What kind of light do I need?

[Salukie]

I'm getting a 60 gallon aquarium (I'm so excited!), and I would like to grow some easy plants without having to supplement with heavy ferts or CO2.

What kind of light should I get?

Thanks!

 

[ImACoolguy]

Finnex. Great lights and don't break the bank.

I run a 48 inch planted + on my 75g




Caleb

 

[Salukie]

Thanks, Cool Caleb!

Nice tank!

No algae problems with that light? Do you use fertilizers?

 

[beeritself]

Thanks, Cool Caleb! Nice tank! No algae problems with that light? Do you use fertilizers?

I run the same light on my 55 gallon. As long as you keep the lighted time around 8 hours a day and your water is changed regularly you shouldn't see any algae problems. As far as ferts, I dose my tank with Fluval plant food roughly every 5 days.

 

[Caliban07]

Thanks, Cool Caleb!

Nice tank!

No algae problems with that light? Do you use fertilizers?

It's probably best to use some form of fertilisation. You are more likely to get away without them if either your tap water is naturally high in various minerals, you use a relatively low PAR lighting <30 and you stick to the more forgiving beginner plants although if something is lacking it will surely show. If you fall in to the category of all three then you may have some success without them. The same applies with co2 also.

As the plants grow in size and the tank becomes a little denser with foliage they may begin to show deficiencies as the nutrient demand exceeds what is made available.




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[Salukie]

Thanks Beeritself. Nice tank!!

Caliban, what is PAR lighting?

Thanks for the replies!

 

[ImACoolguy]

Thanks Beeritself. Nice tank!!



Caliban, what is PAR lighting?



Thanks for the replies!

It's the new way to determine light ratings. Watts per gallon is outdated and doesn't work with LED lights.


Caleb

 

[Caliban07]

Thanks Beeritself. Nice tank!!



Caliban, what is PAR lighting?



Thanks for the replies!

It is the acceptable wavelength range for photosynthesis and is measured in micro moles/m/s which equates to the number of photons emitted per meter per second.

I'm not sure how the rating is calculated. Maybe something to do with number of lumens at a particular colour temperature (I'm not big on plants) but I think less than a par rating of 30 (which some manufacturers put on the box or fixture it's self) is considered low lighting.

When light is present, a plants response is to try to carry out photosynthesis. In an aquarium where we control the lighting intensity and duration the plants will have to photosynthesise at a rate dependant on our control. Light energy is captured by the leaves and used with carbon and water to create glucose (energy). Energy is used to uptake, move and use nutrients. So if the number of photons falling on a leaf per meter per second is very large then the plants will demand more carbon and more nutrients in order to keep up with the light demand. If you lower the PAR and the duration of the photons falling on the leaf per meter per second then the plant requires less carbon and less nutrients as the demand from the light is much lower.

Make sense?


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[Salukie]

Makes sense.
So what happens to the plant when there's too much light and not enough carbon and stuff, it dies? And were does the algae come from?

 

[ImACoolguy]

Makes sense.

So what happens to the plant when there's too much light and not enough carbon and stuff, it dies? And were does the algae come from?

Algae comes from excess nutrients and/or light. I use to dose ferts every day and since I've slacked back to twice a week my GSA has 95% went away.


Caleb

 

[Salukie]

My ten gallon came with LED lights and I tried growing plants in there but everything withered away except for this anubia plant that has taken over the entire tank! I just figured the light wasn't strong enough for the java ferns and wisteria.
But if plants aren't doing well, how do I know if it's because of lack of light or lack of nutrients?

Sorry about all the questions.
Thanks for the help!

 

[Salukie]

So you can get algea problems from either too much light or too much fertilizers?

 

[Ryanman]

So you can get algea problems from either too much light or too much fertilizers?

I think they mean nitrates when they say nutrients. Not ferts.

algea is caused by excessive waste via nitrates in your tank coupled with excessive light of i am not mistaken.

 

[ImACoolguy]

I think they mean nitrates when they say nutrients. Not ferts.

algea is caused by excessive waste via nitrates in your tank coupled with excessive light of i am not mistaken.

This is true. But, if your plants cannot absorb all the nutrients provided then the leftover can produce algae.


Caleb

 

[PerfectDepth]

This is true. But, if your plants cannot absorb all the nutrients provided then the leftover can produce algae.


Caleb

This is not true. You'll starve your plants long before you'll starve the algae. Algae can thrive on a very miniscule amount of nutrients, plants generally can't. Extra nutrients causing algae is a myth from planted tanks of the past, when people used to think limiting growth by limiting PO4 was a good idea.

Basically, healthy, growing plants inhibit algae, while struggling plants with poor growth due to lack of nutrients and/or co2 invite algae.

 

[Mebbid]

This is not true. You'll starve your plants long before you'll starve the algae. Algae can thrive on a very miniscule amount of nutrients, plants generally can't. Extra nutrients causing algae is a myth from planted tanks of the past, when people used to think limiting growth by limiting PO4 was a good idea.

Basically, healthy, growing plants inhibit algae, while struggling plants with poor growth due to lack of nutrients and/or co2 invite algae.

+1 couldnt agree more. Thats a pervading myth in the hobby nowadays that refuses to go away.

 

[Caliban07]

This is not true. You'll starve your plants long before you'll starve the algae. Algae can thrive on a very miniscule amount of nutrients, plants generally can't. Extra nutrients causing algae is a myth from planted tanks of the past, when people used to think limiting growth by limiting PO4 was a good idea.

Basically, healthy, growing plants inhibit algae, while struggling plants with poor growth due to lack of nutrients and/or co2 invite algae.

I would agree. My feeling, although a complete hunch with a tiny bit of logic thrown in is that algae is an opportunist that waits for the perfect environment. A tank with thriving plants doesn't seem like the most efficient places to grow what with competition for light and nutrients fairly high.

Perhaps as you say, the algae can almost recognise the plants struggle and begins to manifest in the hope of taking over completely.

After all, algae has come a long long way and has been a living organism on this planet for a very long time. They have done well to adapt and mould its kind to suit all kind of environments along the way.

I could just be talking rubbish of course. Good discussion.


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[PerfectDepth]

Yes, that seems reasonable to me, too. I don't think anyone knows the exact reasons, but for all practical purposes it's very useful to think of algae as being opportunistic. That's a good way to describe it, in my opinion.

 

[ImACoolguy]

+1 couldnt agree more. Thats a pervading myth in the hobby nowadays that refuses to go away.

Well now I can help make it go away since I'm an old timer from the past apparently lol


Caleb

 

[Caliban07]

Yes, that seems reasonable to me, too. I don't think anyone knows the exact reasons, but for all practical purposes it's very useful to think of algae as being opportunistic. That's a good way to describe it, in my opinion.

Yeah. I think anyone would do well to rid of all traces of algae. Where aquatic organisms exist algae serves as a nutritious food source too. It's just a shame the stuff I can grow looks so **** ugly! Lol.

I've read articles that claim plants can inhibit the growth of other competing species or perhaps even their own by release a chemical of some kind. If this is true. Perhaps it is the same method the algae transpires too when I plant begins to feel unwell.


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