[Robert Hudson]

Yep, that was me suggesting finding someone with similar specs. I think that is a good thing to do. More importantly in that same thread, I said find someone who has tanks you admire and follow one person's advice. It is too easy to get too many cooks in the kitchen, get conflicting advice, and get discouraged.

The hardest part for me was accepting that I'm probably not a good enough plant keeper to run all 4 bulbs of my TEK. Once I turned down the light, things got easier.

It sounds to me as if you two guys are just looking for people who will agree with you! :fencing: It is possible to get differing opinions and then draw your own conclusions! One of you doesn't believe in the watts per galon rule and the other is afraid to use high light levels because of algae problems I guess!

I have never been a fan of staggering light times through out the day... there has never ever been any sort of data to suggest that it accomplishes anything of any benefit, but if it works for you then that is all that matters. ( but its not working because you still have algae problems)

Cutting the light from a normal 12 hour cycle to 8 hours just to control algae growth does not work in the long term. Most plants that come from the tropics need 12 hours a day. Eventually algae can re-ajust to any light period. All you do is slow down plant growth.

If you like your internal Aqua medic reactor, then keep it, but an external reactor that connects to your cannister filter is attractive for several reasons.

 

[Robert Hudson]

The green slimy stuff is almost definitely blue green algae. It usually shows up in areas that have little flow. It is actually a type of bacteria

Thats right, its not algae at all, but bacteria growth, and you can kill it with an anti biotic, but you absolutley must get rid of the dead stuff. If you don't use an anti biotic, you are going to be fighting it and doing daily water changes for weeks.

BGA blooms when things are not stable and that includes your lights. Increase circulation and get things stable.