Enough light

[ADA]

Im mid way through gathering all the goodies to set up my 120x45x45, I just bought 2 x aquaray 1000hd tiles, a 600 ultima beam and an 8 way controller, I'm going high tech but just wanna know if this is enough light for lush carpeting plants as the wattage only works out to around 60W total in a 64G tank?

 

[Martin in Holland]

Don't worry to much about light...worry about CO2 and distribution, that's in most cases what (carpet) plants need.

 

[ADA]

I know the co2 will be good, using inline atomisers, distribution should be ok, got an eheim pro 3 and jbl 1500 totalling about 3500LPH so in the region of 14 x turnover, just wanna make sure par levels will be ok at the bottom of the tank but my budget won't stretch to a par meter lol.

 

[mr. luke]

60w of led is not comparable to 60w of t5.
I have a single aquabar 500, which is 12w, in a lido 120.
The tank is almost 60cm deep and 26 gallons. This works out at 0.45w per gallon and id say its stil a little too much!
My tank is low tech but dont underestimate led lighting.

 

[ian_m]

Light output in lumens, is generally same'ish per watt for T5 HO tubes and LED, but LED's tend for be more "focussed" and directed, thus give a higher light level "in the tank". Some people are having to run their LED units at 10-20% output to avoid turning there tanks into algae farms

 

[ADA]

So does everyone think that's enough light? Lol

 

[ian_m]

So does everyone think that's enough light?

Most likely way too much, luckily you have a controller so you can run at say 10-20% whilst starting up.

 

[ADA]

Yeah I think I will have them ramping up over 1 hour, on for 6 at 40% to start then ramp down over an hour.

 

[ian_m]

Some people are having to run their LED units at 10-20% output to avoid turning there tanks into algae farms

Even 40% maybe too much, as I said start at 10-20% for a month or two, see how it goes, use your plants (and lack of algae) as an indicator you are doing it right.

 

[Bhu]

Word on the block is plenty of light. But Never enough CO2!

 

[ADA]

Ok I will start at 3bps and lights on 30%

 

[ian_m]

bps is not a measurement. It just shows you have CO2 flowing and approximately how much. You really should read your drop checker to see if you have enough CO2 and if it is being dispersed fully around the tank. As for dispersal I was really surprised I could place the drop checker at top of tank and get green/yellow yet at the bottom in a corner get blue/green drop checker. Wavemaker fixed that.

 

[ADA]

bps is not a measurement. It just shows you have CO2 flowing and approximately how much. You really should read your drop checker to see if you have enough CO2 and if it is being dispersed fully around the tank. As for dispersal I was really surprised I could place the drop checker at top of tank and get green/yellow yet at the bottom in a corner get blue/green drop checker. Wavemaker fixed that.

I know lol I stated I will start at 3 bps because with that amount of flow, it should be ample and as the lights go up in power I will increase if needed, I have a drop checker and will use it when I set it up, I'm not being rude but I've been successful in the past with high tech set ups, the opinion I was after was on LEDs as the only ones I've had were diy crud, I'm not a novice when it comes to planted aquaria just the LEDs.

 

[Bhu]

I'm using the aquagrow 600 twin set with controller I give it a big thumbs up

 

[ADA]

I'm using the aquagrow 600 twin set with controller I give it a big thumbs up

What size tank are you running and are you running them at full power?

 

[Bhu]

It's a 150lt cube so approx. 55cm sides and depth. I run them at full power for 6 hours fade them in for 3h fade out for 3h. I'm using lots of co2 injection using an UP inline on the out let of the canister so lots of fine mist bubbles going into the tank which helps to see the distribution. The tank is heavily planted. Things are growing really well for 3 weeks. One small snag due to not feeding enough lost a few leaves on my alternanthera rosaefolia but since I upped the dose the leaves have stopped getting holes. This particular plant shot up and the leaves went from green on top light pink underneath to orange on top to bright pink underneath. So plenty of light.

The only slow grower is on the bed. My Lilaeopsis brasiliensis has hardly grown but has stayed stable and sent one or two new leaves up. Same for my echinodorus tenellus which has good looking leaves that have grown some but not spread. I'm still hoping to get a good carpet from them both and haven't given up on them yet

Aponogetons and echinodorus belheri have grown crazy big in no time and even the crypts have sent out new leaves.

Lots of good pearling too

 

[ADA]

Sounds good, got a link to a journal?

 

[Bhu]

I haven't started it yet. Here's a pic though so far... Hopefully start my journal one day

I forgot to mention the mosses! The Java has took really well and growing lovely but the weeping and Christmas browned out. They have acclimatised now but need to grow back. They still have some green and have started to grow...
The aponogetons have had 3 or 4 large leaves removed already! They went right across the tank top.

 

[ADA]

Good stuff, your lower carpet plants will do better if they're less shadowed but that's a nice cube ta got there.

 

[Bhu]

Hey thanks for that. Yes corners never get the best light and the front is not the best either. The back part of the Lilaeopsis brasiliensis is slightly shaded by the crypts and anubis but there is more light there than the photo shows. I'm still hopeful ha ha never had much luck with carpet plants.