Midday lighting pause (siesta) - in tanks without CO2

[dw1305]

Hi all,

Darrel, how big is your tank? And how many watts / lumens are you using! I fear that with a 64l tank and a 2x24w T5 lumiere I will not use 12 hours like you. Thanks for the link.

I've got 2 that are 60cm x 30 x 38, so similar in size.

The one at home has a 2 x 24W T5 "Hagen Glo" luminaire, and the one at work a 2 x 24W T5 "Eheim" fitting (the old white one), all 6500K lamps. I haven't got a recent FTS shot of the home one, but this gives you a bit of idea.

This is the lab tank FTS and from above in this thread <"Water Lettuce......"> and

The smaller tank is at home now, and has an 11W PL2 tube. At work I now have a "Fishbox 48" from this thread <Replacement lighting..>

and the little tank next to it has a 3 x 8W T5 Boyu unit.

cheers Darrel

 

[TallDragon]

Wow that's some wattage...you may find that half of that and a 6 hr photoperiod will still be too much, at least to start with and without Darrel's massive biomass to soak it all up.

Well it's like Tom said really...but as I'm too lazy or otherwise too preoccupied to quantify the anecdotal I tend to try and cover all the bases, as suggested above.
But that's part of the fun experimenting and learning what works not just from success but also from failure...
And to make matters even more complicated what works for one aquarium may not work for another even though you may think you've pretty much replicated all the variables.
Sooo...give it a go and see where the journey takes you, you've certainly got enough here and in the tutorials section to give you a good start.

I am getting a used kit. I too am starting to feel that 2x24w is too much. Especially without Co2. I am not surprised prior kit owner did not have luck. Troi, with this tank and a single T5, how many hours would you run the lights for? (filter will be an Eheim 2071, that I will probably need to throttle back.)
You thoughts?

 

[Tim Harrison]

You've stolen my cat...

I am getting a used kit. I too am startimg to feel that 2x24w is too much. Especially without Co2. I am not surprised prior kit owner did not have luck. Troi, with this tank and a single T5, how many hours would you run the lights for? (filter will be an Eheim 2071, that I will probably need to throttle back.)
You thoughts?

The solarium Scruffy the cat is currently modelling is 90l and has 30w of T8 - photoperiod approx 8hrs. One of your T5 tubes suspended a foot or so above the tank with a photoperiod of around 6hrs would be a good place to start.
But you should also take a leaf out of Darrel's book and plant heavily...preferably from the outset, and give some thought to floating and/or emergent plants they will help reduce light intensity too, and greatly improve your chances of success.

 

[alto]

Oh the fun we've all had discussing these issues in the past, and now we get to share again...it's the forum that just keeps on giving...
I think perhaps Tom Barr sums up the siesta period rather sucintcly here...http://www.barrreport.com/forum/bar...asurements-in-a-non-co2-enriched-planted-tank

But that's just a statement - with no supporting data or materials & methods, no link to a published peer reviewed journal ... it's no less discussion than anything else that might be offered here
(again it's intuitive so acceptance is "easy" )

 

[Tim Harrison]

Maybe...but I think it's pretty much self-explanatory and logical, and Tom does provide a ref at the end...although I'm not that bothered that I want to subscribe to TAG back issues to find out

 

[alto]

TD I suspect if you run only one T5 lamp (not sure that will be an option) you will need to be conscious of light distribution & scape/plant accordingly - I'd be inclined to run each lamp alternately if you can manage a system for that ... perhaps add generous amounts of floaters to start as that will filter the light - & everything will be v.e.r.y green
- perhaps even those green neons (mine were a group of wild caught & absolutely nothing green about that locale)

You can also employ the "dirty glass top method" to limit light transmission (alright you might just use some opaque film).

 

[TallDragon]

Wow that's some wattage...you may find that half of that and a 6 hr photoperiod will still be too much, at least to start with and without Darrel's massive biomass to soak it all up.

Hi Troi.
Over the weekend I got the tank set up. It is a tank that was running before, and now I bought it all used, and set it up. (see thread on the moving topic)
The tank, with much more biomass, than it has today, was running at 7,5hours every day with 2 x 24 w T5s
Taking your advice, I disconnected the pink plant tube and left in the 6500K tube.
I will try running it 8am-10am, 4h pause, then 2pm-8:30pm. Actually fits in with my lifestyle.
Over the upcoming days what should I look out for.

