Hi Tom, thanks for the insight...I never realized that about NO3 and lower
lighting. I have actually traded 3 really huge SAEs for 2 little tiny ones
(put them in my 48 gallon) so that takes out a big portion of the fish.

I have noticed that plants such as the Rotala do get a nice rosy color in
the last few inches closest to the light source. Right now I have a really
poor reflector (tin-foil that always get's crinkled) and I'll be upgrading
that to a mirrored acrylic reflector that I'm custom building to this shape
/¯\/¯\/¯\ . The bulbs right now are situated in an old aquarium lid that
only allowed a few inches of glass viewing area towards the back of the
aquarium...if anything this new design will spread the light more evenly
throughout the aquarium (especially the front).

Dave.

" wrote in message
om...
"Dave M. Picklyk" wrote in message
news:B_yrc.6638$SQ2.1282@edtnps89...
I'm upgrading from 2.7wpg to 4wpg in the next few days. I want my
ludwigias
and rotalas redder and ambulia more bushy...plus I plan on getting some
nice
micro sword.

Here are the issues (prefferably if Tom Barr can respond to these ):

(15 gallon wide aquarium / 25-30ppm CO2 ) I'm dosing about .6ml of trace
elements (TMG) every morning. I stopped dosing nitrate since levels are
a
little high for now (fish getting bigger etc.). Once a week after water
changes I dose 2.5ml of K2SO4 for potassium.

Should I increase the amount of trace elements for the daily doses when
I go
to 4wpg? Also should I be dosing K2SO4 twice a week in half portions
instead
of one full portion after a 50% water change?

Thanx for your help!!

Dave Picklyk.

I suggest you look at some of the AGA tanks of year's past, the best
looking Red's I've seen used less, not more light.

More light does not = redder colors.
Good nutrient supply and lower NO3 will. The best way to do that: less
light.
That will give more stability and wiggle room if the NO3 gets too
low(stunted plants) or too high (plants turn greener).
Sure, you can strike a balance at higher light also, but it's more
difficult, not easier.

There is no plant I know of that would need more than 2 to 2.5w/gal to
look nice.

If NO3 is too high etc and you are not adding KNO3 you likely have too
many fish for achieving your goals with plants. Even with higher
light, the plants will remain green. Bushy plants can be achieved
through slower growth and good trimming. No trick, just work.

Red color is more a factor of low N without bottoming out than high
light.
I've had very red plants in non CO2 tanks.

Regards,
Tom Barr