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I may be incorrect but I believe although the twinstar light looks bright to the eye, it is actually not so strong and the issue you may be facing is the opposite to your conclusion in that the new ADA light is too strong for the current levels of supplied co2 and other fertilisers. The melting...

Interesting about the lumens also, I thought even at 20% intensity my twinstar units ‘looked’ bright to my eye, George kind of confirms this in this video.

I like the colour of the tank contents better under the twinstar but as others have said I also like the glitter lines too. I think to get glitter lines you would need only a very small point source light to get the effect. On an evening switch your mobile phone torch light on and hold it above...

How about side lighting it from outside the vessel?

Yeah the twinstar doesn’t offer in built control nor wireless/Bluetooth control, but like said above you can get the s2pro inline controllers for about £10 on eBay which have 8 time settings so you can set different intensities of light and sunset sunrise cycles. Twinstar are supposed to be...

Personally I’ve alwys liked a warmer light, however by that I mean less white with a more red, green, blue colour. Can you adjust colour rendition on that light? I’m sure I had one and I thought it was far too bright white. I opted for aquasky instead (non planted tank) and I balanced them with...

Whistling continues, its being returned and sent back to tmc for investigation......i have to wait the outcome, either repair or replace. Also how hot do they run on the top. Im guessing the rail acts as a heat sink? but my mountaray bracket is very hot which im guessing is also suspicious...

Thanks for the replies, thought i hadnt heard of anyone suffering the issues with the mini 400 :confused::mad:..... seems i may have a dud, ill run it a few days to see if anything changes. Im running it with the 2 way controller. Cheerio, Ady

Hi, I know some people suffered with the larger tiles 'whistling' but does anyone suffer the same issue with the 400? Just plugged mine in and it has a noticeable whistle until 100% Probably won't notice it with the tv on but sure can hear it without. Cheerio Ady

Hi, id agree with Michael W and id be more inclined to ensure good c02 to the plant than lots of light initially. Id start with your t8 lighting with reflectors. You cant overdo c02 (unless there is livestock already present in the tank), but its easy to add too much light. Id agree with jose j...

Insane, and impressive!

Iain, if you think the maxspect unit maybe a viable choice pm Gary Nelson for more user info as he has one and I'm sure he would be willing to share some knowledge :)

Maxspect razor led 8000k 2x 120w. Just bought a 160w 16000k for my marine set up and they are nice. They come complete with tank mounts or hanging kit (which would be your best bet as the tank mounts are a little weak when doubling them up end to end). 2 channels for really good control over...

Agreed Troi. Trouble is always that both co2 and light are lowest at the substrate level. To get higher levels of light down there then the upper regions will automatically be exposed to 'megawatt' proportions of par. In that respect increasing distribution of co2 to get it down there may be...

There's always more to anything that meets the eye, but I'm for sure not going back to more light is best! The problem is all things are relative and whilst light can yield better results in that particular test, in our home tanks many fail due to over lighting and under feeding, hence why co2...

To be honest I think I completely misread it :) The article seems to contradict somewhat the current train of thought regards light and co2, however I'm guessing tests on individual species would be more telling and perhaps more complete an assessment. I will re read it but perhaps more...

I stand corrected, the article does indicate a greater plant mass increase due to light over co2. A marked increase is then noted from the addition of both high light and high co2. I think I'll have a proper read of the article again! Its too late now though :)

Troi, the article shows that high co2 and low light yields much greater plant mass gain than high light and low co2. Low co2 is a greater inhibitor than low light hence the advice to keep light low and try to optimise co2, especially given how notoriously tricky it is to keep the darn gas in the...

The article I'm sure is right, but we don't know the levels of lighting used. Light can compensate to a degree, but not entirely. In your tank I'm sure the lighting and available co2 are well balanced which is why your experiencing good healthy growth, albeit a little slower :) Maybe glosso is a...

Well, not entirely as the article shows that co2 grows more plant mass, light dictates the speed at which they try to grow. Small foreground plants need more light to grow faster to fill in the space faster, we are impatient in the most part so it is desirable to have high light to speed up the...

