# blue lights = algae



## nikky119

I figured i'd post this so other people don't make the same mistakes I do. I brought some new aquarium lights a couple months ago from a recommendation from the lfs who seemed to know what he was talking about. They were t5 lights one white 10000 one blue 6500. I was talking to tech support at aquarium plants.com about my lighting and other stuff. He told me the blue lights are for salt water tanks and will cause excessive algae growth in freshwater which seems right because in my 10 years of fish plants I've never had a outbreak of bbs and I had a horrible one recently. I looked on the box the lights came in and they don't even say freshwater or saltwater. I'm getting rid of the blue one by the end of the week hopefully it doesn't cause anymore problems before that.


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## Blackwater

It could also be those blue lights are really strong. Any high powered light triggers algae growth.


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## nikky119

I don't think so I only have 2 watts per gallon high output which I think is considered medium light at best.


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## TLe041

How many hours per day do you have it on for?


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## nikky119

I had it on for 12 just decreased it to 10 but I got rid of the blue bulb went with a pink one and even running it 12 hours a day I've had less algae. How many hours do you think I should run it? Co is 15-20 and I've started dosing pps pro.


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## TLe041

I have it on for 8 hours. More than 10 and you'll definitely have to battle algae.

You should also try to up your CO2 to 30 ppm (easiest way to do this is to use a drop checker with 4dKH solution).


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## nikky119

I'll see how 10 hours does for awhile I lost alot of plants to the bba so I trying to get maximum plant growth right now. I'll turn it down to 8 once things are looking better. Is 8 the minimum? Can't really do much about the co2 until I save up enough $ for pressured.

Also I was wondering is there a maximum siesta period durring the day. Because id rather have the lights on in the morning and night when i'm home and a longer siesta durring the day.

Thanks
Nicole


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## TLe041

Yes, you can have breaks in between your light period so it's off when you're not home. For me, I have it on 7-9 AM and again 3-9 PM.


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## Newt

Photo reduction of iron. Its in Walstad's book. It has to do with blue light breaking down the iron's chelant and making free iron available.


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## nikky119

Do you mean makes it available for the algae? Cause I would think making it available for the plants would be a good thing.

Walstad is that an author or a title?

Thanks.


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## Newt

nikky119 said:


> Walstad is that an author or a title?
> 
> Thanks.


Ecology of the Planted Aquarium by D. Walstad

The theory is that once the chelant bond is broken it makes it available in a form algae can more easily utilize.


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