How close to the light?

[mellow fellow]

hi all. I need help working out my plant problem. I have a deep 86 cm tank serviced by a 30cm 8 watt fluro. I have java fern and moss as well as val but the vall is obviously not getting enough light. My thinking was as it grew higher it would get more light . This did not happen. I now want to know if i can build a slope in my tank (deep and octagonal with hood hence inadequate light) how far from the surface should i plant my val. Also if i can build this slope are there any other tall bushy plants i could use that may not need as much light. Appreciate any help

 

[malkore]

ok, 86cm is about 34inches...that IS deep.

You can certainly build a slope, or use plexiglass to form a shelf or terrace to raise the plants up.

But even then, you're gonna have issues. those hex/octagonal tanks are not very well suited to plant keeping, due to the increased depth and the lack of width your lighting options are few.

I suspect you'd have to build up the bottom a little, AND switch lighting to something more intense. 8watts is nothing. Vallisneria like at least 1.5watts per gallon in my experience. If this is a 30gallon octagonal tank, you're gonna need at least 45watts of lighting, preferably more due to the depth.

Please share a few more specs on your tank...mainly the diameter and total capacity.

I'm suspecting you'd want a 55watt power compact fixture, but it may not fit well over your tank...and still may be insufficient for anything but java fern, crypts and anubias bartari v. nana

 

[chili is hot]

why don't you try a lilly of some kind. It could look really cool, i'm not quite sure how much light you would need, probobly not that much seeing as its leaves will be right at the waters surface. lillys could easily grow that tall(i had one in my pond that fell to the very bottom 4' and put up leaves) This is an example http://showcase.aquatic-gardeners.org/2000.cgi?&op=showcase&category=3&vol=-1&id=81 but i think you could make it look better than this(dont use a pot), and if you got one with a really pretty flowr you could have 2-3 inches at the top so you can see it when it is in bloom.

 

[mellow fellow]

Hey malkore thanks for the advice. As i said my tanks 86 cm deep and roughly 30cm wide. it holds about 92 litres. The rerason im using the 8 watt light is because it is the only one i can find that will fit in the hood of my tank so i think i might make a second wall or terrace at the back of the tank and hopefully get it high enough for val and lillys to grow. Does anyone else know how much light a lily would need and wether the terrace idea would work with them anubis or swords?