Lower light ADA tank, you do not need high light!

**Plantbrain** · 25th Jul 2007, 02:08

I've said this for decades now, you do not need high light to have nice plants, nice scapes etc. This is a 120 Cm 70 gallon tank with 2x54 W T5's on it for about 1.5 w/gal. Easy to care for.

Some suggest lean nutrients in the water column, some less CO2, yet these same folks do not even bother to consider where all plant growth starts: light.

Why is this not lean as well?
How many folks have algae issues, poor fish health etc due to low light?

Never met one yet.

Given that you have much less CO2 and nutrient demand at lower light, this allows a lot more wiggle room and resiliency in your method, no matter what method it might be.

While such things might seem like common sense, it can still elude many.

Regards,
Tom Barr

www.BarrReport.com

**RuiEstrelinha** · 25th Jul 2007, 05:57

Hello Tom,

This is a great "low light" tank, but are you sure that the tank always had only this two 54w t5 lamps?

Best regards,

**Aeon** · 25th Jul 2007, 06:05

Low light = slow and steady growth
High light = steroids!

**oni_XL** · 25th Jul 2007, 07:19

low light, good for lazy people
hi light, good for control freaks

**ranmasatome** · 25th Jul 2007, 07:22

I cannot agree with Tom more... Low light rocks!!! haha..

Heres mine on 1.5 watts as well..

Its even more lush now!!

**El-nemo** · 25th Jul 2007, 11:30

Hi Plantbrain,
I would like to check with you, what is that plant that you are using for the background? It looks really lush, love the green and the way it grows.

Could you please provide me some details to the plant?
Like name, needs and how you trim it?
Thanks

**Plantbrain** · 25th Jul 2007, 13:13

Originally Posted by RuiEstrelinha

Hello Tom,

This is a great "low light" tank, but are you sure that the tank always had only this two 54w t5 lamps?

Best regards,

Yes, been that way for over a year.

Regards,
Tom Barr

**Plantbrain** · 25th Jul 2007, 13:18

Originally Posted by El-nemo

Hi Plantbrain,
I would like to check with you, what is that plant that you are using for the background? It looks really lush, love the green and the way it grows.

Could you please provide me some details to the plant?
Like name, needs and how you trim it?
Thanks

That;s just Rotala variety "Green", a fast growing weed.
You just trim the tops to the shape you desire and then wait foir the new growth to bush out. It holds the shape for several weeks.
That's how the ADA winner did those large red rotlala groups also.
You have to time it right and hen take the pic later.

It's sort of gangly for a week or so after, but as the new growth fills in, it starts looking pretty nice. Then it over grows and you trim it back good again.

I suppose you could use pearl grass and a number of other plants, such Erio setaceum, several types of hygros, or use Crypts etc.

Regards,
Tom Barr

**lEddyl** · 25th Jul 2007, 15:47

hi tom,

what's your lighting schedule?

**Plantbrain** · 25th Jul 2007, 16:29

10 hours, like most folks.

Regards,
Tom Barr

**afroturf** · 25th Jul 2007, 20:41

Wow thats a great tank, low light or not this is now one of my favourite tanks, Hope my low light tank will look half as good as this.

**Shadow** · 26th Jul 2007, 10:29

Originally Posted by Plantbrain

That;s just Rotala variety "Green", a fast growing weed.
You just trim the tops to the shape you desire and then wait foir the new growth to bush out. It holds the shape for several weeks.
That's how the ADA winner did those large red rotlala groups also.
You have to time it right and hen take the pic later.

It's sort of gangly for a week or so after, but as the new growth fills in, it starts looking pretty nice. Then it over grows and you trim it back good again.

I suppose you could use pearl grass and a number of other plants, such Erio setaceum, several types of hygros, or use Crypts etc.

Regards,
Tom Barr

Hi Tom,

I'm doing this (trimming the tops and let it grow) with my pearl grass but after a while the bottom, close to substrate, start turn yellow and rot. Did you see the same behaviour? I'm thinking because of not enough light penetrating to the botom, so low light should be even worst.

Thanks

**prec** · 26th Jul 2007, 11:00

Hi Tom, do you dose any fertilisers to the low-light tank?

**Plantbrain** · 27th Jul 2007, 01:31

Standard ADA types fert routines, liquids daily.

It's not my tank BTW, it's at a LFS in SF. I just am friends with them and ask and watch as it progresses.

They sell the lighting and had another tank with the same lighting doing very well also. Most of the tanks are low light actually since it's easier to scape.

It makes far more logical sense to use less light to control growth rather than nutrients. Algae will grow faster with more light. Nutrients run out faster at higher light, so you get more stability also. Lighting stays the same, nutrients/CO2 can vary a great deal.

Light also drives photosynthesis which in turn drives CO2 uptake and demand.
So less light= less CO2 demand.

Less CO2 demand= less nutrient demand.

Pretty simple concept.

You have less heat, less cost, lower electric bill, more managable growth and less algae and a lot more wiggle room.

If you limit anything, limit light, get the most out of the light that you have.
Then everything else is easier.

Not everyone might want lower light, but given most folk's goals, they are in the vast minority.

Regards,
Tom Barr

**dts_spawn** · 27th Jul 2007, 12:35

the foreground plant, is it hairgrass? always thought HG needed high light.

**Plantbrain** · 27th Jul 2007, 14:24

Yes the 1st and no to second.

Regards,
Tom Barr

**rick** · 27th Jul 2007, 14:45

I suppose the temperature should be low in that tank? Singapore 's temperature of around 30 C without chiller may not achieve that result.

**Plantbrain** · 27th Jul 2007, 15:42

It's well over that temp most of the year here. We have several months of 40C weather. It cools off more at night, but it's still very hot here during the summers. It was 45C three weeks ago. It was 128F in Death Valley about 200miles south of here. That's 54C!! You cannot do anything because you will over heat, all you can do is sit in the shade at above 115F.

Xmas moss does very well at warmer temps.
You can find these plants in natural systems at such temps also.

86F or 30C is not bad at all.

Things go faster if they are warmer, lower CO2, lower O2 etc.
So those must be considered.

Higher light is going to add more heat also, so lower is better for folks in SG as well as summers in CA!

Regards,
Tom Barr