Light upgrade...too much (over 3wpg)?

[jmhart]

Folks:

I am about to be run out of town (Forum) on a rail here but rsanz you can grow plants at 4.6W/G with no CO2 and no algae.

I found that some experimentation with fert constituent concentrations and protocols was necessary.

TR

While this may work for you and your experience, I wouldn't recommend it for someone of a lesser experience level. on top

Without the addtion of a carbon source, plant growth will suffer. Carbon is also a macro nutrientIf you test your tank and it needs the addition of fertilizers(not just one, but complete macro and micro fertilization), logic dictates it also needs carbon.

While you can grow plants without the addition of carbon, it seems like a waste to add high light and fertilizers if you aren't adding everything the plant needs for it to reach it's potential.

 

[rsanz]

Yeah, I did notice that the 30" Coralife only has a 24" bulb...I wonder why they did that?

Can anyone recommend me a light that might work better? How about those satellite orbit lights? Whatever it is, it needs to be 30" to cover my 20g long tank.

 

[jones57742]

Folks:

Jeff is smooth on target with two comments (one of which relates to an expansion which I should have provided in my previous post).

While this may work for you and your experience, I wouldn't recommend it for someone of a lesser experience level. on top

It is easy to tell that someone has been there and done that by this statement.

I prefer to think of it as my "adventures in plant keeping" over the last several years (ie. I have really "slobbered up big time" many times and had to recover).

Without the addtion of a carbon source, plant growth will suffer. Carbon is also a macro nutrientIf you test your tank and it needs the addition of fertilizers(not just one, but complete macro and micro fertilization), logic dictates it also needs carbon.

While you can grow plants without the addition of carbon, it seems like a waste to add high light and fertilizers if you aren't adding everything the plant needs for it to reach it's potential.

Jeff is correct. I forgot to mention Excel which is a low tech kinda fill in for CO2 injection.

Also I believe, although many will disagree, that Flourish helped also.

TR

 

[rsanz]

It's nice to hear that Excel is a suitable replacement for a C02 injection kit with this light setup.

Now I just have to decide if the Coralife is the right light for me.

 

[jmhart]

Excel is a good alternative to adding co2. If you go that route, buy online, it's a lot cheaper. DFS has 2 litre bottles for like $22

 

[jones57742]

Now, the light I am looking at is the 30" Coralife Freshwater compact fluorescent fixture.

It's nice to hear that Excel is a suitable replacement for a C02 injection kit with this light setup.

Now I just have to decide if the Coralife is the right light for me.

I cannot tell if this fixture has a cooling fan.

Have you considered:
http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_ViewI...ixtures-Power_Compact-24in_Units~vendor~.html

TR

 

[Spewn]

Going by wpg is pointless. I've got 52W over my 10g right now, and my only supplemental *anything* is excel. I would like to get dry ferts and see how much I can help out the plant growth with 'em, but I'm not experiencing anything but good growth and zero algae. Strange, since that's 5.2wpg right? Not if you understand that light/footprint area matters, and not light/volume.

 

[Star_Rider]

Yeah, I did notice that the 30" Coralife only has a 24" bulb...I wonder why they did that?

Can anyone recommend me a light that might work better? How about those satellite orbit lights? Whatever it is, it needs to be 30" to cover my 20g long tank.

is your 20 long 30" long?

they had to do that..the bulb lengths are fixed(mfg) in order to fit the fixture they have to account for the endcap on the bulb and wiring.
from the sounds this is a power compact(65 watts) the bulbs in that range are only 21/22"