Can I just say 'Oh My God', my new lighting really seemed to make a difference within the next morning after installing them the day before. It almost looked as if some of the plants were growing a little before my eyes, unless I was hallucinating (and I'm not a druggie). At lowes', I got myself 2 sylvania 48" daylight bulbs(6500k) along with an adaquate fixture= about $25.
Cheaper than any pet stores, I did the math. I can't imagine what my tank will look lik in a few days, even weeks. My lighting issues made me think about some of my water chemistry. I didn't realize it before, but when my plants suddenly halted growth and my nitrates never were stable, it was due to my lack of lighting. The plants couldn't utilize the excess nutrients in the water because they didn't have enough light to keep them functioning well enough to make use of them. I probably sound like a rambling fool, but hey, I just learned something firsthand in the hobby, and one day that experience will pay off for myself, or someone else just getting into the hobby. Anyway, can't wait to see how things bloom out. Plus the kuhli loaches I'm waiting for will enjoy the expanding cover.
Cheaper than any pet stores, I did the math. I can't imagine what my tank will look lik in a few days, even weeks. My lighting issues made me think about some of my water chemistry. I didn't realize it before, but when my plants suddenly halted growth and my nitrates never were stable, it was due to my lack of lighting. The plants couldn't utilize the excess nutrients in the water because they didn't have enough light to keep them functioning well enough to make use of them. I probably sound like a rambling fool, but hey, I just learned something firsthand in the hobby, and one day that experience will pay off for myself, or someone else just getting into the hobby. Anyway, can't wait to see how things bloom out. Plus the kuhli loaches I'm waiting for will enjoy the expanding cover.
