# Adding Another 65 Watts Over my 29 Gallon



## LindaC (Nov 7, 2005)

I just purchased another 65 watt bulb for my Current 2 x 65 watt satelittle fixture and I'm wondering if it's too much light. I have been running only one 65 watt bulb (6,500/10,00K) even though I have the dual set up, because my other bulb is a 50/50, half actinic and half 10,000k sunpaq daylight and I really don't like it at all. The bulb I just purchased is a 6,700K sunpaq daylight which will give me 120 watts of light over my 29 gallon. 

I would like to try growing red plants and some other plants that I've always had problems with, is it too much light? If I dose enough ferts EI and stick to an 8 hour photo period, will I be okay as far as keeping algea at bay?


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## cs_gardener (Apr 28, 2006)

I have that light setup over a tank that has the same footprint as a 29 but is 3-4" deeper (I'm not sure what that makes it gallonwise). I have not had any problems with algae except some green spot on the glass. I rarely dose any fertilizers as it has a soil underlayer and I have a rather heavy fish load so there is a lot of fertilization through the fish. I do have some fast growing plants and some emergent Ludwigia repens. 

You won't know what happens until you start using your new light, but I think you should be okay. If the light seems like too much you can shorten the photo period, add some floating plants, or remove the bulb and go back to what you currently have. Good luck with it!


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## LindaC (Nov 7, 2005)

Thank you Catherine, I'm amazed that you have the same lights over a tank with the same footprint and your not dosing any ferts, are you injecting CO2? I have a pretty heavy fish load or should say I had one up until yesterday when I gave away my 4 Serpae Tetras. I love them but they were just getting into all my other fish's business (Kribs, Apistos & Rams). I want to get a tetra that swims in the upper portion of the tank.

I also plan on changing my subtrate from Flourite and ADA Aquasoil so I may not dose ferts for a while to see what happens. I will take your advice if I run into any problems and shorten the photo period or run both bulbs in the middle of the day for 3 hours and that's it. So I'd have low light, high light and then low light. Hopefully it will work out okay for me!


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## yoink (Aug 31, 2005)

You shouldn't have too many problems if you pressurized co2 and plenty of ferts. I would recommend staggering the lights so that both are only on together for 3 or 4 hours.


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## cs_gardener (Apr 28, 2006)

LindaC said:


> Thank you Catherine, I'm amazed that you have the same lights over a tank with the same footprint and your not dosing any ferts, are you injecting CO2?


I have a soil underlayer so that provides some nutrients and I do add minimal fertilization when I do a water change and I do use Excel, but not at all consistently. I've been doing a great job of ignoring the tank for several months because the plants have become a jungle and I'm not too pleased with that. Everything is healthy, just disordered. I'm planning to completely redo the tank as soon as the driftwood I just purchased becomes waterlogged. I'll use fertilizers and Excel more regularly then to help the plants recover from the upheaval.

I think you'll be pleased with the additional light. It does help the fussier plants quite a bit.


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