# 265g Discus Tank Lighting and Co2 question



## Bowles42 (Mar 5, 2008)

I've been keeping freshwater fish for about 4 years now, and finally decided to take my plants seriously. I found this forum this week and have been reading through a lot of posts, and was hoping I could get some answers from people more knowledgeable then myself. 

I have a 265g Discus tank with two reticulatus stingrays, so I don't want to have the tank heavily planted, but I have been keeping a some crypts and an ozelot sword and a jade sword. After gaining a better understanding of lighting I realized the light sold to me by my LFS may not be optimum. I have a 72" coralife lunar aqualight compact fluorescent strip that came with two 96 watt 10K bulbs and two 96 watt actinic bulbs. Is this enough to grow the plants I have, or should I replace the two actinic bulbs? 

Also, I have a pressurized Co2 hooked up to the tank. I understand that once you get too much light you need to balance it with Co2, but if you don't have enough light does the Co2 do anything? Basically should I have the Co2 on the tank with my current lighting?

Thanks in advance for any help or suggestions.

Edit: Added some pics.


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## jinx© (Oct 17, 2007)

How long have you had the current plants? They will most likely be ok with the lighting, but it wouldnt hurt switching out the other bulbs for a little extra punch.

You having much trouble with the stingrays uprooting things?


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## bgoodwins (May 3, 2007)

CO2 never hurts unless you overinject in which case it kills your fish. Otherwise CO2 is good even at low light levels, keeps the algaes in check.


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## Bowles42 (Mar 5, 2008)

I've had the crypts for over a year, but they haven't grown much, I just got the swords two weeks ago, the ozelot seems to be doing fine, but the jade seems a little limp. I'll get some pics by this evening if I can.

I did have some ludwigia in the tank before I got the rays, but they constantly uprooted it. They left the crypts alone for the most part though. The rays aren't full grown yet, only about 6-7 inches in diameter.


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## plantbrain (Dec 15, 2003)

Rays need lots of sand and sand ground cover.

It's fine if you have a large tank with partial planting around rocks etc.
Deep gravel etc.

Regards, 
Tom Barr


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## Bowles42 (Mar 5, 2008)

How exactly does the Co2 help fight algae? And is the Co2 helping my plants with such a low wattage per gallon ratio? I'm new to most of this, so any help would be appreciated.


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## icex (Dec 4, 2007)

You need to change out the actinic bulbs for ultimate growth. Pretty much you only have 1.3 watts per gallon as Actinic doesent realy help the plants grow.

Do you dose fertalizers?


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## Bowles42 (Mar 5, 2008)

I don't really use ferts, the size of the tank makes it a little cost prohibitive for me currently.


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## Lee (Feb 13, 2007)

The co2 helps the plants grow and be healthy. This keeps the algae from growing on them, especially BBA. Definitely keep the co2 on and if you change the two actinic out for 6700k, you should be perfect for a low light tank. That’s where you want to be because you’re sparsely planted.


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## Lee (Feb 13, 2007)

I assume your referring to liquid ferts? Dry fertilizer is really cheap.


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## Bowles42 (Mar 5, 2008)

I was referring to liquid ferts, but I have been doing some research on dry lately. Thanks for the input btw.


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## lauraleellbp (Feb 3, 2008)

If your reasearch hasn't come across www.RexGrigg.com yet, I'd highly recommend it. Also a good place to buy dry ferts.

For healthy plant growth you need to find the right balance of lighting, carbon source (usually Excel or pressurized CO2; the last would be most cost-effective over time in a large tank), macro and micro nutrients. Provide the right balance of nutrients and the plants should be able to outcompete algae.


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## BiscuitSlayer (Apr 1, 2005)

Bowles42 -

Thats a heluva tank you got there. I would like to see you start a journal of some kind with that tank. I like the discus and your choice of wood and round (river?) rocks.


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## Bowles42 (Mar 5, 2008)

Biscuit, thanks for the kind words. I had never considered starting a journal, but I might give it a shot. The stingrays make plant selection difficult, but I think at some point I will have to choose between them and serious planting.
I found the driftwood at a local lake. It barely fit between the cross beams. I do not relish the idea of taking it out for a move or rescape. I picked up the granite boulders at a local roack shop for cheap. The tanks been up for about a year and half now I think.

@laurelee

I have visited rex's site and found it most helpful.


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