Should I replace with a 36W light set?

[diki]

Currently using a 55W Magnium II light set for my 2 ft planted tank. Below are the plants and fishes/shrimps in there and my maintenance schedule.

Plants:
Java/Singapore moss
Java fern
hortwort
Tiger lily (very small)
Cryptocoryne beckettii
Amazon Sword Plant
Cyperus helferi
Ludwigia repens
Echinodorus tenellus

Fishes/shrimps:
boraras maculatus x 24
scarlet badis x 6
Malayan shrimps x 3
Cherry shrimps x 12

Maintenance schedule:
add a cupful of liquid fert upon water change
water change weekly (10-30%)

Since I do not use any CO2 now and it seems that the spot algae (if I not wrong) on the glass keep appearing. Even when I set the light on 6 hrs per day (3 hrs interval), still see the algae around. My aim is to reduce the algae growth in this tank. Does changing the light set works for me? Not sure what the water parameters are as I do not have any test kit.

[bclee]

Your light should be alright.

If you are going non-CO2, stop the weekly water change. Reduce to 1/3 or 1/4 or stop the dosage fertilisers.

Keep scraping away the algae. After a while, they will stop coming back.

BTW, what substrate do yo have?

BC

[diki]

I suspect there is something wrong with my water yesterday and changed 30% yesterday. 2 Boraras died for no reason. Also cleaned up the algae from the glass. I will stop dosing liq fert first and see if the plants can take it. Also intend to reduce the light on to 6 hrs (3 hr interval). Previously using 6 hr (3 hr interval) but set to 8 hrs (4 hr interval). Maybe that is one of the cause.

Mine is lapis sand. No base fert. I have root monster but have not use them yet on this tank after I rescape.

[bclee]

Try to keep you lighting on for continuous 8hrs. Break in lighting period do not help in reducing algae and do not benefit the plants.

Are the boraras newly added? If they are fine for the next week, you can stop the water change.

If you do not have any soil or base fert in the substrate, you might need to add a little KNO3 and KH2PO4. A small pinch of KNO3 and a small grain of KH2PO4. You can also use a little Seachem Equilibrium to supplement the K, Fe, Ca and Mg. You may not need to dose traces at all.

BC

[diki]

The intervals are set so I can view the plants before I go to work and also when I'm at home. Also for feeding at night. Ok. Will take that into consideration. Will on it at night then, let the plants and fishes get more rest! Also I only feed at night.

Boraras are introduced a few weeks already. They are ok then. Now scared after seeing 2 died (I previously have 10 in my shrimp tank and they never died on me, just getting fat since I do overfeed to allow the shrimps to get some food as well). Will monitor them until Fri as I would be in Malaysia during the weekends. Hopefully nothing goes wrong during my absence.

Eh... Sorry don't get u. U mean I need to add KNO3 and KH2PO4 and/or use Seachem Equilibrium? Where to get KNO3 and KH2PO4? I have seen them in NA but too far from where I live. Anywhere sells them at the west? Also around how much?

What do u mean when u mention "You may not need to dose traces at all."? Do u mean that I can just let the tank run by itself without adding anything, except fish food?

Thanks for the info.

[cherabin]

Just my humble opinion and experience, low light and low-tech seems to very well go hand in hand for me. So i reckon changing to a single 36W would be my option.

[Ssur]

Hiya,

Im also using the Maqnum 2 PL light set. Have you thought of changing the reflector? Are your reflectors in good condition? Mine does seem to reflect much, but i have no idea how or where to change the reflector.

Im using this 55 watts on a 2 X 1.5 X 1.5 tank, so far no algae, but my tank is only 2week+ old.

[bclee]

You can refer to this for more information on non-CO2 setups:
http://www.aquaticquotient.com/forum...ad.php?t=13623

Personally I use 36W PL + 15W FL (11hrs daily) for my 2ft (15gal) non-CO2 tank. My tank is very heavily planted and I find 36W not sufficient to reach the lower plants. Therefore, I went with the current lighting setup.

With proper care to ensure healthy plant growth, the algae will go away after some time.

BC

[diki]

cherabin, well, I do agree that since I'm doing low tech setup, that is why I want comments to whether I should change the light set to a 36W one or lower. Ido feel that the 55W one is having too much light for my plants and without much dose of liquid fert and CO2, may not be healthy for my plants.

Ssur, I think my reflectors are working fine. No complaints for now. Changing reflectors may not be easy since you might need to take out the light holder before u can remove the reflector. Most people buy reflectors for DIY, not replace since dimension might be different and need to self modify to fit properly.

BC, thanks for your advice. Without CO2 and nutrients, with high light also not effective and only a plant that I have require high light (Tiger lily). Others should be fine with 36W light. Somemore my hortwort grows fast too. Had to start trimming already. I lost another boraras again yesterday. Got fed up and transfered all 10 into the shrimp tank. I have also transfer 2 scarlet badis to another tank. Now only fishes inside this tank is 3-4 scarlet badis. I was thinking if it was the scarlet badis that killed the boraras? I do not feed any live food and it seems my boraras numbers are reducing (from 16, now 10) and 2 cannot account for. Badis like to chase each other but never see them injure anyone. Just a suspect now. Comments?