# Setting up a low tech tank, would like some feedback



## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

You are now used to seeing a reef tank with the much higher light intensity than a low light planted freshwater tank uses. I suspect that the light intensity you have is still too high. Our eyes are lousy light meters! I can't find any PAR data for that light, especially with just the white LEDs turned on. If you have a lux meter you can measure the lux at the distance that the substrate is from your light, then divide the lux by 70 and you will have a crude guess as to what PAR you are getting. For a low light tank anything over 35 PAR is enough to cause you to have to be very careful not to get a algae farm started. If you use Excel daily, dosing 2 ml per 10 gallons of water, you will stand a much better chance of avoiding algae. But, you won't want to stop the Excel dosing for a week every 2 weeks - that, by itself, could encourage algae to start growing.


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## alexk3954 (Nov 9, 2005)

Thanks for the reply Hoppy. I don't have a lux meter or know anyone who owns one. I might cut back the light intensity even further and see how everything does. Are there any specific signs that I should keep an eye out for to see if the plants are not getting enough light?

I might give the excel dosing a shot and just see what happens if I leave the tank for a week and have to stop dosing. For most of the year I am around, it is just in the summer time that I am frequently out and about.


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## vvDO (Oct 18, 2010)

Looks nice so far. Nature aquarium in Santa Monica may have dwarf corys, you should be able to keep 6-8 Cory habrosus or pygmaeus if you can find them. If your ever in Goleta near Santa Barbara you can check out Pet House, they usually carry habrosus.


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## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

alexk3954 said:


> Thanks for the reply Hoppy. I don't have a lux meter or know anyone who owns one. I might cut back the light intensity even further and see how everything does. Are there any specific signs that I should keep an eye out for to see if the plants are not getting enough light?
> 
> I might give the excel dosing a shot and just see what happens if I leave the tank for a week and have to stop dosing. For most of the year I am around, it is just in the summer time that I am frequently out and about.


You can get a digital luxmeter from Ebay or Amazon, as well as other internet stores, by searching them for "digital luxmeter", for about $25. That can be money worth spending, even though you won't use it very often.


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