow growers, and nothing will make them go any faster.

Frank


-->>> The Confidence of Amateurs, is the Envy of Professionals <<<--

Thanks much Frank. Is there any downside to using the actintic bulb at night just for the effect.

Thanks again!

My Scapes

2 96 watt bulbs? So that basically gives you a little over 4wpg on your 46 gallon tank. that's a lot.

Are you running CO2 on this tank? I get the feeling that your algae problems are caused by a high amount of light and a limited amount of CO2 for the plants. The lack of carbon is inhibiting the plants' ability to grow and use up excess nutrients and put all that light to good use, so algae is stepping in and making fine use of it. There's only so much light a plant can use without a proportionate amount of carbon and other elements. Prune the most affected leaves and get yourself some pressurized CO2. The wisteria will probably explode.

As for the type of lights, I've read and heard that actinic lighting is pretty useless for a planted tank, but I'll defer to Frank, our resident plant expert, on that one...

---

Back in the saddle!

Thanks nowherman6,

I'm not using Co2, because I originally was going to go with a heavily planted tank that's why I got the light, but I have an angel that is pretty destructive, so I decided to go with more driftwood and put some plants in that would look nice with it, but the algae thing has been a real bummer.

I guess I'll go back to only 96w total, prune alot and keep up water changes.

My Scapes

if i were you, i wouldve given the angel back to the store for either a refund or for free and take advantage of the high amount of light. It just seems like such a huge waste. 192W total lighting and so little plants

Hi,
I think what you are looking for is something that will
simulate moonlight. They have specific lighting now
available for that. In fact you can purchase a one
or two tube flourscent hood that also contains "moonlights"
and when the daylights go out, the moonlights come on.

Actinic will not work for what you want. You have to
give both fish and plants some "night time" in which
to cycle (rest).

Frank


-->>> The Confidence of Amateurs, is the Envy of Professionals <<<--

I think part of you're algae problem would be the fact that you're not going with the CO2. The excess nutrients and light are being absorbed by the algae rather than the plants. I'd still go for adding the CO2 and either exchange the angel, move it to another tank, or just add more tough plants. I'd think java fern and some of the other hardies should be able to withstand an angel.

As for the bulbs, 67K all the way :88). Make sure you've replaced them if they're over a year or so old.

^_^ [hr width='40%']
"The rain is falling down like silence in a shroud"