# Light duration for a moss tank



## wantsome (Sep 3, 2006)

I've been doing alot of searches and reading up on moss tanks. I've read some people go as little as 2-5 hours or 6 max. 

Is this for real and what the purpose of it?

The guy at my local fish store told me to go 10 hours. I'm getting contradictory information so I'm just wondering.


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## Finch_man (Mar 21, 2006)

How big is your tank and how many watts of light do you have?


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## wantsome (Sep 3, 2006)

I have a 5.5 gallon and a 14 watt 8000k strip bulb.


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## Finch_man (Mar 21, 2006)

I think you should run your light 9 hours a day. If you want your moss to grow faster keep at 72 degree or lower and of course adding co2 and fert will also help your moss to grow faster.


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## wantsome (Sep 3, 2006)

I plan on dosing with Excel and Flourish. I'm gonna try with the temp a little higher at about 76 or 78 digrees. I would go with a lower temp but the fish I plan on keeping might not like it that low. I'll give 9 hours a try though.

Thx for the help


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## dknydiep1 (May 21, 2006)

I leave my lights on for 12hrs. 24w over 10g, and never had any algae issues. Moss is green and looking great. I should trim it but im too lazy.


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## Rion (Dec 29, 2006)

I have a 5.5gal w/ a 18watt CF light over it, the light is on for 12 hours and I only have a slight algae problem on the glass at times. The moss grows well all I need to do is actually attach it to the rock it's sitting on. I think 10 hours would be sufficient though.


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## wantsome (Sep 3, 2006)

Rion and dknydiep1 are you using co2 with that lighting? and Rion did you do a retrofit with your light?

I was looking at lighting upgrades for a 16" tank but the only retrofits I could find are 32 watt and 13 watt.

Thx for the input


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## Rion (Dec 29, 2006)

I'm not using any CO2 but I'm thinking of starting a regimen of excel once a week for the water sprite and other plants I'm planning on adding. No, my light is not a retro fit it's a Coralife mini aqualight. It's a 2x9watt fixture but I had replace one of the lights since it was an actinic bulb. It doesn't have any legs to prop it up above the tank so I bought a glass top and removed the black plastic strip since it was blocking half my light.


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## wantsome (Sep 3, 2006)

Rion said:


> I'm not using any CO2 but I'm thinking of starting a regimen of excel once a week for the water sprite and other plants I'm planning on adding. No, my light is not a retro fit it's a Coralife mini aqualight. It's a 2x9watt fixture but I had replace one of the lights since it was an actinic bulb. It doesn't have any legs to prop it up above the tank so I bought a glass top and removed the black plastic strip since it was blocking half my light.


Yeah I was looking at those aqualights but figured it wouldnt fit. It never dawned on me to put it on the glass top. I'll have to look into them.


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## ToYoTa (Jan 30, 2007)

I have christmas moss at 73F 23C 15 watt flourcent 18"'s off 55gal, lying on 10 gal 10HRs day In R/O water no ferts doubled in size 1 one month. --------------->must have water circulating<----------
http://www.aquamoss.net/


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