lights for emerge tank

inkslinger

Guru Class Expert
Dec 15, 2007
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how much lights is needed for a emerge growth tank of 110g with 80 pounds of SMS. the temp reaches at about 84' with 324w of T5 ho's 54w each for 10hr, i do have a foger come on 1 hr 3 times a day when the lights are on . my lotus are starting to grow good and they stay nice and moist thats because they are closer to the foger . my HC never made it they just die off before i got my Tetra Foger. i will try a couple of more pots of HC before i switch over to glosso and give them a chance insted, should i drop the lights down to 216w
 

creighton

Guru Class Expert
Jun 18, 2007
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I've always just grown emersed stuff under my normal submersed lighting, but I imagine the only problem with the lights is that they dry the plants out too much. With the fogger I would think the HC will grow okay. Do you have any pictures?
 

VaughnH

Lifetime Charter Member
Lifetime Member
Jan 24, 2005
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Sacramento, CA
You need to have the tank covered to avoid losing too much moisture due to evaporation. With a cover, the evaporated water just condenses on the glass and runs back into the tank. I'm doing an emersed 10 gallon tank of glosso right now, just to try out the idea, and I use my normal light fixture, but I have all of the openings in the cover covered with plastic wrap. It isn't nearly airtight, but it does keep most of the water in the tank. I have been adding about 20 ml of water every two or three days to make up the evaporation. The glosso is growing very well!
 

inkslinger

Guru Class Expert
Dec 15, 2007
370
3
18
i have not gotten any pic's yet i will soon, i'm going to get some more HC and planted it closler to the foger too and try to use some saran wrap under my glass top to get it more air tight , my water level is just bellow the gravel and it stays moist, the sides of the glass does stay wet with condenses water but the top glass cover stays dry all the time