[Wet Thumb Forum]-Stupid lighting questions...

[Annissa]

Hi all,

I've been reading your forum for quite some time now and you seem to be the go-to people for this sort of question, even though I feel really dumb asking it.

See, I'd been thinking about starting a planted aquarium for about two years and had all these dreams in my head of a sea of beautiful plants and some colorful fish darting in and out. The realization isn't quite so idyllic.

I bought a 20-gallon long aquarium, some fluorite substrate and regular gravel to layer over it. I've got a penguin biowheel filter with the carbon removed. I've also got a heater and keep the temp at about 76 degrees. The hood allows for only one lamp (this is where my question comes in). The tank's been running about 4 or 5 weeks. I bought low-light plants off the internet (java moss, java fern, hygrophila polysperma, anubias nana, dwarf sag, and cryptocoryne spiralis). They started out doing really well, but now I've got algae covering all the plants.

I've got a 20W powerglo bulb in currently. I'd like to get more light in there, but I don't know if I can buy a higher wattage bulb or if I need to get a new canopy or build my own. I've been looking for answers for about a week and I'm at the end of my rope. Can anyone give me some good advice?

[Annissa]

Hi all,

I've been reading your forum for quite some time now and you seem to be the go-to people for this sort of question, even though I feel really dumb asking it.

See, I'd been thinking about starting a planted aquarium for about two years and had all these dreams in my head of a sea of beautiful plants and some colorful fish darting in and out. The realization isn't quite so idyllic.

I bought a 20-gallon long aquarium, some fluorite substrate and regular gravel to layer over it. I've got a penguin biowheel filter with the carbon removed. I've also got a heater and keep the temp at about 76 degrees. The hood allows for only one lamp (this is where my question comes in). The tank's been running about 4 or 5 weeks. I bought low-light plants off the internet (java moss, java fern, hygrophila polysperma, anubias nana, dwarf sag, and cryptocoryne spiralis). They started out doing really well, but now I've got algae covering all the plants.

I've got a 20W powerglo bulb in currently. I'd like to get more light in there, but I don't know if I can buy a higher wattage bulb or if I need to get a new canopy or build my own. I've been looking for answers for about a week and I'm at the end of my rope. Can anyone give me some good advice?

[aquatrippe]

Hi,

I am new to planted tanks myself but I bet your current light levels are low even for low light plants.

I would also guess this is the major culprit in terms of the algae..although it probably is in conjunction with an excess of nutrients.

Is it a 20 low or a 20 high? My guess is you will have to invest in at least1.5 but mor likely 2 watts per gallon to get good results.

From what I have read you can do 2 watts per gallon on a low light aquarium with plants like crypts and skip C02..

If you can afford it I would just go ahead and invest in bringing it up to 2 or even 3 watts per gallon..


I had an algae problem with dwarf sag and had to remove all the leaves on all of them..they all grew back..but now that I have 4 wattsper gallon..no algae on the leaves..

good luck!

[Annissa]

Thanks aquatrippe!

I have a 20-gallon low. Dimensions are 30x12x12. Since there's a place for just one bulb, will I have to buy or make a new hood or can I buy a higher-wattage bulb? Do they even make higher-wattage bulbs in the right spectrum?

Thanks again for your help!

[Garmoni]

More than likely you will need a new hood and/or fixture to add additional bulbs. Sounds like there is only room for one bulb in the hood that you have and you probably will not be able to find a bulb of a higher wattage that will fit into it or function safely.

[Avi]

I think you're best bet would be to look at fixtures and retro units that employ power compact bulbs....I'd get one that can run a 65 watt power compact bulb so that you'll have the 3 watts per gallon that you most likely will have success with. Plant as heavily as you can in the tank....If the plants don't flourish and you have die backs...I'd try some CO2 injection...you most likely will need that with the three watts per gallon on a 20 gallon tank. There are plenty of DIY CO2 instructions postings in this site and all over the internet....

[Annissa]

Ah, excellent.

Thank you so much.

[mrsdorothy]

On that tank, you have a 30' strip light which would be a 24 inch 20 watt flourescent bulb. To save money and economize you could go to http:/www.liveaquaria.com and order the double strip light for 39.99. The double strip light would give you 2 wpg.


Dorothy