Newbie planted questions

[sweet93gt]

Ok so I have a 92 gallon corner bowfront with 320 watts of light form 2 pc's. The 36" has a 7700k and a 12k in it as well as the 24" with the same. I have co2 injection and black flourite sand as fert. I realy don't have much growing going on. What would I be doing wrong? Also i have a heck of a hair algae problem. I also add flourish. Should i take both the 12k's out and replace with a 5500 to 6700 k range?:help:

[Jag1980]

You got lots of stuff wrong going on in your tank.
There is lots of articles on these forums and others that explain what is needed for a high light planted tank.

[sweet93gt]

I thought i had it right. I have about 3 watts per gallon and co2 going. I just can't find what is the one thing i'm doing wrong.

[Jag1980]

8 hours of light
Fertilizers N P K and Micro Nutrients Dosed to specific target ranges
40% to 50% water changes once a week
A drop checker to make sure your Co2 level are high enough while lights are on

[sweet93gt]

8 hours ? I have read that they require 10 to 12. Should i change all the lamps to the 5500 to 6500 range?

[Jag1980]

10 to 12 is wrong, might also explain your hair algae problem.

Change your bulbs to 6700k

[sweet93gt]

Wow, 8 hours. I'm surprised, I'll try it though. Do you think i have enough watts? I appreciate your answers. You get so many different answers like 10 to 12 hours it's difficult to get it right. Also is there anything elts you think i can do to help? Thanks.

[Jag1980]

Depending on how deep your tank is, I would recommend the 2.5 to 3.0 wpg range. If your tank is very tall, then what you have going on now should be OK as long as you have your Co2 levels high enough, you still might have some issues with that amount of light.

You really need to order some dry fertilizers, start fertilizing your tank and get our plant stock up. After all this, your tank should take off and flourish with healthy plants.
Get a couple Koralia powerheads for your tank to keep your water circulating.
Not needed if your filter circulates enough water through out your tank. Watch for plant movement, if you see no plant movement in a large area, point the power head toward that area.

[sweet93gt]

hey thanks for all the info, i appreciate it very much.

[Jag1980]

np, good luck :thm:

[phanmc]

To answer the bulb question, switching out the bulbs for specific k rated bulbs will make no difference in terms of plant growth.

[debaric]

Ok so I have a 92 gallon corner bowfront with 320 watts of light form 2 pc's. The 36" has a 7700k and a 12k in it as well as the 24" with the same. I have co2 injection and black flourite sand as fert. I realy don't have much growing going on. What would I be doing wrong? Also i have a heck of a hair algae problem. I also add flourish. Should i take both the 12k's out and replace with a 5500 to 6700 k range?:help:

the only thing wrong with your lighting is the 12k's and some may even say that those are even ok. Its all about what is pleasing to your eye. Personally I dont like to go over 10K and under 6700k... My tank is lit with a 6700 and 9325K bulbs. Your substrate is great but youre only fertilizing the roots of those plants. You need to fertilize the water column with N,P,K, and trace elements. Also you dont need a drop checker but it definatley helps.

[sweet93gt]

Thanks for the info, I'll have to update with some results.

[jmhart]

So, couple things:

12k bulbs are fine...they are very white, moving towards blue, which may mess with the way the tank looks visually, but the plants will grow fine. Only reason you might want to switch is for the way you see the tank.

320 over a 92g corner is a LOT of light. You'll have to be on top of co2 all the time. Additionally, I agree with Jag about knocking your lights down to 8 hours a day. 10-12 is about the longest lights should ever be on, but in high light tanks, more often than not the photoperiod should be shorter to prevent algae problems.

Flourite sand is a good substrate to grow plants in, but it does not contain bioavailable nutrients, so fertilization will be required. With high light and high co2, you're growth will come to a standstill(actually, sounds like it already has) if you don't begin regular dosing. There are several dosing plans. Estimative Index provides an excessive of nutrients to ensure all are available, with a weekly reset by a 50% water change. I use PPS-Pro (Perpetual Preservation System) which doses just the right amount of nutrients daily, and allows for water changes whenver you want(no longer than 3 months recommended).

You can read more about EI here:

http://www.theplantedtank.co.uk/dosing-methods.htm

and PPS here:

http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/pps-analysis-feedback/

[sweet93gt]

Can't thankyou enough. I love learning new things and this is the site for it. I appreciate all of your answers and ideas. Can't wait to put this into motion.

