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Old 23-06-2004, 07:10 PM
RedForeman ©®
 
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Default idiot query re. plants and lighting...

|| In message , RedForeman ©®
||||| I wonder if anyone can help me with a (very stupid, I think) query
||||| regarding artificial lighting and plants. Everything I read on the
||||| net tells me that planted tanks need artificial light. What I
||||| would like to know is why? If I have a tank in a position with
||||| bright natural light - a position where houseplants would do well
||||| - and some direct sunlight though not too much - why isn't this
||||| suitable for low light aquatic plants? (I have a couple of
||||| rosette-y things growing in a tank at the moment with no
||||| artificial light and they seem fine. they're not growing fast but
||||| they are growing - nice new leaves (coming out red when they
||||| appear) - and I can't see any real problems with them. I can see
||||| that high-light plants would require something close to the
||||| brightness of unfiltered sunlight, but for my situation, I'm
||||| puzzled as to the reasons for the additional lighting - and why
||||| isn't this actually counterproductive for plants which like low
||||| light which are already in a brightish position?
|||||
||||| does the requirement for artificial light assume that the tank is
||||| kept in a low-light area?
|||||
||||| I would be very grateful for any clarification at all...
||||| --
||||| sophie
||||| puzzled idiot.
|||
||| IIRC, Sunlight is nearly 20,000k, or kelvins, a rating for light's
||| 'power' or 'strength' Most freshwater tanks/plants, grow great
||| with that much light.. but what also grows wonderfully with that
||| much light is algae.... You would need to outcompete the algae just
||| to be able to see your plants, in your setup. To do that, you'd
||| need high outputs of CO2, and fertilizers.... and it's a risky
||| thing, because the sun can be here today, and cloud covered for a
||| week.... So the need for lights in the tank are two fold. To give
||| the plant adequate exposure to light, and the control-ability to
||| keep it from getting too out of hand.
|||
||| Since you are so 'new' to the hobby... Consider this. Start out
||| with the smallest, most basic setup.
||
|| that's kind of what I'm hoping for; the least technical set-up
|| possible! I wanted to understand the necessity for artificial light
|| and whether it is still necessary when the tank has good natural
|| light. I am very new, as you say and I want to make sure that
|| anything I set up is viable. What I want to avoid is a set-up where
|| I need to add CO2 and fertiliser (I'm hoping the fish will do the
|| second bit at the least!) So far I have plants but no algae - but
|| this has been over four months in spring/early summer, which is
|| hardly a definitive result. I think if I want to do it this way it
|| will be the winter that is the real test - that will be when the
|| lack of light becomes a problem, if I understand you correctly? --
|| sophie

From what I gather so far, you've got the tank setup, with a couple plants,
but no artificial light. The only light being supplied is from a direct
sunlight, tank facing a window type setup, correct?

If this is true, you'll probably not have 'too many' problems... what algae
you 'will' get can be scraped off the glass, or vacuumed out... The only
real problem lies when the fish get bigger, or more plentiful, and waste
more, which will in turn, raise your nitrAte and then you'll get more/some
algae.... water changes may be your best defense against algae... in your
current setup...

and I should say, 'least technical' is relative to what you think least and
technical actually mean... IMO, technical is sal****er... freshwater is so
forgiving versus sal****er setups...

I can't go too far out on a limb and say your setup will work in the long
run.. eventually, you'll hit that equilibrium of balance, and something will
shift it into a problem.... then considering your setup, you may have to
move it away from the direct light because of algae, and with that kind of
intense light source, it won't take but 24hrs to send it spiraling toward
unpleasant....

I'd opt for a strip light, bare minimum to your tank and experiment with low
light plants.... until you research and learn more about the details.. after
that, it's easier to understand that balance you're looking for...

--
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is that better??