# photoperiod for low tech plants



## fishlover (Jan 2, 2007)

Hello everyone.

I was wondering what was the SHORTEST photoperiod allowing to keep vallisneria, marimo balls (cladophora aegagropila), hornwort in a 10 gallon lit with 30 watts ?
Also, would a 20g planted with only low light plants such as vals and ceratophyllum be sustainable if it was only lit with indirect sunlight?
Thank you all in advance for answering.


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## bradac56 (May 9, 2007)

30watts would put you at 3wpg and take you to the extreme upper range of the
low-tech/light category (3+ is medium) so maybe two three hour light periods
before noon and sometime after noon. 

Unless you lower the wpg your probably going to run into algae issues depending
on several factors that you haven't mentioned.

- Brad


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## hoppycalif (Apr 7, 2005)

It all depends on what kind of lights you get the 30 watts from. If that is from T5 bulbs in a good reflectors, you have high light intensity in all probability. If it is from 2 screw-in coiled tube CF bulbs with no reflectors you almost certainly have low light. And, other types of bulbs could be in between those categories.

On my 10 gallon tank I used two 15 watt screw-in coiled tube CF bulbs, with DIY reflectors, and I thought I was getting moderate to high light intensity, so I replaced the bulbs with 14 watt bulbs and now it looks like low light intensity. The 14 watt bulbs are by a different manufacturer, and are a lower K rating, which makes it look like a lower intensity too. You can run 10-12 hours lights on periods with low light intensity, and not worry too much about algae, but you probably can't do that with even moderately high light intensity.


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## fishlover (Jan 2, 2007)

Thank you both for answering my question. Now about that sunlit tank, anyone has an opinion?


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## newbie314 (Mar 2, 2007)

I run 4200K for about 12.5 hours per day with 2x20W T-8 (24")
I seperated the two ballast to control dawn and dusk, but they both run at 12.5 (1 hour between) them.
No real algae problem.
I have an el natural with lights and heater (20g-long).
Every since I put in the mylar, I do think I might be getting a little more spot algae.
Well more efficient lighting means I can cut down the time. Might reduce both by 15min. Don't want to shock the plants too much but I'm also prunning this weekend so the tank is going to look bright after that


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## cs_gardener (Apr 28, 2006)

How indirect is indirect? I mean, is it near a south window so there is bright indirect light most of the day or is it sorta near an east window so there is some bright indirect light for a while in he morning, or what? How bright the indirect light is and how long the tank gets that brightness of light is what matters. If possible, I'd still put a light on the tank to supplement during rainy times when there is little light coming in from outside.


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## hoppycalif (Apr 7, 2005)

I have been thinking about that question, about indirect sunlight. I think I would do a simple experiment. Wait for a sunny day, put a light you would use if the tank didn't get sunlight, on top and turn it on. Observe how much brighter the tank gets, or if it seems to get brighter at all. Then shade the window and see if the tank looks to be of similar brightness as with just the indirect sunlight. Now, you can answer your own question based on your own situation.


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## fishlover (Jan 2, 2007)

Great thanks.
I put marimo ball (_cladophora aegagropila_) and african water fern (_bolbitis heudelotii_) in my 10 gals with 2*15 watts bulbs with DIY aluminium foil reflectors. I will run it for 5 hours, sometimes more, sometimes less, I'll do light but regular dosing and the tank is only lighly-planted and I'll see if it works with such a short photoperiod.
As for the 20 gallons i have a VERY low artificial light (14 watts fluorscent tube) but the sunlight it gets is strong enought and I will stick with low to medium-low light plants and I think I'm going to be okay.
I'll keep you posted on my 10 gals with short photoperiod ( my brother has had bolbitis in his tank with short photoperiod for about 3/4 months at least and although it isn't absolutely thriving, it is growing slowly but steadily and has given two babies, so I hope i'll have similar if not better results)
Thank you all so much for taking the time to answer my questions.


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## fishlover (Jan 2, 2007)

Update.
The bolbitis has started growing with 1*15 w and 1*11w bulbs lit for an everchanging photoperiod (but about 5 or 6 hours a day.
The marimo balls are growing like crazy, every week I often must reshape the because of the new growth spreading...
I added anubias nana-healthy growth
anubias nana petite-nice healthy growth
hygrophila difformis-still experimenting, was added last week.
I quit the 20 gal planted to create a blackwater Rio ***** biotope for nannostomus eques


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