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Lighting. Does wattage makes any difference to naked eye?

Joined
16 Nov 2007
Messages
735
Location
Blackpool
I've just recently installed a whooping 96W over my 16 gallon tank! I was hoping that with intense CO2 and EI fertilisation, the plants will be pearling like mad but to my dissapointment I don't see any pearling besides CO2 bubbles from my diffuser. Now I'm trying another attempt to grow healthy plants and hence I've rescaped my whole tank and upgrade my lighting. This is just a few picture of the tank before and after and as you can see the 96w and 48w doesn't seemed to make much difference to my eye. I've also noticed that the 96w unit came with a stand that is 1 inch higher than the 48w unit. Maybe that's why the light looks a little diffused? Anyway, I would appreciate any comment on this. Cheers

Dan

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Tank before makeover

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tank right after make over with 48w lighting (old unit with unknown tube)

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tank right after make over with 96w lighting grolux tube

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tank after make over with 96w unit but only half the tube is turn on i.e. 48w grolux tube
 
The human eye is not as sensitive to red as it is to green. I believe we have twice as many green receptors as red receptors so red lightbulbs will always look dimmer, wattages being the same. If it looks too dim then change the bulb to a non-red type.

Add more CO2 if you want to see more pearling. It is likely that you need more CO2 anyway with that much light. :wideyed:

Cheers,
 
It doesn't really matter to me. Will do whatever it takes that is best for the plants. I just wanted to grow plants that looks compact and nice. My rotala and didiples diandra that was meant to be red hasn't shown any red since it's been in my tank. Think I've done everything right so far with loads of trace and macros. but it's just not turning red. Hence the reason why I was thinking that my lighting is not enough.
 
Hi,
I don't think these are inherently red plants per se (depends on which Rotala - is it indica, or perhaps wallichi?). I must admit I've never seen a red version of D. diandra (do you have a link showing it as red?) Probably, like many they blush orange or red as they approach the surface.

In any case 96 watts T5 over a 16 gallon tank is a lot of light and it's easy to get into trouble this way. As long as your dosing and CO2 are good enough it will do OK but you'll be punished mercilessly if either are sub-par.

Cheers,
 
That is a lot of light...30w of T8's over my 15-gallon (albeit a little shallower than yours) is more than enough to keep my HC growing nice and low.
 
There you go a red didiplis diandra

http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/foru ... orbert.jpg

Mine rotala was meant to be rotala rotundifolia. Came to me red but now I've grown it green as if it's the rotundifolia green var. lol

When I have the 48w over my tank, the HC was growing low and compact. When I replanted it and changed the lighting, it started growing straight up! Weird
 
Talking about this topic, how come UKAPS new webpage hasn't got a section for lighting? I thought that's the essence of planted tank??
 
Hi Daniel,
I wonder if there are just different varieties. In my tank D. diandra a bright green and just slightly blushes as it approaches the surface. If you check the Tropica site it is shown as a bright green plant. The Rotala also blushes. Maybe if you give them some time they might turn. The specimen shown in the link looks spectacular. I've read reports where some achieve the red by carefully limiting nitrates but I've not had the guts to do that so I'm resigned to taking whatever color I get.

HC was problematic for me until I added more CO2...

Cheers,
 
Well the Co2 was kept the same while I rescape. So I've got no idea why it starts growing upwards. If there is anything changes, that'll only be more light more CO2 and more fert. Yeah I have to agree that the specimen in that tank was brilliant. That was what I had in mind when I purchase the plant. Mind have to look for alternative plants soon to fit that colour
 
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