It would be useful to know what "high lighting" levels are though. I suspect it is actually a lot lower than the kinds of light we choose to put over our tanks which is why we end up melting our plants even with co2 addition. Science fiction seems to have hit the right balance in that their...

was just about to post that very same article :) Tom Barr presented it here not long back and it was very interesting. Low light and low c02 is the worst case scenario yielding little growth. High light and low c02 yields more growth (plant mass), but low light and high c02 yields double the...

Hi, In a closed top system such as the jewel tanks id say reflectors aren't necessary unless using them to direct light away from the water surface. Many seem to struggle with too much light and not enough co2 when using reflectors in a fish stocked tank. Cheerio, Ady

How long is the tank Steve?...or is it a cube? If not you could mount it on the side, or is it also an aesthetics issue?

You can flip quickly between the 2shots on tapatalk too and the solar does look brighter, I actually prefer it overall. It looks crisper and less yellow, except for the red plant looking washed out. You can see how Amano uses the brighter look, but lower par to his benefit, again illustrating...

Floating plants too ;) great in low techs to diffuse intense lighting and as a duckweed index to see if additional fertilisers are needed.

ample.....could add a reflector to speed things up, but for the purpose of algae fighting less is best :) what type of plastic...not sure how much clear plastic will diffuse lighting intensity.....you could try it and combined with the removal of your reflectors this may be enough....personally...

if you only reflect half the tube, the other half will still be shining on the surface.....ive never done it, but suspect this would work. You could simply add them back on and twist until you are happy that lighting intensity has reduced...without a par meter it would be impossible to be...

could you not reinstate your reflectors but place them towards the underside of your tubes reflecting upwards away from the water surface? Maybe halfway around each tube or something to reduce the intensity directed at the tank?

Hi martin, 90w isnt too much if you have high c02 and excellent distribution...however 2wpg close to the water surface means its rarely achievable to provide enough c02 with livestock and hardscape....i cant get it right yet :banghead: i have a 180l tank with 78w ho t5 lighting, the light unit...

Yeah agreed, i only asked as i was quite surprised that 2x t5 12" above the water surface would still be classed as medium light.....with nothing really to go on (par readings), and the old wpg rule being rather out of date, i was guessing that my light unit approx the same height above the...

Cheers George :) Would you say the table above is fairly representative as a rough guide to the high medium and low readings also then? Cheerio

Are the par readings for low, medium and high based on dry tank results or submersed readings? How much effect does this have on the values given? What is the general consensus when taking readings, dry or wet?.....I don't know anything about par meters, can you even get waterproof ones, or is...

i think also the tank layout itself has an influence on what lighting looks good. An open iwagumi may look too clinical without a hint of red/yellow to warm it up a touch, but jungle type scapes with lots of plants with dense mixed colour foliage and resultant shadows dont need warming up a...

not sure, many say light is light, but reading a thread in our new sponsors sub forum, they hint at spectoral preference. From what i have read it really makes no difference. I think the 6500K is marketed as most like daylight, but i just pick the one i like the look of and go with that, time...

colour looks nice :) ... ....not too white, not too blue, not too yellow and not too pink, quite good at picking out the colours of both plants and fish.

yeah, looks like it would grow all sorts of plants like weeds.....or chillies ;) :cigar: :lol:

It's an easy thing to do, getting hung up on lighting, there is a lot of bad advice out there! As ceg4048 says, Co2 is the most difficult aspect of growing plants to get right, both in the required levels and in the distribution of it around the aquarium. A healthy planted tank has the correct...

We shouldn't believe him then.....

Hi Mark, I have not experienced this with reflectors, but its been a while since I had a jewel tank and its most likely a modification. Id put the longer side of each reflector towards the centre ballast to direct the light down, the shorter side will then allow a better spread of light to the...

For many I believe the led route is a lot to do with aesthetics and minimisation, plus as you suggest you have the control element which is great for a more natural light build up and reduction to assimilate nature. With this you also have a greater level of control over co2 introduction.

Hi Terry, one thing to consider is that if you introduce new bulb/bulbs, you may need to increase carbon availability slightly again to compensate for increased par. The plants will have got 'hooked' on the current co2 and when trying to increase growth rates due to the increase in lighting...

