Watts?

[Brentweld]

How many watts should I be using in my 45 gallon tall tank? I am currently using 120watts. I used to use 160 watts but collected a ton of algae. I reduced and some of my grasses are not doing as well. I use plant nutrients 2 times a week at least and I am not using co2. To expensive.

 

[Mebbid]

Wpg is a calculation that has fallen by the wayside. With changes in lighting take a look at par values. For example I have 2 t5 ho lights for my aquarium giving me 1.2wpg. But looking at par values for that light I have a high to very high light situation. I don't currently have access to the link that has the information on it or I'd link it for you

 

[Aquatic_Adam]

How many watts should I be using in my 45 gallon tall tank? I am currently using 120watts. I used to use 160 watts but collected a ton of algae. I reduced and some of my grasses are not doing as well. I use plant nutrients 2 times a week at least and I am not using co2. To expensive.

The CO2 is a part of your problem. Algae stems from an unbalance between 3 things in your aquarium: light, nutrients, and CO2. When one or more become excessive or limiting, you give the potential for algae.

 

[Philly33]

I pulled this from my archives

 

[Rivercats]

Here's a good article.... Lighting an Aquarium with PAR instead of Watts

About the algae... how long did you run your lights daily? I have high light over my 220g (T5HO's and Metal Halides) and I can only run the Metal Halides 6 hours a day to avoid any algae issues. If your grasses deteriorated after reducing your light personally I'd go back to your former lighting but limit your photoperiod.

I also don't use CO2 but understand with higher light you at least need to dose liquid carbon. I use Metricide 14 day solution, which is Glutaraldehyde. One gallon is about $20 plus shipping and you mix that gallon with a gallon and a half of RO water to get 2-1/2 gallons for about $27. That is as economical as it comes. You do have to store the solution in total light blocking opaque containers as light breaks down Glut and renders it useless in 12-24 hours. You also throw away the little activator bottle that comes with the gallon bottle of Glut. At higher light levels you have to use a higher amount of liquid carbon as I do and it is perfectly safe. You'd want to start at 1ml of Glut per 5 gallons of tank water.

 

[BBradbury]

Your 45 G

Hello Brent...

If you're using standard florescent, T8 or T12, 6500K bulbs, then 1.5 to 2 watts per gallon of tank volume should be sufficient to grow most aquarium plants without the need for high end fertilizers or systems.

I have a similar tank (see attached pic), with a bit lower lighting and dose API's Leaf Zone and add the CO2 Booster once a week when I do my water changes. The plants grow fine.

For this tank, the lights are a timer for 12 hours on and 12 off. I keep feeding to a minimum, just twice weekly and just a bit. The floating Waterweed and Pennywort use all the extra nutrients in the water, so there's nothing for the algae.

B

 

[shamby1135]

thanks so much for this chart, a few posts back, very helpful, am printing it out for reference!