# To Much Light ?



## Bigmike (May 18, 2012)

I was just wondering if there is a such thing as to much aquarium lighting in a planted tank if I don't use CO2 ?

Its a 125g with 4 95w compact flourescents.


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

Is your tank a standard 6ft tank? I don't think that would qualify, but there is such a thing as too much light for sure. 

I used to have 4-bulb (39W each), 36" T5HO fixtures side-by-side just 2" above my tank. That was too much light, seemingly no matter how much CO2 I was pumping. Now the lights are about 14" above the tank and down to medium lighting. Much easier to control.


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## Bigmike (May 18, 2012)

It is the standard 6ft.

My reason for asking is i've had a 55 and and 75 planted tank a few years ago that didn't have near as much light but the plants did pretty good (the easier ones)and little algae. So I figured with twice the lights my plants would do even better but that isn't the case. I'm losing a lot of plants and a lot more algae and the the only thing different from my old tanks is the increased size and a lot better lighting.

Has me puzzled.....


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## BBradbury (Apr 22, 2011)

Bigmike said:


> I was just wondering if there is a such thing as to much aquarium lighting in a planted tank if I don't use CO2 ?
> 
> Its a 125g with 4 95w compact flourescents.


Hello Big Mike...

You have some "Big" light there. Unless you keep rare plants that require high end lighting, a couple of those bulbs would grow most of the plants available. Florescent bulbs are a good choice. Too much light has a "steriod" affect on plants. They'll grow quickly, but have a shorter life. 

The low tech, natural route works fine. CO2 is pricey and unneccessary. Plants will grow fine without it. My tanks are full of healthy plants and I just go the low tech route too.

B


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

Higher light does not cause plants to have a shorter lifespan. If you've never had it, how do you know? I have several plants that have lived well over 2 yrs. Their needs do increase though.

Your plants may be suffering from a lack of nutrients to include CO2. Higher light, higher needs tor micros, macros, trace, CO2. If the plants don't get it, they can suffer.


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## BBradbury (Apr 22, 2011)

jrman83 said:


> Higher light does not cause plants to have a shorter lifespan. If you've never had it, how do you know? I have several plants that have lived well over 2 yrs. Their needs do increase though.
> 
> Your plants may be suffering from a lack of nutrients to include CO2. Higher light, higher needs tor micros, macros, trace, CO2. If the plants don't get it, they can suffer.


Hello again shipmate...

I'll have to disagree with you. I think we could possibly agree that nothing in the tank lives forever. This may seem strange, but if I increase the light, I trick the plant or plants into faster growth, because I've changed their environment they start to grow like a surface plant because they're closer to the sun. I have old plants, but eventually they get so old they're unable to regenerate. If I give a plant the perfect environment, it will live a long time. If I double the light the plant gets, the plant will respond with increased growth, but will only live half as long. 

B


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## claygriffith01 (Apr 24, 2012)

It's important to remember that most plants do not have a definite lifespan like animals do. 

The Straight Dope: Do trees ever die of old age?


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## Bigmike (May 18, 2012)

Appreciate all the comments and I wish my problem was only how long are they going to live. Some of my plants are lucky to live 2 or 3 weeks before they pollute the tanks with rotting leaves. Some of what i have or had before rotting is Alternanthera reineckii 'roseafolia', Green Cabomba, pennywort, Foxtail Red, Foxtail Green, Star Grass, Ludwigia Glandulosa, Giant Hair grass, Vallisneria Spiralis, Mondo Grass, Giant hygro etc.


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

BBradbury said:


> Hello again shipmate...
> 
> I'll have to disagree with you. I think we could possibly agree that nothing in the tank lives forever. This may seem strange, but if I increase the light, I trick the plant or plants into faster growth, because I've changed their environment they start to grow like a surface plant because they're closer to the sun. I have old plants, but eventually they get so old they're unable to regenerate. If I give a plant the perfect environment, it will live a long time. If I double the light the plant gets, the plant will respond with increased growth, but will only live half as long.
> 
> B


Adding higher light is tricking the plant? I think you have that reversed. You add low light and barely give it enough to live and grow....doesn't sound quite like the sun does it? Plants outside the tank grow exceptionally faster than they EVER will inside of it, due to reduced amounts of light and CO2. I think higher light gives the plant much more close to what it came from, not the other way around. Either way, a plant that has better light will grow faster, thereby eating up more nutrients (good in an aquarium I think), produce more offspring, give off more oxygen, need to be clipped and replanted at least 4-5x faster than a low light tank,.....should I go on?

I believe a plant that grows slow but has the potential to grow much faster under better light is just on the edge of hanging on. Let a plant go to its full potential and all the while giving it the extra nutrients it needs is a much better way to go. More costly? Maybe.....I didn't get into it just to see how little I could do with it, so does it matter?

I love it when people that have never experienced the full potential of a planted tank come on here and say things like, "you don't need things like CO2...it cost too much". Mostly the same people that have never tried and fully understand what it can do for the aquarists...sort of an unqualified opinion. Take any one of your tanks and slap on a couple of DIY CO2 mixtures and watch your plants (don't worry it will only cost a few $). You will be absolutely amazed. And then maybe your opinion would be different about things like higher light levels, dry fert dosing, or CO2. You may be right in that a lot of tanks don't "need" CO2, but even in low light tanks with CO2 the difference in the health and growth of your plants could change your mind. Break out of your paradigm!


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## Bigmike (May 18, 2012)

Just an update, been running 2 bulbs instead of all 4 and everything seems to be improving slowly


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