# 12 WPG too much?



## Mowze (Nov 12, 2008)

I have a planted nano tank measuring 60x20x20cm total capacity = 26L/5 UK gallons although with displacement from rocks and substrate it is actually around 20L or 4g.

Currently it has been grown out emmersed with 2 6400k 24w T5 HO bulbs suspended 30cm above the tank. So far it has grown a nice healthy HC and pogostomon carpet. Now it is grown out enoughg I intend to fill the tank and run as normal however would 2x 24w T5s giving me a total of 48w and a WPG rating of 12WPG be too much and just cause massive algae problems especially in such a shallow tank? I can take out the T5 tubes and replace with a single Arcadia plant pro bulbs giving me 6WPG which could still be considered unlimited lighting but this doesnt really illuminate the tank nearly as nicely and looks a lot better with the plant pro AND a 6400k.

Substrate is an inert CAC JBL manado with root tabs and clay balls I will be double dosing easycarbo and also Macros and Micros daily along with half dosage of NPK macros. Tank has a 400LPH external filter and DIY CO2 via a CO2 reactor throughout a 6 hour photoperiod.
Fauna will also mostly consist of cherry shrimp and ottos!

With my current dosing regieme (specifically the easycarbo) could I get away with such excessive lighting without too many algae problems, in nano tanks before now I have had lighting as high as 8WPG without many problems


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## shark1505 (Jan 24, 2010)

With DIY co2, which is inconsistant, which you don't really want with 12 wpg as it could lead to algae, I would have a siesta. This really means that your lights are on for 3 hours, then they take an hour break and then finish. This allows the CO2 levels to raise during the siesta. There are also certain fixtures or power strips that allow you to control individual bulbs. Start with 2 hours of one bulb, switch to both, siesta, both and then as a dusk effect, back to 1 for the last hour.


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## Philosophos (Mar 1, 2009)

12wpg of T5HO? You're way over lit for submersed growth. Think of it as 18wpg of T8 presuming you have decent reflectors. I'd run maybe a 24" T8 or two boosted up with perhaps a diffuser or shade cloth, maybe alternate bulbs throughout the day. You need all of 1/12th the current level of light with decent spread to keep those species.


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## Weq (Sep 1, 2009)

I run 36wattx2 PowerCompact over a 26L. I started out with just 36watt, then turned the other light on. It was good for a while, but now (10months later) i get slight green spot (easly rubbed off) buildup over a week... Since i cant dose enough carbon (kills shrimp!) that the light requires, im downgrading to a 24watt and a 36watt. I think that will give me a good mix.

Overall, i find these light levels to be on the edge of what u can maintain without compressed c02. Unless u have tall stems/floating plants to help keep light levels down. I grew a mass of some floating ambulia which i now keep in my yabby tank. It learnt how to grow without being rooted in soil.

Ps. Im jealous i didnt grow my HC emmersed to start with. As my hairgrass and chain sword grew, it shaded and outcompeted it. gah!

u can see my tank here at varying stages.

http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/...howcase-featuring-your-nano-5.html#post530789


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## Mowze (Nov 12, 2008)

Removed one of the tubes to cut the light down to 24w and also raised the light unit 40cm above the tank, the plants are growing like crazy and pearling with only a very small amount of managable algae! Thanks for the advice!


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