Too much light?

[evil Nick]

is this to much light for a 29.

Im running a finnex ray2 and fluval planted+.

The fluval is my old light I was replacing and when I plugged in the ray 2 it didnt seem so bright. I had a ray2 on my 55 and it was great but the 30" seems lack luster.

I decided to just try running both since Im trying to get this carpet going.

 

[ZxC]

How much CO2 are you running?
How long has the tank been set up for?
Any current algae?

You'll be 200+ PAR with those two lights, way too much light for even experienced planted tankers.

Most carpets are CO2 dependent, NOT light dependent. Getting adequate CO2 concentrations will increase the change of success for a carpet.

 

[dcutl002]

It is better to have not enough light than too much.

 

[evil Nick]

I was going to hook them each up to their own timers.
I run about 2 bubbles a second in co2.
My plants already look better (been doing this over a week now) and the carpet seems to be getting green again already.
Not sure how it's affecting the fish though.
No algea as of yet.

Think if I set them to less time (they're on about 6hoyrs now) it would be okay.

The one thing I do like is coverage from front to back is so much better this way

That stupid black hinge on the lids blocks so much light out

 

[kashif314]

Which carpet plant are you growing?

 

[evil Nick]

Which carpet plant are you growing?

Marsilea

 

[Fresh2o]

Here is a solution to the rubber hinge and the light blockage and shadows it creates.
1. Soak the glass top in hot water
2. Slowly and carefully remove the rubber hinge
3. Cut two 2” sections off of the hinge (save the rest of the hinge in case you need it)
4. Reassemble the glass top using only the pair of 2” hinges. Place them at each end
5. You should now have a functioning glass top that won’t block light along the area where the hinge “use to be”
Here is a pick from my old planted 20 long:

 

[evil Nick]

Here is a solution to the rubber hinge and the light blockage and shadows it creates.
1. Soak the glass top in hot water
2. Slowly and carefully remove the rubber hinge
3. Cut two 2” sections off of the hinge (save the rest of the hinge in case you need it)
4. Reassemble the glass top using only the pair of 2” hinges. Place them at each end
5. You should now have a functioning glass top that won’t block light along the area where the hinge “use to be”
Here is a pick from my old planted 20 long:

not a bad idea. On my old lid I removed the hinge and double sided tapes a clear hing in its place but I think I may try your mod. I just run a razor knife under the lips of the hinge to cut the silicone and it usually pulls off. My 55 I just removed the hinge fully and left the 2 pieces of glass after a while.

what light are you using, doesnt seem super bright.

 

[ZxC]

Again, you do not need high light for a carpet.

BPS means nothing. Every tank is different.

Instead, measure your pH drop. So measure pH just before the CO2 comes on, and then measure again just before the CO2 shuts off. The difference between the two will determine you CO2 levels.

I run a 1.0 - 1.1 peak drop in pH. With the amount of light you have you will need to be in the 1.2 - 1.3 range (likely).

Also, with that much light and that much CO2 you will likely need to dose a lot of fertilizer or else the plants will starve.

Carpets are CO2 dependent, not light dependent. Turn one of the fixtures down a little is you are after coverage rather than more light.

 

[evil Nick]

Again, you do not need high light for a carpet.

BPS means nothing. Every tank is different.

Instead, measure your pH drop. So measure pH just before the CO2 comes on, and then measure again just before the CO2 shuts off. The difference between the two will determine you CO2 levels.

I run a 1.0 - 1.1 peak drop in pH. With the amount of light you have you will need to be in the 1.2 - 1.3 range (likely).

Also, with that much light and that much CO2 you will likely need to dose a lot of fertilizer or else the plants will starve.

Carpets are CO2 dependent, not light dependent. Turn one of the fixtures down a little is you are after coverage rather than more light.

are you using the ph tester liquid? I have been meaning to pick up a drop checker for years. maybe its time.

Im going to cut the hinge like the previous poster and center the light.
As for carpet light, why do you say that? So many people claim certain plants like the marselia or even DHG are a high light plant. I also always read if your light is sub par your carpet is just going to grow up and not out. I know this depends on depth penetration as well though.

I cant actually turn the lights down, theyre just on or off.

 

[ZxC]

are you using the ph tester liquid? I have been meaning to pick up a drop checker for years. maybe its time.

Im going to cut the hinge like the previous poster and center the light.
As for carpet light, why do you say that? So many people claim certain plants like the marselia or even DHG are a high light plant. I also always read if your light is sub par your carpet is just going to grow up and not out. I know this depends on depth penetration as well though.

I cant actually turn the lights down, theyre just on or off.

My drop checker is always yellow when the lights are on, it doesn't tell me anything. Drop checkers are about 2 hours behind as well, so if you see blue there might be enough in the water, it's just 2 hours behind showing you that.

Yes, while more light will typically help a carpet stay more compact, it is not required to blast plants with as much light as possible and not have adequate CO2 or nutrients available for proper growth. Less light is better than more light if CO2 and fertility is inconsistent / not enough.

"High light" is around 60-70 PAR and you are at 200+ PAR. HC and DHG will grow just fine at 40-50 PAR if you have enough CO2 in the water.

I thought one of your lights is a Fluval Planted+ ? If so it can be dimmed from 0 - 100%.

 

[Fresh2o]

...what light are you using, doesnt seem super bright.

Using a Finnex Planted+ plus a pair of 23W 6500k spiral CFLs as supplemental lighting. It looks dim in the image because of the white balance; toned it down so that there would be no glare.
Here is a pic of the tank taken a few weeks later (7/25/2015):

 

[evil Nick]

Using a Finnex Planted+ plus a pair of 23W 6500k spiral CFLs as supplemental lighting. It looks dim in the image because of the white balance; toned it down so that there would be no glare.
Here is a pic of the tank taken a few weeks later (7/25/2015):

Looks great