Increase in Lighting for 55 Gallon Tank?

Thanks very much... I'll give it a try...
"Happy'Cam'per" <s.RemoveThis@c.c.c> wrote in message
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> "Mr. Zee" <noone.RemoveThis@nohow.net> wrote in message
> news:evhpe.592$eM6.85@newsread3.news.atl.earthlink.net...
>> Hello folks:
>>
>> I have a 55 gallon tetra/ram planted tank with a DIY CO2 generator
> and
>> 2 65 Watt 6700K Coralife bulbs. Plant growth is ok, but some of the
> plants
>> seem to be 'reaching' for the light. Also they've taken on a bit of a
>> yellowish/light green hue, different then the nice dark green that they
> had
>> when I bought them. Would increasing the light to 2 96 Watt bulbs be the
>> thing to do? Water quality is good: pH 6.2, no nitrates, minimal
> nitrates
>> and a lot of phosphate which I deal with by 3 weekly water changes. I
> also
>> have Florite (sp?) gravel and use Seachem's Florish Excel and Trace.
> Thanks
>> for any info.
>>
>>
>
> You have enough light. The problem is Nitrates. You need to add some to
> your
> tank, your plants have serious munchies :) Buy some Salt Peter (KNO3 aka
> Potassium Nitrate) from the chemist/pharmacy and add about half a tspoon.
> --
> Kind Regards
> Cameron
>
>
 >> Stay informed about: Increase in Lighting for 55 Gallon Tank? 

On Thu, 09 Jun 2005 16:52:38 GMT, Elaine T <eetmail-fish DeleteThis @yahoo.com>
wrote:

>Free nitrates vs root tabs really depends on the plant and substrate.
>KNO3 works VERY well for stem plants and floating plants. Swords and
>crypts prefer substrate fertilization.

I'm curious as to whether it is a good idea under any circumstances
whatsoever to add nitrate to an aquarium stocked with fish. Nitrate is
the stuff we're trying to dilute out of there by changing water. I
would think it isn't a good idea to start adding the stuff on purpose.
(?)

-Derek
 >> Stay informed about: Increase in Lighting for 55 Gallon Tank? 

"Derek Benson" <benson.TakeThisOut@online.no> wrote in message
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> On Thu, 09 Jun 2005 16:52:38 GMT, Elaine T <eetmail-fish.TakeThisOut@yahoo.com>
> wrote:
>
> >Free nitrates vs root tabs really depends on the plant and substrate.
> >KNO3 works VERY well for stem plants and floating plants. Swords and
> >crypts prefer substrate fertilization.
>
> I'm curious as to whether it is a good idea under any circumstances
> whatsoever to add nitrate to an aquarium stocked with fish. Nitrate is
> the stuff we're trying to dilute out of there by changing water. I
> would think it isn't a good idea to start adding the stuff on purpose.
> (?)
>
> -Derek

I suppose it depends on whether you want the benefits that plants can give
to your tank or not. If they are deprived of nutrients they die (this is the
gardener in me rather than the tank keeper). Plants well fed and growing
have more beneficial impact on a tank than no plants - or dying plants that
add to the decaying matter in
the tank adding to the ammonia/nitrites...

A well balanced planted tank will keep the nitrates down.....without the
plants we need to do big water changes - for example my Malawi tank has
about 4 very manky plants....the nitrate values are higher than the planted
tanks where I add plant food to help the plants along - hence water changes
are more of an impotant issue...

Ultimately everything is a big balancing act in an artificial environment
:-)

Gill
 >> Stay informed about: Increase in Lighting for 55 Gallon Tank? 

I'll check out the potash but I assume it's in the Seachem trace
fertilizer that I added. My nitrates are from 5 to 10 ppm (I added a couple
of teaspoons over the week.) Also using Excel and as I mentioned , the
Fluorite gravel with 2 65 watt lights on 12 hours.

Things seem to be doing better with the added nitrates and added iron
trace from Seachem. Not much algae and the plants are starting to look a
little more green. The only plat I can't seem to keep is the Val's. They
just decay. (55 gallon regular tank, 81F very soft water with ph about
6.2.) I can't seem to find ANY compact fluorescent lamp over 65 watts in a
21 inch size. Anyone know where I can find one? Thanks for all the help.
It's made a difference.
 >> Stay informed about: Increase in Lighting for 55 Gallon Tank?