Good luck with it mate, sounds like your planning and researching it thoroughly. Keep us posted, maybe start a journal if you haven't already, they're great for documenting progress.

Yeah that's what I'd do. I have 2x t5 over my tank and I've now raised them to 13" above the water surface to help get the co2/light balance right....unfortunately in a closed top set up you can't raise your lights so to make things slightly easier its best not to overkill with light until...

Hi there, Just to add to what LD has said, If its a new rio 125 with high output T5 tubes, and your going for a high tech planted set up then you may want save some more money and not bother buying the reflectors either as there will be plenty of light in the tank.....more light = greater...

Boy o boy, the Arcadias are ugly! That's it discarded for me....plus that horrible mounting bracket too!

Hi, if your worried about too much light you can use the reflectors to reflect light away from the water rather than towards it by simply twisting them under the bulb instead of over. You can twist each one so that you get an even spread (front and rear) at much reduced intensities which will...

Cheers for the clarification :thumbup:

What comment?

Hi, one thing to take into consideration is that if you want to keep your vallis, some say it reacts badly to liquid carbon dosing, especially with the overdosing we tend to use on our planted tanks. In the short term you could try positioning your c02 diffuser either under your filter inlet or...

Hi Fran, youve done the right thing reducing intensity and the length of photoperiod. What you seem to be describing are diatom algae, often associated with new set ups, but will pass with good tank husbandry and lower lighting intensities. A clean up crew or CUC, of shrimp, ottos and possibly...

Stick with the ati and see how it goes. What size is it again, I'm sure you can plant appropriately to get the maximum from it and like you say you could run all 4 tubes but higher up to get greater spread. Then the money you save in lighting can go towards the 40 high tank you really want...

Sounds like a painful one mate. At least your at the magic 25 posts now so you can get your stuff sold so its not a reminder, im sure it will be put to very good use by someone and you can get something back from it. Cheerio, Ady.

Sorry to hear your having to break down the vivarium :( Only 2 more posts and youll be able to access the for sale section. Im sure they will be snapped up sharply too. Cheerio, Ady.

I remember reading a post by George Farmer on here saying that you can go upto 1w per litre in nano tanks...unsure exactly where, or wether it was in the context of pressurised c02, liquid carbon or none, but i remember it. I suspect liquid carbon as i was searching for lighting tips for nanos...

Hi, no problem and thanks for the nice comment. Another thing ive noticed was you suggested 1.7wpg for the big tank on 2 x 39w. I would think the volume of that tank would be higher than 47 us gallons, maybe nearer 50 so that seems like a high calculation given its 4 foot length, ensure when...

Hi, Hi there, as Clive suggests its much easier to start with low lighting and hone in the co2 to get healthy, but slightly slower growing plants first rather than add lots of light and really struggle with c02 and heighten the risk of algae problems. I run my current 180l set up on approx...

+1 :)

Hi Iain, i dont really know, but obviously in nature photoperiods are longer, prob 12hrs and there is sunrise and sunset which are less intense due to the angle of the sun (more reflection/shading), midday...ish onwards for a few hours sun is highest and most direct thus greater intensity and...

Is this to give a good overall light spread within the tank to ensure even light for foreground middle and rear plants? I would consider a maximum of 8 hr photoperiod, built up slowly from a starting six hours. If your going to ramp it up mid period with all four id wait until the tank has...

Hi there, i did on my old set up before i knew anything about growing plants, just got some light clips, drilled two holes in the front flap, fitted the clips on the inside and bobs your uncle....obviously for use with a seperate light starter unit. Didnt bother at the rear, just rested the tube...

Good to hear that, look forward to it. Ady

Hi Joe, 2 x t5 ho will be plenty especially in a relitively shallow tank. The one youve linked also has integrated reflectors so there will be no issue with not enough light. Make sure you choose the tropical rather than marine bulbs as the marine may look a bit blue. With regards your carpeting...

Maybe with ADA taking this direction theyll reduce their other lighting range!! :lol: Very slick looking though!

Doh, of course, its trying to difficult trying to get the wpg rule out of your head, i know its very unlikely, but i suppose he could have been using filament bulbs as discussed before! :lol: Thanks again for the information, ill have a read through this when i have some more time. :thumbup...

