# how much light?



## snowball2020 (May 26, 2004)

well, I just set up my new nano 2.5 gal. planted tank w/o CO2. i got some bacomba and Egeria najas from miladic and they're not doing so well.
i don't have an good substrate (just plain play sand and gravel that i took from the park) but i do have liquid suplements and lots and lots of light. 
well, there are new stems that are growing nice and green, but the other part is just "melting". 
and now my mom just told me i need to stop leaving the light on for so long (i left it about 11-12 hrs a day). so now my question is, what is the minimum amount of time can i leave the light on so that my plant can't die? i dont' care if it's growing slowly or not. i just dont' want it to die. i plan to use some shrimp in the tank. 
and now i have tons of algea due to no CO2 and not enough plant growth.


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## ja__ (Oct 14, 2005)

you could have the light on 24/7 WITHOUT THE PLANTS DYING

but dou to the fauna and algea i would refer to 10-12 hours a day


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## trenac (Jul 16, 2004)

Put your lights on a timer, for 10-12 hours daily. Your plants are not dieing from the amount time you left the lights on, but for some other reason.

You say you have lots and lots of light..._ What type light are you using? and what is the wattage?_

_What types of ferts are you using? and how often?_

Your algae is from an inbalance in the tank. Weather it be lighting, ferts, C02 etc. or a combo of these. Please give us more details on your setup and maintance scedule.


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## snowball2020 (May 26, 2004)

the guy who sold the plants to me said that he been using plenty of fert. and light and CO2, and when i put it in a tank w/o fert and CO2, it just 'melt'
right now, i have a 15 watts bulb (i have no idea what K it is or w/e, it's just a compact florescent bulb) hanging about 4" above the water. 
I don't have any fert. in the gravel but i add some Leaf Zone to it. i haven't been doing it in the pass few days though.


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## trenac (Jul 16, 2004)

I know that 15 watts sounds like a lot of light in a 2.5 gallon tank, but it isn't really. The WPG rule breaks down in smaller tanks. You still have a good amount of light though.

You need to dose ferts on a regular basis. Get some Seachem Excel for a carbon source. Leaf Zone contains only iron and potassium. You need to add other macro/micro nutrients also. Seachem flourish and micros would help.


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## snowball2020 (May 26, 2004)

I think it's growing fine now. things are creeping out slowly, especially the java moss for some reason. the bacomba has already grew a good 3"-4" of new stem. 
i plan to ditch the entire substrate since i found some old good gravel that i used in my previous planted tank. then cut the old, rotting pieces and start from scratch. i think i'll be more successful w/ it this time. algea is starting to creep up and i have no time nor energy to turn it around. 
i may need to post a picture here so you all can help me w/ the aquascape. it's a lil crowded in there w/ a piece of driftwood and a petrified rock. i love both however, can't decide which one to get rid of.


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