mos90

hi all,

i have a 125 gallon setup now.72x18x22 its about a month old or so.
i purchaced 4-36inch coralife t-5 lights total 42 watts each. i was told it was enough light. 4-21watt colormax bulbs,4 6700k plant bulbs. only 1.3 wpg. i seem to have a brown hairy algae build up on some or most of my plants that i cant get rid of . ph 7.2, kh3, iron .1 ,co2 2ppm(hair low, waiting for co2 system). drop checker reading on the dark green side.

so thinking i need more light so i purchased 1 72inch coralife compact flor lunar light. total 384 watts.will put me at 3 wpg. but the light comes with 2-10000k bulbs and 2 actinic. i will pull out the act's and most likely add 2-6700k current usa bulbs. this should be a good spectrum balance from what ive been reading. or i could go with 4 6700's. this light thing is a bit more complicated than expected.

about how long can i run the lunar lights?

i cant seem to find a spectrum chart for the coralife 10k bulbs. but i added the link for the 6700 sunpak usa's

http://www.current-usa.com/sunpaq.html

any advise would be appeciated.

thanks,
steve

Avi

Okay...so you got yourself a 125-gallon tank for growing aquatic plants, man. So...you have a whole lot of people drooling in jeolousy. But...you have some work to do. I'd say that there are a number of essentials that you have to address...one of which is your lighting, which, IMO, needs some attention. I'd say that your 1.3-watts per gallon just isn't going to cut it once you get your pressurized CO2 gear set up on the tank.
I'd recommend that you do some looking around and get that lighting up to at very least, 2.5-watts per gallon. Otherwise, you're going to have a constant...more often losing, rather than winning...struggle with your plants. Also...look into the estimated dosing fertilization concept. Once you get the CO2 running with improved lighting and that kind of fertilization, you'll have the basis for a great planted tank.

As for the lunar lights, you can run them for as long...or as little...as you'd want.

Veloth

At 3 wpg you should be able to grow about anything you want. I think you algae came from low co2 and not enough fertilizer to get your plants out growing your algae.

mos90

got the co2 up and running last night. set the ph controller to 6.8, 3 bubbles a sec. now just have to wait a few more days for the lights and figure out what bulbs will be best.

Veloth

Good luck. Be sure and post us some pictures

rbarn

Amano shrimp love brown algae.
You'd be surprised how fast a half dozen will clean the tank.

1987

I remember a few years ago a member here had a 125 on the floor of their apartment with just 4 halo's over it. If you have time it might be worth seaching for the thread, they had some of the same issues as you and once they got it going it was beautiful!

mos90

co2 system is up and running. set the ph cotroller to 6.7. the co2 levels are up to 8ppm now. and ph at 6.7. but the bubble checker is at a darker green. i think co2 still to low but i dont want to go any lower with ph,some of the fish prefer a ph around there. is there a way to raise co2 levels without lowering ph.

i think one of my problems is that im using 2 biowheel 400 filter and could be adding oxygen by disrupting the surface?

Veloth

You're losing some of your co2 by using the bio wheels. From everything I've read, the pH level will not affect the fish that much. My pH runs at 6.0 and I have Angels,Cories, Otos, Neons, Mollies and Pictus Cats and they seems to do fine, judging from the eggs and fry.

mos90

i agree. i need to add an extra diffuser to get above 8pmm co2 1 cant keep up.