Help With Colormax Bulb.

[aqua hobbyist]

Would you get it, or not use it, is it something needed by the plant?

 

[maxwellag]

Would you get it, or not use it, is it something needed by the plant?

I would get it. It really helps if you dose it enough. Do you have fish in the tank?

 

[aqua hobbyist]

The stock list is:

1 dwarf gourami
3 panda cories/Otos
8+ ghost shrimp
2 snails

 

[Zevyn]

That's not going to be enough light to spur an algae breakout. Anubias and Java Ferns/moss need to be anchored to something above the substrate, so you don't have to bother with fertilizer tabs at least.

I buy black rubber bands and lightly tie them down to pieces of rock I break up and just slightly push the rock into the substrate with the roots/rhizome above the substrate. Those plants will get plenty of nutrients from the water column via your fish waste, so I wouldn't waste any money on liquid fertilizers. I have around 5 Windelov Java Ferns and 12 Anubias in my 55G with T8 lighting and they are all very healthy; just slow growing. I don't dose anything in that tank.

My 37 tall has T5-HO 2x24w with Anubias, Java Ferns, Amazon Swords, Flame Moss, dwarf hair grass and Apongentons and it gets a 3/4 capful of Flourish once a week with no C02. I haven't seen a speck of algae. Don't sweat it

 

[aqua hobbyist]

I'm planting them on mopani wood

 

[maxwellag]

That's not going to be enough light to spur an algae breakout. Anubias and Java Ferns/moss need to be anchored to something above the substrate, so you don't have to bother with fertilizer tabs at least.

I buy black rubber bands and lightly tie them down to pieces of rock I break up and just slightly push the rock into the substrate with the roots/rhizome above the substrate. Those plants will get plenty of nutrients from the water column via your fish waste, so I wouldn't waste any money on liquid fertilizers. I have around 5 Windelov Java Ferns and 12 Anubias in my 55G with T8 lighting and they are all very healthy; just slow growing. I don't dose anything in that tank.

My 37 tall has T5-HO 2x24w with Anubias, Java Ferns, Amazon Swords, Flame Moss, dwarf hair grass and Apongentons and it gets a 3/4 capful of Flourish once a week with no C02. I haven't seen a speck of algae. Don't sweat it

Root tabs aren't necessary if there are enough ferts in the water. They will be perfectly fine planted in the substrate. I do agree though, it is not enough light to grow algae. Those plants are easy to grow and don't need anything special, so you will be fine.

 

[aqua hobbyist]

Should I get seachem excel or flourish

 

[maxwellag]

Should I get seachem excel or flourish

I would get flourish. Excel is a source of carbon, which isn't needed, especially since you have fish to produce co2. Flourish contains most of the nutrients your plants need, in small amounts. A weekly dose of the recommend amount on the bottle will be fine.

 

[aqua hobbyist]

Will a colormax light bulb be good for them

 

[Zevyn]

Root tabs aren't necessary if there are enough ferts in the water. They will be perfectly fine planted in the substrate. I do agree though, it is not enough light to grow algae. Those plants are easy to grow and don't need anything special, so you will be fine.

I have sand though. I was under the impression that it was beneficial to supplement fertilizers in the sand due to the way it compacts. I only use them for my Swords, Apongentons and grass since they're planted in the sand.

 

[Maxw47]

You have asked all of these questions in previous threads and they have been answered! Maxwellag, where are you getting that these bulbs are 6,700K. I can't find that. When I compared the spectrum graph to mine, there was a lot more red in this. The plants will only use equal red and blue, so all of that extra red will go towards algae growth.

 

[aqua hobbyist]

That's why I keep asking the same thing, you and max state different answers, which one is right?!?!

 

[Maxw47]

If the colormax is 6,700K, then you are fine. But if not, I suggest you change it and I have already said why. All of the colormax I have seen are very warm/red. I don't see where it says that it is 6,700K. It says full spectrum, but that isn't necessarily 6,700K.

 

[maxwellag]

You have asked all of these questions in previous threads and they have been answered! Maxwellag, where are you getting that these bulbs are 6,700K. I can't find that. When I compared the spectrum graph to mine, there was a lot more red in this. The plants will only use equal red and blue, so all of that extra red will go towards algae growth.

I Googled coralife colormax kelvin. I can't link it because I'm on my phone. I am not 100% sure that what I found was correct, though.

 

[maxwellag]

That's why I keep asking the same thing, you and max state different answers, which one is right?!?!

We can't be sure until we know what color temperature your bulb is. If we knew that, we would have the same answers. My answer was assuming it is 6700K. The other answer assumes that it is the warm red color.

 

[aqua hobbyist]

Is this what you mean, tell me if they help!

 

[maxwellag]

Is this what you mean, tell me if they help!

That looks like the pink bulb I was talking about. I would get a 6500K or 10,000K one instead.

 

[aqua_chem]

I've had the opportunity to compare a colormax bulb with a 6700K daylight bulb before. I was not impressed with the colormax. It gave weaker plant growth and the tank looked all-around darker than the daylight bulb. I will say though that the colormax did wonders for a betta's coloration.

Colormax are best used in conjunction with other bulbs (such as in dual-bulb fluorescent fixtures). I would not recommend them in a 10 with spiral bulbs because even if you did use two bulbs, the bulbs in a 10g hood are end to end and not parallel, so rather than the bulbs meshing together, each side of the tank will be a different color.

 

[severum mama]

For java fern and anubias, it does not matter. I have both of these growing under ambient room lighting in otherwise unlit tanks. What you have there is fine.

 

[aqua hobbyist]

Thanks

I put my fish tank in the basement, there a little light but not many!