I think I already have a bit of thread algea and some BBA.
Recommendations ?
I was given an Easy Carbo bottle that prior owner barely used. Tomorrow morning I think I should start putting in 1ml every other day.

Before

After a 200km move, and rebuild, on the next day.

 

[pepedopolous]

Cut out any BBA-affected growth and/or spot-dose EasyCarbo. Once you have BBA it's difficult to stop it. I had it before and never managed to fully control it. Now I don't have any (touch wood) possibly due to having a better CO2/light balance.

P

 

[roadmaster]

But that's just a statement - with no supporting data or materials & methods, no link to a published peer reviewed journal ... it's no less discussion than anything else that might be offered here
(again it's intuitive so acceptance is "easy" )

I believe Tom has done plenty of testing ,tried differing method's at growing aquatic weed's in route to getting his degree.
His post's over some decades,, seem to fairly well explain his expieriment's and his success and failures.
As for peer reviewed articles,, plenty of his peer's have been able to duplicate his success and proved to themselves all they need to know.
Plenty of peer reviewed crap out there that still suggest's that phosphates/nitrogen cause algae in the aquarium.
If you are so keen to see the afore mentioned supporting materials and or method's you need only roll up your sleeves and get busy producing them.

 

[Tim Harrison]

Looks really good...lighting the tank to suit your lifestyle is fine and I'm sure that whatever the arguments for and against a siesta period it won't do any harm, but it will definitely increase you enjoyment of your tank, and that is the most important consideration after all.
All you can do is follow advice, and keep an eye on things...controlling the lighting and good tank husbandry are perhaps key to success especially in the early stages whilst the tank settles in and becomes biologically stable. A large plant biomass helps a great deal, and it looks like you've made a great start.

 

[TallDragon]

Well, I will move my personal stuff to my new Journal, that you are invited to follow. Thanks to everyone for the advice.
http://www.ukaps.org/forum/threads/two-rocks-balanced-64l-low-tech.36129/
I have chosen to run it with a siesta

 

[Justal]

I've always run my planted tanks with a substantial siesta too. Mainly because when I first set up a tank about 20 years ago it was all the rage, but also so that I can actually see my tanks when I'm in the house. I leave for work at 6:45am and don't get home until about 7:30pm many days so tend to split the day into four as far as the lighting goes. An early short photo period from 6am-10am so that I can see my tank before I leave for work, then lights out all afternoon, before another 4 hours from 5pm-9pm so that I can see it in the evening.

It may not provide any benefit to the plants or the fish, but both seem OK on it, and it does provide a benefit for me.

Al.

 

[TallDragon]

TD I suspect if you run only one T5 lamp (not sure that will be an option) you will need to be conscious of light distribution & scape/plant accordingly - I'd be inclined to run each lamp alternately if you can manage a system for that ... perhaps add generous amounts of floaters to start as that will filter the light - & everything will be v.e.r.y green
- perhaps even those green neons (mine were a group of wild caught & absolutely nothing green about that locale)

Hi alto,
My new tank has been ticking away nicely in the past week. I am using a brand new single T5 Giesemann 24W Midday 6500K tube. Very nice and pleasant white light. 7:30-10am then 2:30pm-9pm. I am adding 1.2 ml of EasyCarbo every morning. All is nice and clear: No BBA as in first day, but a bit of thread algea.

Hi all, I've got 2 that are 60cm x 30 x 38, so similar in size.
The one at home has a 2 x 24W T5 "Hagen Glo" luminaire, and the one at work a 2 x 24W T5 "Eheim" fitting (the old white one), all 6500K lamps.
cheers Darrel

I definitely do not have major biomass in the tank at the moment, but that will change eventually. For now 1 x T5 is Ok. I think.

 

[GreenNeedle]

If you are adding Easy Carbo I'm not sure why you are asking about the siesta. A bit confused by that unless it is just so that the light is one when you are about.

 

[TallDragon]

If you are adding Easy Carbo I'm not sure why you are asking about the siesta. A bit confused by that unless it is just so that the light is one when you are about.

Primary reason for siesta: so tank is lit, when I am about.
Secondary: I read it allows CO2 to recover during midday. Also, no harm, probably.
Reason for EasyCarbo: to keep BBA under control in high flow, but low biomass tank.