# 55 gal, T5 6.7k 28w & "blue" T5



## jimsz (Oct 11, 2011)

I have a 2 year old 55 gallon tank with all live plants. 

The light I have has two t5's - 6.7k, 28w 48". One of them is a bluish light and the other is stamped with what I typed. Less than a year old.

Is this enough light for plants? Lower light plants do just fine but brighter light plants die out. Lights are on about 6 hours a day.
I really have no algae issues (other than some black algae I caught from a petco plant long ago that I was never able to fully eradicate).

Is the lighting sufficient or lacking?


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## Goby (Mar 21, 2012)

The power of the bulbs is adequate but a photo period of 6 hours isn't...IMO. Depending on the plants, 8 hours minimum...some plants require 12. 

Why'd you go with 6 hours?


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## majerah1 (Oct 29, 2010)

I agree, at the very least eight hours of lighting. I keep mine on for thirteen on my 55. lol


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## jimsz (Oct 11, 2011)

Goby said:


> The power of the bulbs is adequate but a photo period of 6 hours isn't...IMO. Depending on the plants, 8 hours minimum...some plants require 12.
> 
> Why'd you go with 6 hours?


A year or so ago when i asked about a black algae (on plants) question. I was told that having my lights on for 10 hours was too long!

I was infected with black algae on a plant I bought at Petco. It spread to other plants.

I'll change the timers tonight!


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## Raymond S. (Jan 11, 2013)

A 55 is tall and the light gets to the plants a bit less than in tanks not that tall. More hrs(most use 8 at least) and try to look up plants by light requirements.
Plants which have any color except green need excess light but some will just grow green without it.
All Plants - Plant Profiles
Tropical freshwater aquarium fish: Find plants
These can be helpful.
I have been told time and again that the useful life of the correct light spectrum from these lights is 9 months. You may be better off with 2 6700K bulbs.
Lowe's sells a GE "Daylight" bulb marked 6500K cheap.


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## jimsz (Oct 11, 2011)

Thanks all for the feedback!


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## jamnigh (Apr 24, 2013)

Yeah I have a 20g and I keep my light on for about 10-12 hours a day. So far no algae on my end, though I don't have a CO2 setup, I just dose with liquid CO2 and use fert tabs.


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## Goby (Mar 21, 2012)

jimsz said:


> A year or so ago when i asked about a black algae (on plants) question. I was told that having my lights on for 10 hours was too long!
> 
> I was infected with black algae on a plant I bought at Petco. It spread to other plants.
> 
> I'll change the timers tonight!



The plants are going to have a biological reaction to their changed schedule...it's going to mess with their circadian rhythms and metabolic processes. If this were my tank, I'd increase the photo period gradually- one hour per week. I would titrate up to a 12-hour photo period. Keep in mind that many aquarium plants are tropical and in nature, they get light for roughly 14 hours. 

The downside of an increased photo period is more heat...watch that. An increased photo period/heat may effect other parameters one of which is dissolved gasses...you'll want to keep a close eye on those levels and understand how they interact with each other during change. 

A gradual titration of more light will hinder increased algae growth, but it won't stop it entirely. If the black algae gets to be a problem again, you'll be at a different drawing board.


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## jimsz (Oct 11, 2011)

Goby said:


> If the black algae gets to be a problem again, you'll be at a different drawing board.


How do you fight the black algae? I got it in my tank long ago from buying a small plant at a chain fish store and was naive enough to believe the clerk that it wasn't a problem.

Now, a coupe years later I know I should have not bought it. I have scrubbed, cleaned, replaced and it is still showing up now and then and then it spreads.


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## Raymond S. (Jan 11, 2013)

Can you give a positive ID from this site ?
Algae in the Planted Aquarium-- Guitarfish. The type called black algae was in a shop near me and is no longer there. I will stop by and ask him how he removed it.
I have the green type that I call sheet algae. Nothing yet on getting rid if it entirely. I've turned out the lights for 5 days...nothing. Excel doesn't seem
to effect it as it does the hair algae. But if you could identify it for sure...it may help.


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## jimsz (Oct 11, 2011)

Raymond S. said:


> Can you give a positive ID from this site ?
> Algae in the Planted Aquarium-- Guitarfish. The type called black algae was in a shop near me and is no longer there. I will stop by and ask him how he removed it.
> I have the green type that I call sheet algae. Nothing yet on getting rid if it entirely. I've turned out the lights for 5 days...nothing. Excel doesn't seem
> to effect it as it does the hair algae. But if you could identify it for sure...it may help.


Black Brush/Beard algae.

In the past I have done the bleach dip to plants and decorations also did toothbrush scrape, eliminated plants that seemed prone, etc. 

My water readings are dead on and we have had no issues for 2 years. Water changes are weekly 50-75%.


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

I've used hydrogen peroxide to kill BBA.
Hydrogen peroxide - The Free Freshwater and Saltwater Aquarium Encyclopedia Anyone Can Edit - The Aquarium Wiki


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