Super_Blueberry
Aquarium Advice FINatic
Alright. Quick recap before I get asked the same questions over and over....
100g planted tank (24" high). Miracle gro organic garden soil capped with white play sand. PPS Pro daily ferts minus the kno3 since my stock adds plenty of N. My phosphates are around 2ppm. 240 watts (6-40 watt 6500k bulbs) of t12no lights on a split cycle, 4 on. 5 off, 5 on, 10 off. Pressurized CO2.
Now my question. I'm not getting the growth I was hoping to see, especially down near the substrate. When I built my stand, I went with the t12's since they were the cheapest available, and I was over 2wpg. I'm thinking the light just is not intense enough to reach the bottom and that's my problem. If I was to bite the bullet and upgrade to a t5ho fixture with 6-54 watt bulbs (324 watts) would I see A: an increase in the light intensity near the bottom.... B: no increase at the substrate and have just a ton of light near the surface that will only cause algae problems without solving the main problem.... C: would a 4 bulb fixture (216 watts) change the substrate intensity without changing the upper level and thus be the way to go....or D:
Thanks as always
100g planted tank (24" high). Miracle gro organic garden soil capped with white play sand. PPS Pro daily ferts minus the kno3 since my stock adds plenty of N. My phosphates are around 2ppm. 240 watts (6-40 watt 6500k bulbs) of t12no lights on a split cycle, 4 on. 5 off, 5 on, 10 off. Pressurized CO2.
Now my question. I'm not getting the growth I was hoping to see, especially down near the substrate. When I built my stand, I went with the t12's since they were the cheapest available, and I was over 2wpg. I'm thinking the light just is not intense enough to reach the bottom and that's my problem. If I was to bite the bullet and upgrade to a t5ho fixture with 6-54 watt bulbs (324 watts) would I see A: an increase in the light intensity near the bottom.... B: no increase at the substrate and have just a ton of light near the surface that will only cause algae problems without solving the main problem.... C: would a 4 bulb fixture (216 watts) change the substrate intensity without changing the upper level and thus be the way to go....or D:
Thanks as always