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Sunlight, CO2 and photoperiod

Simanas

Seedling
Joined
9 Nov 2009
Messages
19
Currently my photoperiod is 7h of 2x24w T5HO, from 12:00 to 19:00. Light is raised about 40cm from water surface and aquarium is 60x60x45cm (length, depth, height). CO2 starts at 10:00, goes off at 18:45.
The room is quite bright - the windows are facing the south. Aquarium gets few hours of kinda "direct" sunlight (balcony glass + window + day curtains + 1,5 m of distance from window, also sunlight shines on aquarium in afternoon).

What I notice at 8:00 in the morning is that all plants are leaning towards the windows. When aquarium lights start up, plants slowly lean back to T5s. Does this mean that plants are starting their photoperiod in the morning? Should I change my light and CO2 schedule?
 
Hi

your observation is true, plants dont have preferences of one source over other. Whichever light is shone, they move to start the photosynthesis. Guess its the energy trigger that causes this. If it gets too bright, you might want to shade/cover the tank glass. BGA on the front substrate near the glass is quite common in such cases as well.

Make sure that co2 is indeed available right from morning... its photosynthesis afterall.. and if the light is indeed bright, you might want to reduce/adjust your tube-light periods so as to complement sunlight, and not bombard the tank with too much PAR.

Hope this helps.
 
Well PAR is impossible to measure, since I dont have the meter and I am guessing no one has it in my country :( But I have oldschool lux meter... With 2x24w: 7000 lux - at surface, center of tank; 5000 lux - at surface, in corner. Also at 8am: 600lux from window on the side glass; didnt have chance to measure what it gets from direct sunlight. I know lux is not telling much, but it helped me to adjust light spread over the aquarium surface.
So the only indicator is plant growth, which slow, rotala rotundifolia is totally green and its leaves shape are different from what I saw in red ones - more round and compact. Had a bit of diatom, but after introducing shrimps and otos, it cleared up. So I am guessing that my light is on lower side, but also CO2 isnt good enough, since plants start using it way before 10am...
 
Hi

you dont need to measure PAR, only that sunlight is way stronger than tubes. So I would suggest you start with CO2 way early so that theres enough in the tank by 8:00 am.
 
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