[drtechno]

I would stop using co2, and see what really your water chemistry is.

co2 is a waste of time.

then add plants.

the plants as you add them will adjust the water chemistry.

lots of light, are you planning duckweed or a simular top cover?

what I would do since you already made the commitment and spent alot on lighting is to put your lights on seperate timers so the dimmist light is on in the morning (sunrise ), a time that both are on ( noonday) and turn the big light off at 5 (dusk) . that will simulate nature more as well as not dosing your tank with too much light that causes hair algea.

[jmhart]

co2 is a waste of time.



Have you ever attempted a high light tank?


There's no room for disagreement on whether or not co2 is required in high light tanks. High light without co2 only leads to algae.

[drtechno]

I have grown plants that require lots of light before without simulating the photo signature of a supernova, or co2.


too much light = algea.

and some types are beneficial if you are recreating certain ecosystems.

[Jag1980]

I would stop using co2, and see what really your water chemistry is.

co2 is a waste of time.

then add plants.

the plants as you add them will adjust the water chemistry.

lots of light, are you planning duckweed or a simular top cover?

what I would do since you already made the commitment and spent alot on lighting is to put your lights on seperate timers so the dimmist light is on in the morning (sunrise ), a time that both are on ( noonday) and turn the big light off at 5 (dusk) . that will simulate nature more as well as not dosing your tank with too much light that causes hair algea.

This seems all misleading to me..

[jmhart]

I have grown plants that require lots of light before without simulating the photo signature of a supernova, or co2.


too much light = algea.

and some types are beneficial if you are recreating certain ecosystems.


Your advice sounds like you are more experienced with natural planted tanks, which are significantly lower light(or relying on sunlight), no co2 and no fertilizers. Certainly a worth while way to go.

However, 320watts over 92g is far from low light. With 320w, co2 is required. It is high light, no question.

Indeed, the OP could pitch out the fixture he/she has, buy a low light fixture (~100w) and go low light, however I believe it is his/her intent to have a high light tank....which requires co2.

With 320w, simply cutting down the photoperiod will not be enough.

[sweet93gt]

ok getting a little conflicted. Should i turn off the 130 watt light and make the tank 2.2 wpg? Or should i continue on and start the fertilization. I was going to start the pps method as soon as i get the co2 in check. i really don't have the right diffuser going with it now so i was thinking about grabbing the red sea 500 diffuser.

[jmhart]

Ah, turning down the lights would be good for now. 2.2 wpg is still in the range where you'll need CO2, but it'll be more forgiving. Cut it down to 2.2 wpg for only 4-6 hours a day until you get the co2 up and running. Get the co2 up and running before you start dosing fertilizers. When you're doing that, you can start upping your photoperiod to 8, maybe 10, hours a day. Once everythings growing well, you can investigate kicking on all the lights.

What kind of filter do you have? You can run the co2 tubing directly into the inlet of a cannister filter and it's a good cheap effective co2 diffusion method.

[sweet93gt]

I have a marineland 350 and a wet dry going right now. I was thinking the same thing with running the co2 into the inlet but was afraid all filtration would some how interfere with the co2. But now i will try it. I might order the fertilizer for the ppm method tonight after i hook up the co2. Right now I have all the lights on a timer for 8 hours. I might keep it that way only because i'll have the co2 going tonight and hopefull the ferts in a few days. By the way those sights you sent me to were incredible. I learned so much about the methods and ferts. Thanks.

[jmhart]

Wet/dry filters are pretty bad for co2 injected planted tanks....they gas off all the co2.

Are you using pressurized co2? If so, you can still use the wet/dry, but you'll have to have a pretty high bubble count to maintain high enough co2 levels.

I'd recommend considering a different filter, but in the short term, don't run the co2 into the inlet of the wet/dry...it won't help.

[sweet93gt]

I could run it into the marineland 350 cannister though, right? I have a 10 pound pressurized bottle running into the tank right now.

[jmhart]

I could run it into the marineland 350 cannister though, right? I have a 10 pound pressurized bottle running into the tank right now.


I have a Mag 350 too, but I run my co2 into my Eheim 2128. I think you're fine to run it into the Mag 350, but in the long run I think it might make it noisier. You might want to consider building an inline co2 reactor that you could put on the outlet of your wet/dry:

http://www.barrreport.com/articles/3444-dual-venturi-diy-external-co2-reactor.html

[sweet93gt]

Ok so ordered the fertilizers for the pps method. I'm gonna take a picture and update when i can how this works with my tank. I cut down the light to 8 hours and have hooked my co2 up to the intake of the cannister filter. We'll see after the ferts take hold.

[sweet93gt]

So i changed the reactor to a red sea 500 and after 8 hours i have about 1 inch of new growth on my wisteria. Interesting, can't wait to get the ferts and start that.