Cool, thanks Clive, so really we all need PAR meters to more accurately assess our lighting range irrespective of colour renditions or indeed wattage rules. The plants dont care as long as the PAR ratings are within tolerance for available c02 & ferts. I know this is slightly off topic too...

Hi Ceg, if we presume the wattage of both types of bulb are equal, and although the colour rendition may not be important, could the change in light spectrum 'throw' the plants a little, much like a change in c02 thus resulting in a transition period in which the algae could temporarily win the...

No problem. Yeah they are, I married one..... well not strictly correct, she lived in scotland most of her life but was born in Whitley Bay. Lighting is always a tricky one. Plants underwater are naturally adapted for utilising reduced lighting intensities, but not so much the c02, therefore...

Hi there, its a good question mate, and no problem understanding it! :thumbup: It is us gallons you use in the calculations so that should be correct. (is the Roma a 200l tank?) To answer your q, much also depends on what form of c02 your using, im presuming (maybe wrongly) that youre going...

yeah but the ati is sexy lighting!!! Fully controllable and dimmable, i say go for it, id love one! :geek: 8)

no probs.

Hi Adam, yeah tell me about it, the Juwel t5 upgrade is expensive, i looked at it for my old rio 180! Regards the spraybar, try pointing the flow directly across the surface, this will then move the water down the front glass, and roll across the substrate and back up towards the spraybar again...

Hi Wallace, and welcome. I would think that two t8's with reflectors will be fine for many species, but youll get slower growth. Most important is to ensure good c02 levels, well distributed. Upgrading to t5's will definitely give more scope as most plants grow with this level of light, but...

Hi, good idea regarding the mosses. unfortunately higher tech planted tanks rely on large water changes to minimise organic waste build up so water changes are an essential routine, without which algae can infest. However if your looking to minimise water changes maybe look through the El...

Hi again, is this your set up?..... http://www.seapets.co.uk/products/aquar ... litre.html If so, your right 20watt t8 is on the low side at 0.8w/gallon. You could easily double this amount to give 1.6 watts per gallon (wpg) so perhaps purchase a twin lighting controller (or just another single...

Re: Upgrading lightind Hi there, we need to know more info on the tank regards; dimensions, filtration/circulation, co2, ferts, tank make/hood make and plant species to be kept/keeping to be able to better advise. Hope to hear more soon, Cheerio, Ady.

I would think it could have something to do with only having 2 bulbs installed. With it being programmable, try fitting all the other bulbs and programming only 2 to come on. Tom Barr (plantbrain) runs one of these units (although i think his is eight bulbs) so maybe drop him a pm. Cheerio, Ady.

Hi Lee, is this your first 'high tech' tank? Either way id say stick with what you have for now and concentrate on getting c02, flow, distribution and ferts right first before considering more light...thats enough to think about in any set up to start with. I have just recently posted in the...

Cheers, on 3 hrs pre lights, upped rate slightly, off 2.5 hrs before lights off.. will monitor!

Yeah, i know what you mean and ive often thought about trying a reactor system as i dont like the bubbles.... they spoil the view! However now i have the koralia in alongside the G6 im managing a flow pattern which pushes most of the mist downwards, along the tank, then another jet directed...

Thanks Ceg, thats answered most of my questions. Im currently switching c02 on 2.5 hours pre lights on and off 2 hrs before lights off to try and get a steady introduction. Would you advise starting the c02 earlier (as it does reach lime green) or simply increase the rate of introduction...

I agree i probably still need to master the c02, and until then wont move on to higher light levels. Indeed! I am in no way trying to argue a point i know little about, just trying to understand more, however the flow and c02 distribution are at their highest where the eleocharis is as there...

Hi, thanks for the replies. I thought i would ask the question before i went ahead and did it to ascertain the possible repercussions of doubling the light and seek advice on alternative routes. Maybe in hindsight the topic title should have been light spread, issue or not?, as adding more light...

Hi, im currently running a 180l fluval studio 900 tank, with standard 2x 39w ho t5 lighting unit, pressurised c02 system, daily fert regime etc. The lighting unit is a hagen glo and i have had good results to date. However as my plant mass has increased, light is becoming less readily available...