# Too much light for Crypts possible?



## Marauder (Apr 17, 2006)

Is it possible to have too much light for Crypts? I have 110CF and 96NOF over my 75 gallon tank for a total of 2.7wpg. Eventually I'd like to increase it to 3.5-4.0 wpg for some higher light plants (primarily for stronger reds in my stem plants).

How would this affect my Crypt heavy tank? Currently I have C. Lucens, C. Wendtii, C. Moehlmannii, and C. Balansea. 

I understand that "environmental conditions" affect Crypts more than other plants. Is this the reason my C. Wendtii "Bronze", Red, and Green are all the same beautiful brown-ish color? I just don't want a tank full of brown plants!

Thanks!


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## turtlehead (Nov 27, 2004)

Crypts can stand high light much like java moss in high light, just be sure to provide them with the right amount of ferts and co2 along with the lights and they will grow happily in your tank.


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## HeyPK (Jan 23, 2004)

When growing crypts submersed, you have to get the light quite low to get them to be plain green. This is not the case when growing them emersed, where they stay plain green at much higher light levels. If all your varieties of wendtii are the same color, then I wonder if they are different varieties. Are they different in form, e.g., height, leaf shape, etc? 

Crypts are easier to keep at lower light levels, but they will do will at higher light levels, as long as you keep up with nutrient levels, CO2, etc, and as long as you keep algae under control. Consumption of nutrients is more rapid at high light levels, and if you run out of nitrogen, you often get a meltdown when you get around to adding more N. If you have run out of nitrogen, the best thing to do is to add it in very small amounts, less than one part per million a day, so that you gradually raise the level.


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## fish_4_all (Jun 3, 2006)

I have mine under 3.5watts NO and they grow well or seem to. Not really fast but very little melt from LFS to transplant if any. Also, I hope this is correct, you already have the equivelnt of 3.26 watts over your tank. 148.5 watts of CF, 110*1.35 and 96 watts for 224.5 total. If you are burning through nitrate already, higher light will burn it even faster and you will need higher levels of CO2.


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## Marauder (Apr 17, 2006)

Thanks for all the info! I was aware that the WPG "rule" was based on NO Flourescents, butI wasn't aware of the "extra" given for CF lamps. 

I dose ferts based on Tom Barrs "EI" method, using KN03, K2P04, KH2S04, and CSM+B (with EXCELLENT results btw!). My KH=14 and GH=11 so I don't add any other traces.

Since I use pressurized C02, (injected into my Magnum 350's intake), I can run any C02 level I want.

It's possible my Crypts were mislabled too. Though my C. Wendtii "Red" is getting a different tint to it now. I recently began running lower N03 levels (5ppm now) and increasing Fe to bring out the red in my R. Rotundifolia (it worked!), so that may account for it.

Maybe the 4x55 kit from AHSupply is all the light I'll ever need.

Thanks again!


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