# Aquaticlife Dual-Lamp T5-HO how many hours a day



## tlyons01 (Nov 23, 2011)

Since no one has stopped by yet to answer, I will share what I have learned so far. In a non co2 tank, it is good to have a break midday so that the plants can make more co2. I would recommend a schedule similar to the following 4 hours on, 2 hour break, 4 hours on. A timer would be a great investment for that reason. If you see that you are getting too much algae and your plants are unable to compete for the nutrients, you might need to reduce the lighting or diffuse the lamp. I am not aware how many watts you are running, but I'm sure they are pretty powerful. Though you may not have issues in a lightly planted tank. It will take time before you know if you have the right balance or not of the lighting and excel and flourish. I am learning now that it can take 1-2 weeks before you can tell how your plants are responding, good or bad..

I am sure someone with more experience will also shed some light soon...


----------



## Mostlydave (Jan 12, 2012)

I'll try the midday break! anyone else have any thoughts or could maybe ID the plant in the second pic?


----------



## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

A single T5HO bulb, with a good reflector and good ballast provides too much light to do without CO2 and non-limiting fertilizing with NPK and trace elements. You have twice that much light! If you raise the light about 10-12 inches above the top of the tank, you will have a more reasonable light level. Or you can put a layer of fiberglass window screen between the light and the tank, reducing the intensity by 40%.

Ten hours is a long photoperiod. You could reduce that to 6-8 hours, which might help.

Excel is a good CO2 substitute for relatively low light tanks, but not for medium to high light tanks. If you want to use high light, as you now are, you have to use pressurized CO2.


----------



## Mostlydave (Jan 12, 2012)

I'll reduce my photo period to 6 hours.

I'm new to planted tanks and I'm not trying to be rude or anything but I really don't get the concept of to much light. What will happen with to much light? 

I also don't get that in all the research I did before buying a light that the rule is 2 watts per gallon, now that's way too much for some reason?

I do have a lot of fish in this tank, would they with the excel be enough C02 for my plants?

Like I said I'm new to this and I really don't get what to much light is going to do and how plants survive in the wild without the benefit of C02 injection


----------



## xxbenjamminxx (Aug 8, 2011)

Well the wpg rule is basically useless these days. That was made for older style t8 lights, and with a t5ho being way more efficient it makes ALOT more light with same amount of wattage.

With too much light your tank will not achieve a balance between light, ferts, and co2 causing you to basically just create an algae farm. Hoppy is the one to get lighting advise from and fully agree with him on raising your light up some to prevent too much light. As for the Excel it is just a co2 substitute and your fish will produce some fertilizer for you but may be not be enough esp if you keep your light lowered and dose excel. 

Think of your light as the gas pedal in your car. More light the faster your tank goes, needing more ferts and co2 which are you gas. More light means you will need more ferts etc.. between dosings to prevent you from running out and less light = less gas needed between dosings. If you run out of ferts with higher light the algae is given an opportunity to take over and thrive in your tank. 

Hope this helps you a little and check out the sticky in the lighting forum where Hoppy has made some nice little charts to give you an idea of what lighting levels you should shoot for.


----------



## Mostlydave (Jan 12, 2012)

Makes sense, I guess I'll start looking at C02 systems. Would the DIY methods work for me realistically or am I going to need to get an actual tank of C02?


----------



## xxbenjamminxx (Aug 8, 2011)

On a 55g tank you could make it work Im sure but would prob be along the lines of like 4 two liter bottles and mixing up new batches everyweek or so to keep it going. In the long run would be cheaper to get a decent setup and skip the diy all together. Excel would still be an option too but it also more costly in the long run. Could always check out the Glut substitute until your ready for a co2 setup. Check out Overstocked in the power seller forum, he has a form of Glut (Excel) that is cheaper and more potent than actual excel by seachem if you go that route.


----------



## Mostlydave (Jan 12, 2012)

any recommendations for a decent setup or what it should cost?


----------



## Daximus (Oct 19, 2011)

Mostlydave said:


> any recommendations for a decent setup or what it should cost?


Speaking of Co2 you mean?


