Polly
Member
- Joined
- 23 May 2009
- Messages
- 183
At the end of February my Juwel Rio 125 had a leak. As it was 11 years old, and I had no confidence in my ability to effect a good repair, I bought a Juwel Primo 110 LED as replacement. I was a little worried that the NovoLux 80 LED (white) lighting, 10 Watts, with 819 Lumens wouldn't be enough, but there was the option of another one/two or even a different light later on. So I decided to wait and see.
So glad I did !
Once the water cleared totally, the next day, the tank looked really bright to my eyes, compared with the 2 T8 and reflectors I was used to in the Rio 125. But I knew that this was no guide as to how the plants would do.
I kept the ferts low at first as in the Rio, but after a week or two I could see that the plants needed more. New growth was looking washed out and algae was appearing quickly on the glass and leaves. Ferts were doubled, and I started dosing liquid carbon, and a portion of salvinia was added along with 3 Otocinclus.
Since then things have come along nicely. The tiny bunch of Limnophila sessilis has grown so big the tops have been transplanted to hide the filter. The crypts are growing in nicely after a massive melt down, the Hygrophila polysperma is growing in nicely and will need trimming soon, I've had to take out 2 litres of Salvinia and trim the moss back again, the Echinodorus is growing away and Echinodorus reni is throwing up new leaves every week and staying deep beetroot even underneath the Salvinia. And a Banana plant is throwing up new leaves all the time.
For a low light emergency tank, it could do with some more considered aquascaping and I'd like to change out the Hygrophila salicilifolia for some Limnophila aromatica, but that will come.
Hope this helps anyone considering the Juwel NovoLux LED lights.
So glad I did !
Once the water cleared totally, the next day, the tank looked really bright to my eyes, compared with the 2 T8 and reflectors I was used to in the Rio 125. But I knew that this was no guide as to how the plants would do.
I kept the ferts low at first as in the Rio, but after a week or two I could see that the plants needed more. New growth was looking washed out and algae was appearing quickly on the glass and leaves. Ferts were doubled, and I started dosing liquid carbon, and a portion of salvinia was added along with 3 Otocinclus.
Since then things have come along nicely. The tiny bunch of Limnophila sessilis has grown so big the tops have been transplanted to hide the filter. The crypts are growing in nicely after a massive melt down, the Hygrophila polysperma is growing in nicely and will need trimming soon, I've had to take out 2 litres of Salvinia and trim the moss back again, the Echinodorus is growing away and Echinodorus reni is throwing up new leaves every week and staying deep beetroot even underneath the Salvinia. And a Banana plant is throwing up new leaves all the time.
For a low light emergency tank, it could do with some more considered aquascaping and I'd like to change out the Hygrophila salicilifolia for some Limnophila aromatica, but that will come.
Hope this helps anyone considering the Juwel NovoLux LED lights.