Rotalla Willichii and Rotala Magenta
- Thread starter shane
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Two 38W of T5HO lighting 20" above the substrate is "tons" of light.
Aquatic plants that are said to need high levels of light are more likely CO2 limited, not light deficient.
Aquatic plants that are said to need high levels of light are more likely CO2 limited, not light deficient.
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I realize that this is an old thread, but I'm trying to grow R. Wallichii as well. I bought it from the internet and looked great when I received it. The old stuff turned brown and crappy, but I've definitely got new growth. I just recently chopped off all the old/brown stuff and threw it out. I kept the tops and planted each about an inch apart so they get good light.
I'm dosing Potassium Nitrate, Potassium Sulfate, Magnesium Sulfate, and Plantex CSM+B pretty heavily and I've got Co2 to the point just below where my fish start gasping for air. I've got 2x T5HO bulbs like posted above and my bulbs are about 16" above the substrate(both bulbs are 6,700k). I got high lighting because I read about needing high light...But now I'm reading that all plants will grow under lower light as long as you dose everything else just as well(co2 and ferts). If that's the case, maybe I should put the actinic bulb back in to show some better coloration in my fish??
The tops of the new growth is pink, stems are green, and the leaves/needles are a darker color like orange or red(hard to tell because they're so small).
Should I be dosing something different? Should I turn the lights down a bit like mentioned previously in this thread? Any help with this plant would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Fuzz
I'm dosing Potassium Nitrate, Potassium Sulfate, Magnesium Sulfate, and Plantex CSM+B pretty heavily and I've got Co2 to the point just below where my fish start gasping for air. I've got 2x T5HO bulbs like posted above and my bulbs are about 16" above the substrate(both bulbs are 6,700k). I got high lighting because I read about needing high light...But now I'm reading that all plants will grow under lower light as long as you dose everything else just as well(co2 and ferts). If that's the case, maybe I should put the actinic bulb back in to show some better coloration in my fish??
The tops of the new growth is pink, stems are green, and the leaves/needles are a darker color like orange or red(hard to tell because they're so small).
Should I be dosing something different? Should I turn the lights down a bit like mentioned previously in this thread? Any help with this plant would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Fuzz
I know that the actinic bulbs don't do anything for plants. that's the whole idea. I'd have one 6,700k T5HO about 16" away from the substrate. That alone is in the high range. If I put a "useless" actinic bulb in to make the color of my fish stand out, then I won't just have an empty space in my fixture. So basically the actinic bulb would be purely for aesthetics.
The problem that I might be facing currently is that I have "too much" light. 108w of HO light is in the 200 PAR range(WAY above very high light). One bulb is enough...Why not have a decorative/accent light to make my tank look better? Does actinic lighting have negative effects on freshwater fish/plants? I don't think so.
Resources : http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/lighting/105774-par-vs-distance-t5-t12-pc.html
(PAR chart, table with bulb heights and various bulbs, and a brief discussion on reflectors)
The problem that I might be facing currently is that I have "too much" light. 108w of HO light is in the 200 PAR range(WAY above very high light). One bulb is enough...Why not have a decorative/accent light to make my tank look better? Does actinic lighting have negative effects on freshwater fish/plants? I don't think so.
Resources : http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/lighting/105774-par-vs-distance-t5-t12-pc.html
(PAR chart, table with bulb heights and various bulbs, and a brief discussion on reflectors)
Why not add a disco ball, too?
I guess if you like the look, many don't...
I still doubt that they are completely useless and if plants can't use them I would bet algae can find a way to use the wavelength.
Since we are throwing around forum links, here is one to the counter of your argument: http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/lighting/116202-actinic-light-fresh-water-tank.html Actinic bulbs were also not involved with the measurements in Hoppy's graphs, so I'm not sure how it is applicable to the actinic question.
If you have already made up your mind, why are you looking for advice? Or was the post rhetorical like many of the questions in your reply?
The thread pretty much answered your questions...if your light is way too high then you most likely have CO2 deficiencies. You will encounter that before you run into nutrient problems. Reduce the light, lose the actinic (IMHO), and figure out the CO2. Its been said by many that most people rule out CO2 and assume they have it right..if your light is too high you may not be able to provide enough without gassing fish. If you have O2 problems fish will gasp at lower CO2 levels, as well.
"Any help with this plant would be greatly appreciated." Your snappy response would say otherwise.
I guess if you like the look, many don't...
I still doubt that they are completely useless and if plants can't use them I would bet algae can find a way to use the wavelength.
Since we are throwing around forum links, here is one to the counter of your argument: http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/lighting/116202-actinic-light-fresh-water-tank.html Actinic bulbs were also not involved with the measurements in Hoppy's graphs, so I'm not sure how it is applicable to the actinic question.
If you have already made up your mind, why are you looking for advice? Or was the post rhetorical like many of the questions in your reply?
The thread pretty much answered your questions...if your light is way too high then you most likely have CO2 deficiencies. You will encounter that before you run into nutrient problems. Reduce the light, lose the actinic (IMHO), and figure out the CO2. Its been said by many that most people rule out CO2 and assume they have it right..if your light is too high you may not be able to provide enough without gassing fish. If you have O2 problems fish will gasp at lower CO2 levels, as well.
"Any help with this plant would be greatly appreciated." Your snappy response would say otherwise.
No worries, things often get lost over the internet. Lighting is the easiest variable to control, if you dose EI method, then you are supplying ample nutrients, so that leaves CO2. The bigger the tank the more difficult it is to distribute CO2.
I'm dosing a macro/micro mix that was already mixed, so I'm gonna need to buy all the ferts separately when i need more. There's a chemical reaction that screws up iron? hmmm. maybe that's why my cabomba purple doesn't really get the reddish tones? I dunno...
I don't have carbon in my filter, co2 is good(lime green/yellow on the drop checker), and light should be good according to the PAR chart. The rotala wallichii is growing, so I guess I should stop worrying about it and wait for it to get bigger
I don't have carbon in my filter, co2 is good(lime green/yellow on the drop checker), and light should be good according to the PAR chart. The rotala wallichii is growing, so I guess I should stop worrying about it and wait for it to get bigger
A drop checker is not a reliable method to measure CO2, it colors are subjective and its response time is slow. It can help you reach a good start point, but will not give you a fine tuned measurement.
Nothing cheap or easy unfortunately. Experience by observing growth and fish or some expensive equipment. Tom has developed a method using a CO2 probe that he says is fairly good.
I'm not sure what he uses as a membrane around the probe or exactly how he does it...
I'm not sure what he uses as a membrane around the probe or exactly how he does it...
Semantics
Is good growth or bad growth a measurement?
I mentioned observation...cheap, but getting it right isn't easy
Is good growth or bad growth a measurement?
I mentioned observation...cheap, but getting it right isn't easy