View Full Version : Too Much Light?
I have a standard 29 gallon tank that I began to plant about 4 months ago. For lighting I have a Coralife 130 watt dual flourescent system. I dose Seachem Excel, Seachem Phospahate, Seachem Iron, and Seachem Nitrogen on a regular schedule of iron and excel daily and nitrogen and phospahate every three days. Just recently I got an emmence outbreak of algae (I'll post pictures when I can find the cord for my camera). I don't run pressurized C02 because the guy at the place I went to said he uses Seachem Excel for C02 in his 55 gallon planted tank and it works the same as using a pressurized set up. All the places I've been to say pressurized set ups should be used for high light levels like mine (4 watts/gallon). On the lighting system there are two light switches to turn each bulb off. Any help is very appreciated.
My Stock Is: 1 large Koi Angel, 6 Blackskirt Tetras, 5 Serpae Tetras, 2 Clown Plecos, and 3 Green Cories.
My filter is a Penguin 150 and I do weekly 50% water changes and gravel vacuum.
Star_Rider
06-11-2008, 10:38 AM
130 watts is quite a bit for a 29. you could get by with just 1 65. and grow quite a lot of plants. co2 would usually be recommended ..I prefer pressurized.
but what bulbs are in the fixture play an important part of this.
can you tell us what bulbs are in the fixture?
often these lights may come with actinic bulbs and a 50/50 bulb. the 50/50 could be actinic with 10k or 10k/6700 mix.
the actinics are usually not much help to a planted tank.
Bk828
06-11-2008, 10:48 AM
Though excel is good for adding carbon to the tank, its not a cheap way for a 55g tank. If you can look into the pressurized, in the end it will be cheaper than all the bottles of excel you are buying.
And i agree 130w over 29g is crazy unless thats your intention on growing plants to their full potential, with them showing all the colors they would at very high light.
rich311k
06-11-2008, 10:58 AM
I had 130 watts on my 29 for a while. It can work with pressurized CO2 and good ferts. It gets to be a constant pain as you have to stop trim all the time. I finally turned one of the bulbs off. Things are much easier now.
Fordtrannyman
06-11-2008, 11:49 AM
I have a standard 29 gallon tank that I began to plant about 4 months ago. For lighting I have a Coralife 130 watt dual flourescent system. I dose Seachem Excel, Seachem Phospahate, Seachem Iron, and Seachem Nitrogen on a regular schedule of iron and excel daily and nitrogen and phospahate every three days. Just recently I got an emmence outbreak of algae (I'll post pictures when I can find the cord for my camera). I don't run pressurized C02 because the guy at the place I went to said he uses Seachem Excel for C02 in his 55 gallon planted tank and it works the same as using a pressurized set up. All the places I've been to say pressurized set ups should be used for high light levels like mine (4 watts/gallon). On the lighting system there are two light switches to turn each bulb off. Any help is very appreciated.
My Stock Is: 1 large Koi Angel, 6 Blackskirt Tetras, 5 Serpae Tetras, 2 Clown Plecos, and 3 Green Cories.
My filter is a Penguin 150 and I do weekly 50% water changes and gravel vacuum.
Hair and string algae would be unavoidable in that setup without a really strict regimen. I agree that pressurized C02 would be necessary also.
It would also be more beneficial and cost effective to get some dry ferts.
What is your current lighting schedule?
What kind of help are you looking for?
zak15
06-11-2008, 12:36 PM
I bought a replacement light for the actinic it came with and the bulb I bought was around 8000k I think and the other bulb is 6700k and they are both 65 watts. If I cut down the light to half and use two 2 liter soda bottle diy C02 and Excel would this be alright (I don't have enough money for a pressurized system right now because I just started driving, gas ain't to cheap anymore)? My lighting cylce is on a timer that starts at 8:00 every morning and shuts off at 8:00 at night and the fertilizers I'm using get put in about an hour after the lights turn on.
Hurley
06-11-2008, 1:29 PM
Having used both DIY CO2 and pressurized I would strongly recommend saving up for the pressurized set up, especially if you are going to try and run 4watts/gallon. I would also recommend dropping your lighting down until you are able to get pressurized CO2 and because the fluctuation of a DIY set up algae can become a problem. At the lighting you will also need to dose ferts and for this I recommend dry ferts which are much more cost effective and dose using the Estimative Index.
BTW, what plants do you have?
I have 6 corkscrew vals, 8 dwarf sagittaria subulatas, 2 oriental swords, 1 crinum calamistratum, and 4 rotala indicas.
Mgamer20o0
06-11-2008, 3:20 PM
http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k225/mgamer20o0/tanks/29gal01.jpg
this is my 29 with 55w and i think its plenty. i would try and switch one bulb off until you get the hang of it. maybe one bulb 6 hours and the other bulb 6 hours with 2 hours with both bulbs. excel isnt as good as co2 gas but it can work. i do hope your at least buying the big bottles. if you do switch to co2 gas you might want to switch filters too.
Mgamer20o0
06-11-2008, 3:21 PM
I have 6 corkscrew vals, 8 dwarf sagittaria subulatas, 2 oriental swords, 1 crinum calamistratum, and 4 rotala indicas.
i def would cut the lights with just that. you might want to get more plants too. the more plants you have the less algae you should get.
I'm planning to get more plants and I am buying the biggest bottles I can and they are actually lasting really long. I just got done scrubbing algae off of all the walls and I just made two 2 liter soda bottle reactors for C02.
Mgamer20o0
06-11-2008, 3:37 PM
they sell them in 2liters i think..... i would also think about buying dry ferts and mixing them your self. you can get them for 15-20 and it will last you a year or more.
Fordtrannyman
06-11-2008, 5:15 PM
A lightly planted tank does not need much photo time.
I was going to suggest a stepping light schedule, but until it fills in I would only run 1X65 for 8hours along with the DIY C02 and ferts. Then you could always step it up from there.
Take it slow for a bit until you get the hang of it. Makes for less headaches and keeps your interest up. :)