Is this enough lighting for a 5 gallon ?

Emg

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Jan 16, 2005
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I'm trying to find some lighting that will be enough for low light plants in a 5 gallon tank that I have. Something that will encourage enough growth in my plants that will keep the algae down...but where I won't need to do an O2 system. I have Echo-Complete substrate with a thin layer of spagnum peat moss underneath.

Is there any specific filtering pad I can use that will help the algae situation ? I DON"T overfeed my fish....and I DO regular water changes twice weekly....just to head off any of that feedback...lol.... I have a male and female betta in the tank with a seperator and I only put 3 betta pellets each in twice daily and they both eat them right up. There are no other critters in the tank, just a few plants...water sprite, small amazon sword and some of those lily bulbs from walmart..which are just starting to sprout.

PH - 7.6
Ammonia - 0
Nitrites - 0
Nitrates - 0

Right now all I have for that tank is a 10W compact flourescent 6500K daylight bulb...one of those that screw into a regular incandescent fixture.

I have read somewhere that the general 2 watts per gallon rule doesn't apply to smaller or larger tanks for some reason or other.

Will the fixture in this link be enough for low to mid range plants....or too much which might require me to add an O2 system ?
http://www.aquariumpros.com/Merchan...de=ESU53122&Category_Code=LFpm&Product_Count=
 
When you say 'O2' system, are you referring to a CO2 system?
The bulb you have presently will do fine for a low light environment. The fixture you have given the link for looks very nice for a little 5 as well.
There is a common mis-conception that light in and of itself is a cause for algae issues.
It is not. Lack of balance is.
If I were you I would find out what the parameters of my water(especially tap water) are and work from there. If your N is at zero, the odds are that you're not getting any from the tap. Have you checked your water for P(phosphates) and what is your waters pH? And hardness?
You can take a sample to a reliable LFS for testing if you don't intend to go to great lengths, but just want a nice, low tech tank.
Then you need to introduce a few more plants......a lot more plants if you're inclined to buy the 2x9 fixture, to balance that wattage, without CO2.
Lots of plants will balance the extra light. The odds are that at some point down the road you'll need to feed those plants very lightly, unless you introduce more fish to provide more nutrients.

Len
 
Thanks Len,

My Ph is about 7.6. and the hardness is about 80ppm last time I checked. I don't know the phosphates as I don't have a test for that. I do plan on picking one up when I get the chance ..and yeah....I did mean CO2...lol...lazy typing...

I do have some bulbs in that tank that havn't yet sprouted. Two Lilies and about 3 aponogeton bulbs besides the little baby water sprites and one medium sized amazon sword.

So the algae could be caused by either too high phosphates...which aren't getting used up for lack of plants......or......more light than plants to use it...? In which case just adding more plants to use up the lights/phosphates should take care of the algae ?

I have read that wisteria is a good plant for using up phosphates..is this true..and can they tolerate low light conditions ?

Thanks much for your help Len !
 
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