MH Lighting Question

[30searay]

I have a 110g freshwater, planted aquarium. Most plants grow very well in the tank, except for reds and foreground cover plants. It's a 34 inch deep tank, and I don't think that the T5 lighting I have is sufficient to grow reds or foreground plants (due to the depth). I would like to try to grow some reds and get some HC to grow in the foreground. I run 8x54 T5's in three different spectrums, ranging from 6700k to 10,000k. The tank runs on an automated CO2 unit. I have little algae in the tank expect at the bottom among some small chain swords.

So I guess a couple questions: 1) Does the depth of the tank have an impact as to how much of the T5 lighting reaches the bottom, and 2) What are other members experiences with MH lighting? Does it create good plant growth? Is it really stronger/brighter than the T5's? Will MH lighting be more effective in a deep tank?

Thanks.

 

[baffle]

I have a 400 watt MH on the right side of a 72 bow. I have pc's on the left. Swords, apons, sprites, love the MH. Java fern does better with the pc's. Fish and plants shine under a 10,000k MH. once they get used to it.

 

[mgamer20o0]

i have never had really any luck with hc. most people do what is called a dry start. they keep the water just to the substrate and give it time to grow in.

a couple questions are you adding co2? are you adding iron?