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Lighting Issues specifically with Red Plants

GreenGrow

Member
Joined
26 Jun 2011
Messages
116
Location
UK
Hi there all!
I'm in need of the UKAPS knowledge base again... A while ago I attempted to have a lovely colorful tank filled with a variety of pinky-red's like rotala rotundifolia and flat out natural red plants like alternanthera reineckii mini. I understand that maintaining red colours in the rotala group are challenging but surely not alternanthera reineckii. The bright colours quickly dulled beyond what could be described as red.

I'm aware that high light and bring on a wide range of problems- namely algae and nutrient deficiencies. And am prepared for these risks. Only issue is that there are no nutrient deficiencies- only non red plants!!

I tried to grow HC and glosso but both just grew upwards. Have switched to Hairgrass

Co2 is being banged in so drop checker is just yellow.
Ferts EI- Triple dosing with additional Iron - no livestock so not an issue.
Flow makes all the plants move in the tank gently - spray bar distribution- in line Co2 diffuser.

This is where the lighting issue comes into debate. 30litre tank. Light unit suspended an inch above the water level. The lighting unit is 2x24w compact florescent 6500k 8 hours a day.

Question 1) is it possible to ignite a 24w bulb even if the ballast or lighting unit is not that size. It's a cheapy china one so maybe this could be the reason.
Question 2) The bulbs are also cheapy 6500k about £1 each. I read on a previous thread that cheap bulbs dont provide the correct colour spectrum but I know that Ceg disputes this.

Any help would be seriously appriciated
 
I can only offer advice based on personal experience...Light is a crucial factor, absolutely...but in my case I'm convinced that my R. rotundifolia turned red because of the extra traces I mixed in with the usual TMC Complete. I typically use a 1:0.25 mix of TNC Complete with TNC light..as you mention iron is supposedly a factor...
 
Ed just had a quick look through the journal and using my trusty par chart :) Posted somewhere on the forum.
14452409350_2658fc3d44.jpg

your tank height with the t5s puts you in the extreme light category, ime experience almost impossible to add enough co2 because we always want to add livestock, if you could somehow raise the light fixture by around 6-8 inches above the tank, I think you'll have the results your after, co2 and flow looks spot on just the lights are too intense IMO.
 
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What Tim said, I was about to post when he answered...Occam's razor...the solution lands somewhere between the usual balance of light, nutrients, flow/distribution, and CO2.

Sorry if that's a bit obvious and unhelpful but we can only arrive at what is best for our unique conditions by experimenting...as Tim suggests.
 
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Thanks guys. There is currently no livestock in the tank so no risk of life. The yellow drop checker shows the surplus of co2 and ferts are massively over. I just can't believe that this makes the plants grow vertical and without red pigments is a co2 issue. This light was over my 17l with one bulb running and HC crawled along the bottom perfectly. Therefore with a tank double the size and double the light double to co2/ferts should have an affect on it's growth?
I've just bought a arcadia 24w ellipse for another tank so may see how that fairs over the 30l

But you guys don't think it's the quality of the bulb or unit itself?
 
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