# Need Advice on Best Way to Utilize 120 Watts over 29 Gallon



## LindaC (Nov 7, 2005)

I know this is a lot of light, my set up is a Current dual 2 x 65 watt Satelitte fixture. I've tried only using one 65 watt bulb and had problems with the growth on a lot of my plants, not sure if it was the placement of the one bulb or not. Anyway, I ordered another 6700k bulb and have been using them both now for just about a week. My photo period has been 8 hours. I am seeing a lot of brown algea on my plant leaves, it does rub off but there's so much, it's been proving to be a tedious task, so I'd like to get to the bottom of what it's happening.

I've been dosing 1/4 tsp KNO3 and 1/8 tsp of PO4, I'm also dosing 5 ml of Seachem Flourish and 1 ml of Seachem Iron. I'm injecting pressurized CO2. 

I feel I'm in a catch 22 situation where one bulb is two little and two bulbs is too much but there's really nothing else I can do, short of purchasing a whole new fixture and that I do not want to do. I love this fixture, only wish I could add a bulb of lesser strength but they don't sell them.

I was wondering if I set both bulbs to different timers, would it work out better for me if I ran one bulb for 8 hours and had the second bulb turn on for say 3 or even 4 hours during mid day, I know that some of you do this and would like to hear from you or anyone who is running a lot of light over their tanks.


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## nswhite (Aug 25, 2006)

The browm stuff is called diatoms and its normal for you to have lots when you first set-up the tank but after a few months it should go away and not bother you anymore. But another way is to get a u/v sterilizer or a diatom filter.


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## Laith (Sep 4, 2004)

LindaC said:


> ...
> 
> I was wondering if I set both bulbs to different timers, would it work out better for me if I ran one bulb for 8 hours and had the second bulb turn on for say 3 or even 4 hours during mid day, I know that some of you do this and would like to hear from you or anyone who is running a lot of light over their tanks.


That's exactly what I was going to suggest while I was reading your post.  I've been using this "noon burst" method for a while now and really like the results.

For example, on one 200l (55g), I have a 4x 39w T5 unit. I run two of the tubes (1.4wpg) for 2.5 hours, then all four tubes (2.8wpg) for four hours and then two tubes again for 2.5 hours...

You can play around with different times and see what works best for you. In your case you'd have between 4.5wpg and 2.25wpg in those time periods; still high but more manageable than 4.5wpg all the time. You definitely need to make sure you keep up with the ferts and that you have good plant mass.

1/2 tsp KNO3 how many times a week?


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## Left C (Jun 14, 2005)

LindaC said:


> ...I was wondering if I set both bulbs to different timers...


I use this Coralife dual timer with my Orbits. Energy Savers Unlimited | Coralife | ESU Reptile | Birdlife | Pondlife | Deep Ocean | A Worldwide Manufacturer of quality pet products


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## John N. (Dec 11, 2005)

The brown diatoms will fade quickly I found when you drop in a powerhead or increase the flow around the plants. I had plants covered in the stuff, and increased the flow with a Maxijet powerhead. Now things are clean as can be.

I didn't change lights, ferts, etc. Just flow increased.

-John N.


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## banderbe (Nov 17, 2005)

Why do you think 130 is too much? I've had that over my 29 for a year now and it's great.

Also, they sell 55W bulbs that will work in the 65W fixture like the GE 9325k bulb. Two could get you down to 110W but the light has a lot of red/pink spectrum which compliments a 10000k wonderfully but might look too red/pink with two of them..


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## LindaC (Nov 7, 2005)

Laith said:


> .
> 
> 1/2 tsp KNO3 how many times a week?


I dose 1/4 tsp of KNO3 and 1/8th tsp of PO4 3 times a week, with the exception of last night, I added more plants to the tank and did a 50% water change but because I had just dosed the tank the night before with ferts, I did not add any last night, but will when I get home this evening.

I'm about to go crazy, I've had my tank up and running for a good year a half now and plants that once grew so nicely for me, won't grow any longer, i.e., Rotala indica and narrow leaf Ludwigia or any type of Ludwigia for that matter. That is why I added another bulb to my fixture, but I don't think that is going to fix the problem. I recently purchased some new ADA Aquasoil with the intent of taking apart my tank, taking out all the flourite, cleaning it out and replacing it with the Aquasoil and powersand. I just need to figure out what to do with my fish until my tank becomes safe enough to put them back. Hopefully doing it over totally might help somewhat. I'm just getting tired of this tank taking over so much of my life. My other tank (10 gallon) doesn't require half as much attention.

Sorry, just needed to vent!


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## banderbe (Nov 17, 2005)

Year and a half tank sounds like maybe you have organic buildup.. It's what I think caused my bout of problems over the past few months. 

I pulled everything and cleaned the substrate with siphoning and water changes to suck all the mulm, dead roots, leaves, etc., out.

