I thought I posted this, but I cna't find the thread, so maybe I just dreamed i had.

If I want to grow "highlight plants" but at the same time not run my tank at 400 mph, but instead get good steady growth and some pearling.. how muchlight is enough?

I have ludwiga inclinata and Ludwiga v. var pantanal
rotala macrandra
tonina belem
tonina fluviatlas

ect

How much light is enough (CF) How much is too much?

can I throttle back and still have these plants?

How is the best way to throttle back if I do? Is it a shock to the balance I have now?

I guess you need a high light for 6-8 houres (not 10-12!) + good nutrient supply and CO2. This makes you keep growing demanding plants, shade loving plants and even bottom plants healthy in the same tank, have some perling and stability, and you will not ride you tank 400mph cutting plants weekly and getting algae bloom whenever CO2 drops from 30 to 15ppm, after cutting etc.
OR moderate light for 10-12hrs. Figures on PAR/PUR, and about motivation is here: http://www.barrreport.com/co2-aquati...post16338.html.
Read it all.

2-2.5 w of PC light is more than enough to grow any plant you ever want for your tank.

10 hours etc.

Regards,
Tom Barr

I have a 28 watt cf fixture
an 80wtt cf fixture that right now holds 40 daylight 40 actinic
and a 96 watt cf fixture

for the moment the 28 watt has sat in a closet... the 96 watt is on the tank as is the 80, but I've turned off the 40 daylight bulb on that fixture.

I am thinking of putting the 40 watt bulb back on and letting the 96 watt fixture do time in the closet and instead put out out the 28 watt fixture..


it is a wide tank.. so to get good coverage it works to have 2 fixtures front to back..with this plan, I'd have 40 watt daylight 28 watt daylight and 40 watt actinic for a little color adjustment... which works out to just over 68 wpg if you assume the actinic has minimal impact on wpg.

I think Joe (czcz) has a formula for why that is actually a little more light.. because of the cf bulbs.


does this seem like a plan.? will my pantanal really survive? and will it still get that incredible red it has been getting?

So 10 hours for 2-2.5W? I was about to ask this question since I just started using only 2PC (130W total). Thought I would still run for the same 8Hrs I used to when I have all the light on (260W). Thanks.