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how much lighting for my 260l tank

lee

Seedling
Joined
21 Dec 2008
Messages
24
Location
croydon,surrey
i have had my tank running for about 6 week now,i have an arcader otl luminaire 4x39w t5,and using ferts routine from james tank sit,dry ferts,i was running all 4 bulbs at first but i was getting problems with the plants,some were growing ok some had rust spots on them,and just don't look right,i was told on another site,that i should cut my light down as a beginner ,till i know wot is doing.my question is should i cut my light down to 3 or 2 x39 t5,as my ferts routine states it work best with lighting at 2.5wpg to3.5wpg if my sums are correct 2x39w=1.4wpg..3x39w=2.1wpg and if i cut my lights down i will have to cut the ferts and co2 down as well....

tank260l,filt fluval 305 1000lph,koralia 2 600gph 1000lh pump running reactor,co2 500 bottle 4to6bps,eco complete 4 bags....
 
I would cut your lights to 2 x 39W BUT keep the ferts and CO2 as they are. Run it on a 6 hour photoperiod.

Each week add half an hour until you reach 8 or 9 hours

As you get experience/confidence with the growing and maintaining CO2 levels then you can increase the lighting a little.

AC
 
I would be careful about upping the light to much. I found the plants in my 250lt couldn't cope with 3x54w T5's and developed small leaves which very quickly died off. This is probably due to a lack of CO2/nutrients even despite my crazy flow rates. They were just being driven to hard by the lighting.

George tends to say 2xT5 tubes for a tank is enough, and I have to say I agree, except perhaps on very small/very shallow tanks which would probably be ok with 1xT5 if not T8 only.

Sam
 
think im gonna stick with 2x39 t5 for now ,till i understand how to dose the co2 correctly,think im starting to work it out though ,started on 1bps,upping it a little bit every day ,on about 2 or 3 bps, drop checker showing a grass green colour at the moment..... :D
 
SuperColey1 said:
I would cut your lights to 2 x 39W BUT keep the ferts and CO2 as they are. Run it on a 6 hour photoperiod.

Each week add half an hour until you reach 8 or 9 hours

As you get experience/confidence with the growing and maintaining CO2 levels then you can increase the lighting a little.

AC

Sound advice indeed 8) I've also got an Osaka 260 and only use 2 x 39w at the moment on an 8 hour photo period, and using pressurised Co2 and EI dosing, and so far so good ;)
 
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