Too much Light ?

[TBRO]

Just wanted to canvas some opinions. I've just got a second luminaire for my fluval 260. Making a total of 180 wats of T5 in a 60 cm deep tank. The volume is 260 L = 57 gallons. The tank is heavily planted and has CO 2 + ferts with TPN +.

I'm a bit nervous about an algae outbreak, is this too much for my tank?

I would like to get my stems like rotala rotundifolia and ludwigia rubens nice and red - hence the extra light. Advice or opinions would be great, Tom

 

[naz]

hi tom....im trying to find out the same thing as you,iv got the same tank as you the osaka 260l,iv been on some of your theads,uv had some nice tanks,iv got the acadia luminaire otl 4 x39w but im realy shruggleing to get a hc and glosso carpet going iv been running 8 hour 2 x39w with a 2 hour midday burst any thing higher than that and iv been haveing algea ploblem,but iv only been doing the planted tank s for a year now so i dont no that much....realy liked that rockery scape u done....

 

[TBRO]

Hey Lee,thanks for the comments. I've previously managed to grow a good carpet of HC in my Osaka with just the 2 x 39 w bulbs. Glosso however has always seemed to grow upward, this may well be due to low light levels.

IMO HC is easier.I think with enough CO2 + flow + soft water , HC will grow in the dark. It was spreading under the bushes of blyxa japonica at it's hight.

Let us know how you get on - Tom

 

[flygja]

I think with more light come higher maintenance and less margin for error. Having lots of lights should *not* be a problem if the other factors are non-limiting, i.e. fertilisation and CO2.

I for one, find Glosso easier than HC. On my 2nd try with HC now with no success