2WPG without CO2?

[Qays]

Hello,

I have an 11 gallon tank.

I currently have an 15" (14w) interpet triton tube. This is pretty pink, but it brings out the fish' colours well.

Im planning on getting an 12" (8w) Arcadia Freshwater tube.

When i get this tube, I will be at 2WPG of light! Will this be a problem in an 11 gallon tank? Will i have algae issues? What plants should i stock with?

Also, since i have a 15" pinkish tube, will the 12" be enough to neutralise it? Will it look good, with a 15" Triton, and a 12" arcadia freshwater?

Thanks!

 

[mr funktastic]

i have never heard of those tubes before. but what u should be looking at is the kelvin rating. u are going to want at least a 6500 k rating for plants. since your light is more of a ppinkish i am going to assume it is a higher rating. i have a 12000k power glo bulb that is very pink but i also run 2 6500k bulbs. this gives me the light needed for the plants aswell as lets me keep that pinkish colour that shows of the fishes colour so well. where are u getting this 12" fixture from? i dont see them very often. u will be fine without co2 at 2 wpg but that s border line. u may have problems u may not.... its really a try and error thing. i have my 10 gal tank at 2wpg and it is great, with no algea. u may want to look into DIY co2. it is very simple and will give u better results that raising your light. co2 and low light go together too but people always forget that. if u need help with the co2 there are tons of threads on here about it. or just ask in this one and we can help out if u decide to go that route.

 

[Zezmo]

Are you adding light to get better color? or more plant growth?

Even 3wpg of standard Fluorescent lighting over a 10-15 gallon tank should not make algae a huge issue. There are things like, water ferts, plant and animals that will determine your algae more than that amount of light.

 

[JustOneMore20]

A good range for plants is 6500-10000K. I have one 6700K and one 10000K on my 55g tank and you can't tell the difference between the two, in terms of plant growth.

I would seriously consider replacing the pink bulb with one in the range above. Plants use bluer lights...not really pink.

If you can get the right Kelvin rated bulbs, 2 wpg is considered low light on smaller tanks. Smaller tanks need more light to have the same affect that 2wpg would have on larger tanks.
That being said, you don't need CO2. I think some good plant choices would be java fern, anubias, crypts, bacopa caroliniana, corkscrew vals, dwarf sag, and wisteria. I have grown the last 4 (which are normally considered medium light and not low) in 2 wpg in a 10g...so I know they will work.

You shouldn't have algae issues with only 2wpg. Leave the lights on for only 8-10 hours and no more or less. Remember to do weekly water changes of about 30-40%. What fish are in the tank? Overstocking can lead to algae problems, so try to keep it at the max stocking level, or understocked.
If you do develop algae, you can add DIY CO2, which should help. Having CO2 on lower wpg tanks helps with algae. It may not do too much for your plants though.

 

[Lonewolfblue]

i have never heard of those tubes before. but what u should be looking at is the kelvin rating. u are going to want at least a 6500 k rating for plants. since your light is more of a ppinkish i am going to assume it is a higher rating. i have a 12000k power glo bulb that is very pink but i also run 2 6500k bulbs. this gives me the light needed for the plants aswell as lets me keep that pinkish colour that shows of the fishes colour so well. where are u getting this 12" fixture from? i dont see them very often. u will be fine without co2 at 2 wpg but that s border line. u may have problems u may not.... its really a try and error thing. i have my 10 gal tank at 2wpg and it is great, with no algea. u may want to look into DIY co2. it is very simple and will give u better results that raising your light. co2 and low light go together too but people always forget that. if u need help with the co2 there are tons of threads on here about it. or just ask in this one and we can help out if u decide to go that route.

Actually, I'm not sure color output has anything to do with K rating. I have 12000k bulbs and they are very white and blue. I have 6500k bulbs that are more yellow. But then I also have some 6500k bulbs that are a whitish-blue as well. And I just got 2 20W Screw-in CF's from Walmart, they are 6500k and they are very white and blue as well. Any other comments on this is very much welcome.

But yes, for planted tanks you want between 6500k and 12000k.

 

[Qays]

Hello.

thanks for the comments.

I want one light which will make the colours of the fish better, and i want one which will help plant growth.

I have 2 control units, one for 12" lighting, and one for 15" lighting.

I have a 15" interpet triton, this light is for the fishes colours. I know the kelvin is about 8300k or 12500k cant remember which!
But this light is solely for the fishes colours. The only problem with this light is the pink glow, So i want to put a light in my 12" controller which will neutralise this pink glow.

What light will neutralise the pink glow?

I was thinking of getting an arcadia freshwater to support growth, and neutralise the pink coloured light. Do you think it will work?
The pink colour light peaks in the red, and blue.

The fish i have in the 11 gallon, are 5 guppies, 5 neons, 3 cories.

Btw, im not aiming so much at a planted tank, although i have live plants in there, im aiming more at neutralising the pink tone of the interpet triton.

 

[Lonewolfblue]

If the k rating on that bulb is 8300k or 12500k, it will benefit the plants as well as the fish colors. I'm not sure if you can neutralize the pink. Could try a 6500k bulb, which is more yellow to see if it offsets the pink. If you go with 10000k or 12000k, I think the whitish-blue will just amplify the pink. But you never know til you try. Most places you can return the bulb if it's not to your liking and pick up a different k rating. The lfs here allows that. Not sure in your area though.

 

[Qays]

The Arcadia freshwater bulb is 7500K

I found out the bulb i have is around 9000k

Think it will work?

 

[Lonewolfblue]

It could possibly, yes. But won't know til you try. Is that what you are going to buy? Ask about the return policy and see if you could exchange it for a different bulb if it doesn't work as well. I'm thinking the closer you get to 8000-9000, you are going to get more pink, where 6500k will be more yellow.

 

[Qays]

Ok, do you know 2 lights which will bring out the colours of the fish, and have a nice white light?

Thanks

 

[Lonewolfblue]

Well, here's from my experience, there is none. Here's what my view is. The more white the bulb, the more the colors in the plants will come out. The more yellow the bulb, the more the fish colors will come out. I have a 65W CF on my 26G, and it's more yellow and looks great. I have a blue background, and a tan-colored aquarium gravel, and the tank looks like you are standing out on a beach. And the colors of the rainbowfish, cherry barbs, rasboras, neons, cardinals are all excellent. I don't think there is a very good in-between.

But if using 2 bulbs, then I personally would go with 1 12000k bulb and 1 6500k bulb. On my 75G I have a combo, 4 12000k bulbs and 2 6500k bulbs, and it looks great, but it's not white.

 

[Qays]

What colour is it then?

My bulb isnt actually that pink now that i look at it, its more of a white/pink colour, i think an arcadia freshwater will do the trick.

The bulb i have now shows up the fish really will, but not the green in the plants. And the Arcadia freshwater is good at showing up the greens, it should look good.

Thanks for your lone, appriciate it! Ill report back (with pics?) once the new light arrives and is set up!

 

[Lonewolfblue]

My tank is just slightly to the yellow side. But looks really good, and the fish stand out. Then if I want my Rams to stand out, I turn on the actinics. That's blue lights. Makes the fish look stunning.

 

[Qays]

Yeah, the interpet triton seems to bring out the neon colours, it really brings out the neons and the guppies shiny part well!

 

[Lonewolfblue]

I find that the closest to the blue end, the fish stand out more, and closer to the yellow end, the plants stand out more..

 

[Qays]

indeed.

The freshwater bulb supposedly brings out the plants colours well? Do you think so?

I want a bulb which will bring out the plants colours and will help neutralise the pink tones of the interpet triton.