Pruning, CO2, ferts, etc

[Rick Lindsey]

Hi all, I'm still struggling along with my 75gal tang tank with just over 1W/G of lighting. Although they're certainly not strutting, my Val seems to be surviving... each plant seems to have one or maybe two leaves that are getting quite long, so i started pruning the deadish looking leaves today. Is it okay just to break off the leaves that are brown on the end, or is it important to cut them? Also, can you prune a Val leaf in the middle if its only the end thats all narsty, or do you need to take the whole leaf?

With low-lighting and appropriate low-light plants (which i realize the Val probably isn't, but any future plant purchaes will be java fern, anubias, and the like) will i need to add ferts? Will the 0-0-3 with iron from the aquarium store suffice, or do I need to put together a concotion like PMDD? I have one anubias, i believe it's a barteri but I'm not sure, since my wife bought it, and several (~10) Jungle Val plants, each with one or two long leaves and several ones that have broken off/rotted away/been pruned.

Since I don't plan to go the power compact route, I doubt this tank will ever have more than 160 watts on it, more likely 128W from a quad T-8 fixture, with an absolute max of 208W if I manage to cram a quad T-8 and find room left over for a pair of T-12s. Unfortunately I am starting with an existing canopy so i don't have much choice in optimizing it for my desired lighting. Will it need CO2 at those light levels, or can I keep it in balance and avoid algae blooms without CO2?

 

[aspen]

hey rick, a low light tank will benefit from co2 addition, but it is not necessary. but, it will take a while to 'set in', and will never achieve great results, and stocking will need to be lower than otherwise, to keep nutrients out of the water column. raising the light levels will be good, but i would add co2 as well. you will really be happy that you did, even if you go with 2 diy bottles and a good diffuser.

a quad of t-8's with electronic balasts will pay for itself in hydro and your lighting will be much better than if you went with the t-12's. the newer technology really works much better, and your choice of lamps will greatly increase. t a2's are being phased out, no new lamps are being developed. i'm planning 6 t-8's on my 90, btw. if you can squeeze the extra fixture in there, change the ballast, and use more t-8's. remember to change the sockets, or use a jumper if the ballast calls for 'shunted ends.' (ends shorted together are common with the electronic ballasts.) they are real easy to change while you are re-wiring the fixture. also, t-8 lamps need a slightly shorter socket to get maximum light output from the lamp. a distance of 1/2" is optimal, from, outside of the metal tube to a grounded metal surface, as per lutron lighting.

as for fert, i would use tropica master grow, or similar, but use it spare if you stay low light. (algae- ugh!)

i know of lots of people who use philips 950 and 965 lamps on their tanks. these are available at electrical wholesalers for 5- 7 bucks per lamp, and are very bright, but appear a little green, as compared to 'grow lamps'. i bought 850's ( slightly lower grade, 950's weren't available in 2') for my 20, and it was really bright and the plants went nuts.

you could buy a pair and see if you can mix some gro-lux or aquaglow lamps. mixing lamps is easier than buying a complete sectrum in one lamp.

hth, rick

 

[aspen]

oh yea, pruning...

cutting a val leaf, will eventually leave, 1/2 of a brown, crappy dead, decomposing val leaf. even if just the top is damaged, the same wull happen. sword leaves are the same. take it right down to the bottom, as close as you can go. cut it between your thumbnail and your first finger.

rick

 

[farm41]

I have 6 T8's over a 60g in a diy canopy. I have replaced my 55g that had 6 T8's also with a 75 and for right now am just using the canopy from the 55g. When summer is over and the farming slows down, I am planning on building a canopy for the 75g and will use 8 T8 octron 5000K with Fulham Workhorse 5 ballasts.

Aspen is right on about using the T8's, and forget about the T12's. I had 4 20 watt T12 5000K over my 20g tank and replaced them with 4 17 watt T8 and am getting more light from that setup.