Crazy low-light tank

[adadkins1]

Here is my story:

I started out with a 10g planted tank with 2-13W 6500K CFL and my amazon sword and anacharis were flourishing. I upgraded about 2 months ago to a 20g tall and learned withing a few days that I would definately need some stronger lighting. I figured 2-23W should be sufficient, but I have been sadly wrong. My amazon sword has died, anacharis is doing bad, and my java moss is simply sitting on the rock, same as the day it was tied on (no growth at all). Should I try 2-40W CFL to see how that does?

 

[jcolon]

I'm assuming the 2-23W are also 6500K? You seem to have the WPG's ... but the extra height on the 20g tall may be what's doing you in.

CFL's sound like an option, but are you dosing any ferts or CO2? 2x23 / 20g give you 2.3WPG may need to supplement CO2?

Good luck

 

[adadkins1]

Yes, all the bulbs mentioned were CFL's. I do believe it is the height, I was just wondering if maybe moving from 2 of the 23 watt CFL's to 2 of the 40 watt CFL's would be a good idea. I have contemplated CO2, but didn't really want to fool with it at all possible since my parents will be taking care of it when I am gone to college next year. The less complicated, the better.

 

[jetajockey]

As posted above, have you been dosing any ferts at all? It's really important to have nutrients available for the plants, especially when you bump up the light intensity.

 

[adadkins1]

No, no ferts. In my 10g, everything did good with no ferts and it was a stronger light tank. Now it seems like I have lower light and everything is dying. I am just thinking that it should be the light. If I let anacharis float it does good(presumably because it is closer to the light), but when it is planted it grows painfully slow and the old growth is covered in what I think is algae.

 

[aqua_chem]

Swords are heavy root feeders, so root tabs would be a nice investment. The fact that you have algae growing on the old portions suggests that they are getting at least some light, depending on what kind of algae it is.

Can you post pictures of your plants? We can identify certain deficiencies with pics.

 

[adadkins1]

Sadly, my amazon sword was unsalvagable at the last water change. The reason I think the problem is lighting is because I have never used ferts or root tabs in any of my tanks, neither have I seen any deficiencies. Below are pictures of my anacharis and java moss. I don't know if it is algae or what on the old growth.

 

[mfdrookie516]

Didn't you have potting soil in the other tank? If so, does this one have it?

 

[adadkins1]

I do have soil in my 2.5g, but not this one.

 

[Brian_Nano12g]

Aside from the increased height of a 20g tall (resulting in light not hitting the bottom adequately), the lack of nutrients your plants need to thrive is what I'm thinking is the issue. Those plants you mentioned may have been doing okay in your previous tank without ferts or root tabs because, depending on how long the tank has been up and running, your substrate or gravel bed may contain an adequate amount of nutrients from uneaten fish food and waste (like a compose). In a new tank less than 2 months old, you're missing that component and therefore should dose with ferts (and/or use the root tabs) to compensate.

Aside from a good liquid plant food that contains iron and other trace elements (i.e. K20, Mg, etc.), I would also try a bottle of Seachem Flourish Excel. It seems to work for a lot of folks because it kinda acts in lieu of injecting co2.

Here's an excerpt from the Q&A's I found interesting on the Seachem site:

Q: Is Flourish Excel a replacement for CO2 in a planted aquarium?

A: Yes and no. It provides the same benefit as CO2, i.e. it provides the plants with a source of carbon for growth just as CO2 provides them with carbon. However CO2 by itself will give you quantitatively more growth than Excel by itself, although Excel does provide a substantial amount in comparison. If CO2 is a 10, Excel is a 6-7. Using both together provides additional benefit. One of the advantages of the Excel is no up front equipment costs and complexity of valves, hoses and regulators, etc.

 

[Coursair]

+1 for root tabs for Swords, esp in a new tank !

 

[adadkins1]

The sword is dead and gone. It did fine when I added it to my 10g when it had only been set up a month and had no root tabs. The thing was putting out shoots every week and the leaves were growing above the water's surface. That is why I keep thinking it might be a lighting issue. However, I will look into getting some fertilizer next time I am at the LFS.