Whats the bare minimum amount kf time to have my lights on to sustain my plants?

[Abbitha]

I have t5 ho bulbs in my tank with few plants. (I'll be getting more soon in a couple weeks) I had to break down my tank and lost 90% of my plants in the process. I was wondering if it would be okay to have the lights on for only three hours a day? Even shorter the better. If this okay for the plants? Will they be okay while I wait to get more plants from online.

 

[Rivercats]

A lot depends on the type plants you have? Also will the tank get any ambient room light?

 

[Abbitha]

I have a val left and a java fern and an unidentified plant. (The unidentified plant was the main reason I had to break down my tank, pfft)

 

[Abbitha]

Here's what the tank looks like without lights on. You can easily see in there

 

[Abbitha]

The unidentified plant

 

[Rivercats]

The plant looks like Mondo grass which isn't aquatic so needs to be removed. As for the light all I can say it try it but I'd do 4 hours at least and if the plants look to start dying I'd up the light hours.

 

[Abbitha]

I'll have to go to petsmart and see what they have it listed as. I just grabbed it because I felt the need to purchase something as a thanks for going through the hassle of digging for pest snails to feed my assassins.

4 hours a day. Ok I will give this a try. Just don't want a algae bloom. My water parameters are not well currently as it's having to cycle again. I'm basically starting from fresh :/ and I've never cycled a tank with fish and plants before.

 

[Rivercats]

Are you using the same filter and media? Or did you change it all out as well? Do you have an API master test kit? When doing a fish in cycle you need to test ammonia and nitrites daily and do a 50% WC anytime ammonia and or nitrites rise above .25ppm. Here is an article you need to read... I just learned about cycling but I already have fish. What now?! - Aquarium Advice.

 

[Abbitha]

Yes I had to buy whole new media and completely sanitize the filter. I have the test kit. I've already done a 50% water change as the ammonia got to .25. This will slow down the cycle quite a bit I can imagine? But I really don't want to lose my fish. I'm thinking of just tossing out my few plants I have and waiting until the tank cycle. Will the java fern (or any of this plants) be okay if I just use a color enhancing bulb while the tank is cycling? I want to keep lights very low key as I have a angel fish I'm attached to and don't want to stress him out any more than he will be over the next couple weeks.

 

[Rivercats]

I've kept angels for over 30 years and IMO they are a lot more hardy than people give them credit for. But if you want to try using the color enhancing bulb you can but again you'll just have to keep an eye on things.

Doing the WC's does slow down cycling some but the are done for the health of the fish so you don't have much of a choice but to do them as needed.