# too muh light!



## Gilraen Took (Apr 19, 2007)

I've got a 20 gallon tank that I am going to be moving my planted tank into(am going to set up the bigger 29 gallon as a saltwater one once I get some extra money to. . .) and the light fixture I have for it is 65 watts(10,000K PC) I'm not going the pressurized CO2 route, just for money saving, but I know that that much light on a 20 gallon would likely lead to algae, even WITH ferts and excel. Is there any way to block some of the light from my fixture? Could I put some thick paper under it so some of the light gets absorbed instead of shoved into the tank? Or would that cause the same sort of problem as one of the other forums I am on's suggestion of wrapping foil around the bulb(aka POOF! FIRE! NO LIGHT!! NOOOO!!!!)


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## Zapins (Jul 28, 2004)

Hehe.

I don't think that the 65w would be too much for your 29g. I've got 110 w on my 55g with just excel and ferts (no pressure CO2) and the algae is confined to clado algae that seems to grow no matter what conditions are.

You could move the bulb farther away from the top of the tank to reduce the amount of light.


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## cs_gardener (Apr 28, 2006)

I have the 65 watt Satellite fixture on 2 different 20 gallon tanks and only have minimal probs with algae. Mostly I get green dust on the glass at times and sometimes a bit of misc algae on slower growing plants. I have a soil underlayer and dose with glutaraldehyde (Excel substitute) but no other fertilization. I can grow just about anything that I want. I do have surface floaters in both of the tanks. In one I keep them confined to a corner and in the other they're free-floating over the surface. 

So I'd suggest to get some good floating plants like frogbit, red-root floater, or Salvinia. They'd help block some light and use up excess nutrients that algae would love.


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## Gilraen Took (Apr 19, 2007)

Y'know. That's the best idea I've gotten. Floaters I can do. I'm going to be making an order online soon, I guess I'll go see what that site sells! Thank you!


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