Lighting-or why we do what we do....

[debisbooked]

I love this hobby of fish/plant keeping. I love doing the research and tirelessly roaming to find just that right part for this particular tank, be it filter, substrate, heater, lighting system, fish, decorations, etc. What I don't seem to do is REMEMBER why I make certain choices.

Take the 75g for instance. Why did I decide that the Coralife 65w 10000k lighting system? If I thought that that was enough wattage to grow any plant out there, then why does this tank have only java fern, java moss, nana anubias, and red wendtii in it (all low light plants)? To me it look likes a lot of light is streaming down to the substrate, and the fish seem to 'head for the hills' when the timer clicks on so they don't like it either.

Here is a list of plants that were in there but died off over time: Amazon Swords, Cardinal Plant, Moneywort, Telanthera, Water Sprite. These need moderate to strong light so my lights are not it apparently. So, back to why we make the decisions about lighting...if what I have is not good enough, then why don't I just put some cheap thing on top and be done with it? The fish will probably thank me.....

 

[blert]

Mostly because there has not been enough research done when parts are being purchased. If you know beforehand that you are only doing low light plants then get an appropriate fixture and save yourself some money. If later down the road you think you may consider higher light plants then it is more cost effective to buy the high power fixture first as it is easier, and cheaper, to lower your light than it is to increase it. To lower your light you can use egg crate, floating plants, tint, etc. To increase your light usually means buying another fixture.

You also must remember that higher light plants will need more ferts and maybe CO2 to truly flourish.

 

[debisbooked]

Light discussion continues...

Aha! At the time I probably did not want to go the co2 route so I compromised on this light set up. I still don't want to get into the co2 thing so I'm stuck with 'low light' plants, I guess.

To further confuse matters: I recently came across a reference in a reef discussion that said 10000k was like the mid-day sun. Also, to gardeners and anyone who spends time outdoors, 'mid-day' sun means a lot of light. Apparently though, it's NOT a lot of light when it comes to aquarium plants. That is the confusing part of the equation for me. As I said, my fish (tetras, cories, neons, and one bolivian ram) do not like the 65 watt lights I have now so if I attempt to upgrade to something plants like I don't see the fish thanking me for making their home even brighter!

Perhaps we should not be referring to plants needing 'low, moderate, or strong' lights, but instead measure the plants by their low, moderate to strong co2 needs. Many of us assume we know how to choose a lighting system, but I wager that 'co2 needs' on a plant label would stop us in our tracks, and hopefully, get us asking the right questions before we sunk huge sums of money into the 'best' light system only to find out that the lights ALSO require a costly co2 system to give the plants what they really need.

In other words, more light=more co2 needed=more frightened fish=more plants needed to calm the frightened fish =more money than I can afford.

 

[alia258]

If you get a brighter light, you can do what I did and get 'melon' or 'sword' plants, as they will grow to the point of the leaves floating on/near the surface. They are the kind that need a higher light, but tolerate low lights. I got them because my guppies prefer sleeping on the leaves instead of gravel ^^ I got new low light plants today! They're called anacharis! They're so cool! ^^

 

[blert]

You really need jetajockey to come in and explain it to you but...
10000k is not a measurement of how much light it produces, it is an indication of the color of the light. 10000k is a crisp bright white, go up higher (12000k) and I think it turns more bluish. Go lower (6700k) and its a bit more of a subdued white-ish yellow, I think.

 

[BillD]

While there seems to be some differences of opinion on this, I think 10,000K is very blue. I find even 6500K to be already bluish. The colour temp of sunlight at noon on the equator is around 5500K. I believe from my past experience that you can grow some plants under almost any light. My best success has been under lights in the 5000K to 6500K.
In this situation, 65 W is not even medium light, and I suspect the 1000K temp isn't really helping.

 

[alia258]

Plants can get CO2 from the fish, and I you have lots of plants, root tabs work fine

 

[blert]

It also has to do with the depth of the tank and the type of fixture you are using. The watts per gallon rule is outdated.

The CO2, and nutrients, from fish depends on the stock and then again on the amount of light. At high light even a well stocked tank is still going to need CO2 injection and ferts or you will be growing a ton of algae.

 

[alia258]

Yes, it's very outdated. Deeper gravel makes more room for root growth, and the brightness of the bulb can be dimmed by other plants, or an external home made fixture. Your fish will adjust to the brighter light, mine adjusted just fine ^^

 

[blert]

If your fish don't like the brightness try turning on some ambient light for an hour or so before your tank fixture turns on. This will give them time to adjust. Also, replace the 10000k bulb for something like a 6500k, it might be a little less "shocking" to them.

 

[alia258]

Blert, I agree ^^

 

[debisbooked]

Yes, it's very outdated. Deeper gravel makes more room for root growth, and the brightness of the bulb can be dimmed by other plants, or an external home made fixture. Your fish will adjust to the brighter light, mine adjusted just fine ^^

My fish have been in there for years and still don't seem to like the light. I forgot to mention that they hate the light even though it comes filtered through floating plants (limna).

 

[alia258]

Oh, maybe it's the species! What do you have?

 

[debisbooked]

Oh, maybe it's the species! What do you have?

8 black skirt tetras, 8 neon tetras, 8 swartz corydoras, and one bolivian ram. F

 

[alia258]

I have 3 neon tetras, 3 guppies, 1 cory, and 1 pleco

 

[debisbooked]

If you get a brighter light, you can do what I did and get 'melon' or 'sword' plants, as they will grow to the point of the leaves floating on/near the surface. They are the kind that need a higher light, but tolerate low lights. I got them because my guppies prefer sleeping on the leaves instead of gravel ^^ I got new low light plants today! They're called anacharis! They're so cool! ^^

I've been avoiding trying those because of the light issue. I'm going to order some more plants and will try these. Thanks!

 

[alia258]

Which ones are you trying and which are you avoiding?

 

[debisbooked]

Which ones are you trying and which are you avoiding?

I've bought plants mostly from aquabid and aquariumplants.com and just look for the 'low light' designator. I long ago quit looking at plant pictures -I would fall in love with something only to find it was a 'high need' plant. I was never sure about the 'moderate light' plants though.

 

[alia258]

High need just means extra work and a cycled/balanced aquarium

 

[debisbooked]

My tank is cycled/balanced. I do weekly water changes and parameter tests. I just don't want to get into lights and co2 expenses.