Too Much Light?

[Bio123]

Is 5.2 wpg too much? I have a 10 gallon with 2 26w full spectrum compact fluorescent lights.

 

[vito357si]

Do you got co2 if not its WAY to much? I had custom hood I made with 4x26w compact fluorescents for my 10g and it worked out great with pressurized co2 I grow everything and never really had any algae.

 

[jpappy789]

wpg doesn't really work on small aquariums, but I'd still consider that to be higher lighting.

 

[jones57742]

Is 5.2 wpg too much?

B1:

No but appropriate fertilization and lighting duration will be necessary in order to preclude algae growth.

TR

 

[Bio123]

Well, this light doesn't overheat my hood, and is only set for about 5 hrs a day, so I guess it's all right. I did start my DIY CO2 system while adding a pressure valve to control how much CO2 goes into my tank. It's really neat because it makes my plants bead. Do under water plants occasionally drop leaves during winter and grow them back during spring, because a lot of my plants (especially my crypts) have no leaves.

 

[vito357si]

Plants that I know of never drop leaves. You are lacking something what kind of substrate do you have and do you dose any ferts?

 

[Bio123]

I dose liquid flora pride.
My substrate consists: a bottom layer of sand, a middle layer of baked red clay beads (home made), and a top layer of pea sized gravel.

 

[THE V]

Tetra Flora Pride: Guaranteed Analysis: Soluble potash (K2O) 3%, iron (Fe) 0.15%, derived from: potash (K2O) from potassium sulfate, iron (Fe) from ferric sulfate.

It sounds like you've got an excellent substrate with severely nutrient deficient plants. Dropping mature leaves is a sure sign of depleted nitrogen levels. The Flora pride only provides K, S, & Fe.

In order to have healthy plants you need to provide: N, P, K, S, Mg, Mo, Fe, B, Ni, Zn, & Ca.

Get a different fertilizer. Ordering dry ferts online is the cheapest and easiest to do.

 

[Bio123]

I have new shoots everywhere an my plants refuse to die. I suspect my clown pleco and random algae blooms on the leaves of my plants are the cause. Can you recommend any dry ferts/root tabs that I can use?

 

[THE V]

Plants translocate nitrogen from old tissue to new shoots when deficient. The older leaves and stems die but the plant keeps growing.

www.aquariumfertilizer.com has what you are looking for.

PMDD Premix is a good starting point for beginners. I use it because my water chemistry makes it a good fit. You might need to create your own mix based upon your water. For example if you have high boron in your water adding in more with PMDD Premix is a good way to kill some plants.

Tom Barr (Plantbrain on AC) also has this forum.

http://www.barrreport.com/index.php