----------



## Mostlydave (Jan 12, 2012)

Yes I mean a C02 setup as in what do I need and what should I look for. I'm totally new to it and planted tanks in general. Would the Glut substitute work instead of C02?


----------



## Daximus (Oct 19, 2011)

Mostlydave said:


> Yes I mean a C02 setup as in what do I need and what should I look for. I'm totally new to it and planted tanks in general. Would the Glut substitute work instead of C02?


I don't think anything substitutes for Co2 except Co2 honestly. 

Like lights, Co2 systems can be simple or complex, relatively cheap or insanely expensive. 

For an entry level system here is what I have. It's working very well for me. There are better ones available, but it works as advertised. Alternatively there are some forum members who can build better setups for about the same price or just slightly more. 

One of these...
http://www.amazon.com/AQUATEK-Regulator-COOL-TOUCH-SOLENOID/dp/B0041YLM7G/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1329506697&sr=8-1
And one of these...
http://www.amazon.com/5-LB-CO2-Cylinder-Aluminum/dp/B0023VE8F2/ref=pd_sim_petsupplies_5

With those two items you will only need some air line, a way to diffuse the Co2 (diffuser, reactor, or even an airstone), and you will need to get the bottle filled (which is pretty cheap).


----------



## Mostlydave (Jan 12, 2012)

Daximus said:


> I don't think anything substitutes for Co2 except Co2 honestly.
> 
> Like lights, Co2 systems can be simple or complex, relatively cheap or insanely expensive.
> 
> ...


Thanks, Thats the kind of info I was looking for


----------



## Mostlydave (Jan 12, 2012)

Well, I've been running this light since I originally posted and it's way too much light! My Amazon Sword has really grown since then but I'm also getting way to much algae growing really fast!

Hoppy reccomended fiberglass screen to reduce light, I may have to do that until I can get a C02 setup, does anyone know if using clear contact paper on the bottom of the light would help me out at all here?

I don't want to raise or hang the light, but I do need to do at least temporarily until I can get c02! Would the clear contact paper block enough light but not make my tank dark?


----------



## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

I haven't tried that contact paper, nor have I read anything from anyone who has. The window screen is very cheap and I did test it, so I know what it does. Having the light a foot above the top of the tank makes maintenance very easy, and can look good, so that might be the best thing to try first.


----------



## madness (Jul 31, 2011)

I have several of the same lights (though all on shorter/smaller tanks) and there is just WAY too much light.

The real answer is to cut down the amount of light that enters the tank.

My solution was to toss in a bunch of frogbit and I have had really good luck with this - not only does the frogbit cover the surface and noticeably dim the amount of light getting into the water but the frogbit seems to outcompete the algae a bit as well.

I have never measured it but I would guess that my tanks (with basically a full coverage of floating plants) almost cut the light in the tank by half.

Even with no CO2 and sporadic fert dosing (they are shrimp tanks primarily) I am able to avoid serious algae problems.

I would go with the window screen option that Hoppy suggests and then if you don't go with CO2 then consider adding some floating plants to block some of the light as well.


----------



## Miles (Sep 9, 2011)

Hoppy said:


> A single T5HO bulb, with a good reflector and good ballast provides too much light to do without CO2 and non-limiting fertilizing with NPK and trace elements. You have twice that much light! If you raise the light about 10-12 inches above the top of the tank, you will have a more reasonable light level. Or you can put a layer of fiberglass window screen between the light and the tank, reducing the intensity by 40%.
> 
> Ten hours is a long photoperiod. You could reduce that to 6-8 hours, which might help.
> 
> Excel is a good CO2 substitute for relatively low light tanks, but not for medium to high light tanks. If you want to use high light, as you now are, you have to use pressurized CO2.


T5's ten to twelve inches above the tank is a bit crazy, especially for just two 48" bulbs, I have an aquatic life and run it ten hours per day with excel, and a couple other flourish things and it's totally fine.


----------



## Miles (Sep 9, 2011)

And instead of buying your cylinder off amazon, check out local welding supply stores, usually cheaper. Plus they come pre filled most of the time


----------

