1. Welcome to Aquarium Space! We are a friendly online community for aquarium owners all over the world who love their tanks including their fish, reefs, corals, invertebrates and their aquatic livestock. If you haven't joined yet, we invite you to register and join our community!

watts per gallon

Discussion in 'Aquatic Plants & Planted Tanks' started by lethalcustoms00, Mar 28, 2010.

  1. lethalcustoms00

    lethalcustoms00 Thread Starter Member

    Messages:
    58
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    6
    how much is too much? of my 7 planted tanks, i have anywhere from just over 3 all the way to over 15 wpg. is there such a thing as too much?
     
    lethalcustoms00, Mar 28, 2010
    #1
  2. Anthony

    Anthony Active Member

    Messages:
    5,728
    Likes Received:
    2
    Trophy Points:
    38
    That's an interesting question. Whether or not you're providing too much light would depend on several things. A couple of which are.

    1) The type of lighting. T5's, CPs, etc
    2) If you're using cO2 or not.
    3) Exactly what you're feeding the plants. Feeding meaning trace elements, nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus, micro-nutrients like iron, and other trace elements.

    Algae is less picky and if you're providing too much light and not enough of what your plants need the algae will take over and the plants will die. If that happens then I'd say you're providing too much light.

    Also you'll want to keep your fish in mind. Too much light can cause them to be stressed.
     
    Anthony, Mar 28, 2010
    #2
  3. YellowCichlid

    YellowCichlid New Member

    Messages:
    572
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    Yeah as long as fish aren't in question unless you have an algae problem I don't think you have to worry about too many watts per gallon
     
    YellowCichlid, Mar 28, 2010
    #3
  4. lethalcustoms00

    lethalcustoms00 Thread Starter Member

    Messages:
    58
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    6
    mostly cp, a few t5. i use diy c02 and liquid ferts. there are fish in all the tanks but nothng that seems to be bothered by the light, i try to avoid that.
     
    lethalcustoms00, Mar 28, 2010
    #4
  5. FishVixen

    FishVixen Active Member

    Messages:
    801
    Likes Received:
    1
    Trophy Points:
    38
    Different plants have different light requirements so as long as the algae is not taking over and the plants are growing and the right color there should be no problem. You say you use cO2 so anything above 3 to 4 watts per gallon should be thriving. As long as you don't overdose the cO2 your on the right track.
     
    FishVixen, Apr 28, 2010
    #5