Things seem to be doing a lot better now.. 

I'm not clear, have you not put the Aquasoil into your aquarium? And why wouldn't your tank be safe for fish after putting Aquasoil in?

I stick my fish in a five gallon bucket with a heater while I do major overhauls like substrate change.


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## Left C (Jun 14, 2005)

banderbe said:


> Why do you think 130 is too much? I've had that over my 29 for a year now and it's great.
> 
> Also, they sell 55W bulbs that will work in the 65W fixture like the GE 9325k bulb. Two could get you down to 110W but the light has a lot of red/pink spectrum which compliments a 10000k wonderfully but might look too red/pink with two of them..


Current's Satellite and Orbit use 65w square pin bulb(s). An adapter would be needed to run the 55w GE 9325K straight pin bulb.


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## banderbe (Nov 17, 2005)

Sorry I was thinking of my Coralife fixture


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## Left C (Jun 14, 2005)

I wish that they were straight pin sometimes.


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## LindaC (Nov 7, 2005)

banderbe said:


> Why do you think 130 is too much? I've had that over my 29 for a year now and it's great.


I must have missed this when reading over the replies last time, it's great to hear that your 29 gallon is doing well with the same amount of light over it, gives me hope! Barry, do you mind telling me what your fert regimine is?

The reason I think it's too much light is that people keep telling me it is, but so far, I don't see any problems, except for the brown algea on a few leaves. Hopefully that will stop soon.

I haven't changed my subtrate over to the Aquasoil yet, I will be doing that either this weekend or next weekend, most likely next weekend as I just received a couple of plant orders and due to the extreme cold here in New England, the plants aren't in the best condition, therefore I want to give them a little more time to recuperate, although they'd probably perk up much quicker in the Aquasoil then in the Flourite.

I'm also nervous about keeping my fish in a bucket for a week or two but I know it's necessary seeing that the Aquasoil will leach ammonia and nitrites into the water column which would be a lot more stressful on them then the bucket would be.

I did look into the 22 inch 55 watt bulbs from Hellolights and found the same isssue, they're not straight pins. Thought it would be nice to have bulbs that went a little further over the sides of the tank, the ones I have now are 21 inch.


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## eklikewhoa (Jul 24, 2006)

I have 192w over a 30g long and think I have it figured out now......

I have my photo period of 96w on for 7hrs and in between that the second light kicks on for a "noon burst" of 192w for 1.5hr. I had a bit of GSA problem but it has cleared now with an hour less total photo period and 1.5hr less "noon burst".

I dose per EI which is......
Plantex CSM+B 1/16 tsp 3x week
Potassium Nitrate KN03 1/4 tsp 3x week
Mono potassium Phosphate KH2P04 1/16 tsp 3x week
Potassium Sulphate K2S04 1/16 3x week

Co2 30-40ppms on during the photo period, ADA AS/PS/Tourmaline substrate.

Plant growth has been phenomenal.


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## banderbe (Nov 17, 2005)

LindaC said:


> I must have missed this when reading over the replies last time, it's great to hear that your 29 gallon is doing well with the same amount of light over it, gives me hope! Barry, do you mind telling me what your fert regimine is?


I just dose EI for 20 to 40 gallons. I just dose every day seven days a week but total the same amount. I don't bother dosing K.. I get plenty from the KNO3 and KH2PO4

I use TMG for micros, Seachem Flourish Iron, and supplement with Excel though I don't think that's necessary.. but maybe helpful at first to keep algae at bay..

I'm also surprised to hear that Aquasoil leaks nitrites into the water.. Actually I have a hard time believing that.. where'd you hear that?


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## eklikewhoa (Jul 24, 2006)

Aquasoil floods the water with ammonia in which is turned to lots of Nitrite. I had the same problem....10+ppms of ammonia turned to 6+ppms of Nitrite.


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## LindaC (Nov 7, 2005)

banderbe said:


> I'm also surprised to hear that Aquasoil leaks nitrites into the water.. Actually I have a hard time believing that.. where'd you hear that?


I have read this a number of times; I have a link going under Science of Subtrates entitled: Need Advice for Switching Subtrates and a few people have replied with out dangerous it could be for my fish if I switch subtrates and then place fish immediately back into the tank.

I am planning on doing it next weekend, I need a whole day, so next Saturday it is. I plan on keeping a few fish in a bucket and adding a couple to my 10 gallon tank, hoping that they don't fight too much over territory until I get the water parameters back to a safe level.


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## epicfish (Sep 11, 2006)

Do 50% WCs every day or two until the levels drop...should be OK within a week or so.


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## eklikewhoa (Jul 24, 2006)

I Did a bit more than 50% and reused an established canister filter to help with the ammonia spike, squeezing filter media from another tank into this one helps too!


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