# PPS and Lower Lighting



## LindaC (Nov 7, 2005)

I have decided to only run one of my 65 watt lights over my 29 gallon tank; I was running 65 watts for 3 hours and then running 2 x 65 watts for 3 hours and then going back to only one 65 watt bulb and I was having algea issues. 

I recently moved and in the process of the move had somewhat neglected my tank and never hooked up my timer so the other bulb would go on in my current dual satelite 2 x 65 watt system. My tank has been showing no algea during the past week to week and a half, could it be that less light is a better alternative for my tank? 

I am curious as to whether or not I should still dose 3 mls of PPS-Pro every morning or if I should skip a day due to less light? I've been trying to find an article on light issues when dosing PPS-Pro but couldn't seem to find one. Is there one out there?

Any thoughts or advice is so very welcomed!

Linda


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## Homer_Simpson (Apr 2, 2007)

I have a 40 gallon with ambulia, crypocorne(wendtii and willisii), aponogentons, anubias, java fern, java moss, Hygrophila corymbosa. The substrate is the original gravel mixed with fluorite and Schultz Aquatic Soil. I am supplying, or trying to supply C02 injection using 3 2 litre DIY bottles hooked to a glass diffuser. The lighting is extremely low and cr*apy. 90 watts with most of that not even hitting the tank. I had algae when I first started using PPS-Pro but this cleared up on its own and what didn't the otos and SAE have kept on top of so there is no sign of any algae. With the exception of the Aponogentons which were always growing like weeds, the growth of the Hygrophilia and Crypts only appeared to take off when I began using PPS-Pro. I am in the process of upgrading the lighting and will be introducing pressurized C02. However, I would not stop using PPS-Pro even with the cra*py low lighting that I have now. I have seen accelerated growth using PPS-Pro even in this situation and no huge algae problems to boot. I dose 4 ml of PPS-Pro every morning(daily with no missed days) with my 40 gallon and do a 25-30% weekly water change. As far as my plants go(with the exception of the aponogentons), we are not talking tank busters but I have seen plant growth improve greatly with PPS-Pro and no problems dosing it daily even in my very low light situation.

Just my two cents.


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## LindaC (Nov 7, 2005)

Thank you Homer_Simpson, I appreciate your input and will continue to dose PPS-Pro every morning before the lights go on. I guess PPS-Pro works with any amount of lighting over your tank, I wasn't sure and wanted to ask. I'm pleased with the algae issues seeming to be under control now, hope it stays this way with less light.

Linda


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## Homer_Simpson (Apr 2, 2007)

LindaC said:


> Thank you Homer_Simpson, I appreciate your input and will continue to dose PPS-Pro every morning before the lights go on. I guess PPS-Pro works with any amount of lighting over your tank, I wasn't sure and wanted to ask. I'm pleased with the algae issues seeming to be under control now, hope it stays this way with less light.
> 
> Linda


I forgot to mention, the ambulia was doing so poorly that I was ready to pull it out. It was not forming roots and was not getting well anchored. I would sometimes see it get uprooted and float to the top. Two weeks into starting PPS-Pro, I noticed that the previously pathetic looking ambulia that was still in the substrate began shooting out 3 new stems from the one. It still does not look great and the growth is stil leggy, which I believe is mostly due to the poor lighting, but it still looks much better than it did before. The Hygrophilla has developed such mammoth leaves that I will have to prune it soon before it consumes too much of the surface and blocks out what little light I have.

I am not all that great with pictures. Hopefully when my sister visits and before I upgrade the lighting and introduce pressurized c02, I will have her take some pictures of the tank and post them. Please keep in mind that I am not out to win Aquascaping contests. This is a work in progress. I had trouble originally just growing plants in the tank, so my focus was more throwing plants in there and getting them to grow VS aquascaping.


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## Edward (May 25, 2004)

The problem is not the light intensity, it is the schedule. You can use only one or both 65 Watt banks at the same time but the timing needs to be adjusted. You can run only one bank for 9 - 10 hours or both banks for 6 - 7 hours. Dosing remains the same.


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## LindaC (Nov 7, 2005)

Edward said:


> The problem is not the light intensity, it is the schedule. You can use only one or both 65 Watt banks at the same time but the timing needs to be adjusted. You can run only one bank for 9 - 10 hours or both banks for 6 - 7 hours. Dosing remains the same.


It's good to hear this as I am running one light for approximately 10 hours every day and dosing remains the same, early in the morning before I leave for work. I am going on vacation for a week, leaving tomorrow and I'm a bit apprehensive about what I'll find when I return. Hopefully I won't return to a tank full of algae.


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