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AQUATIC PLANTS DIGEST V1
Some one asked about lighting and there effects on algea and increased
wattage to decrease time.
Well from all the information and study i did time X wattage should equal
a costant for your particular situation, but only up to a point. When the
time factor gets under the 8 hour point it seems like added wattage will not
allow you to decrese time proportionatly. On the other hand decreasing
where the time exceeds 12 hours again does not work proportionatly on the
factor that the plants do need the added period of time to resporate and
consume oxygen and emmit CO2.
The effect this has on algea are also not just dependent upon light but the
water conditions as well. In non-CO2 generated tanks I have found the
heavey planting seems to reduce algea production regardless of the light
duration and and intensity. Perhaps in Mr. Booth's tanks the reson that
9 hours keeps his algea down is because with his lighting a longer duration
actually produces more light than what is needed. I do believe that he could
decrease his wattage and extend the duration with little change to his algea
growth.
An interesting tank i had years back with no noticable algea was a heavey
planted crypt tank that I used to breed guppies in. There was only one
20 Watt florecsent grow lux bulb that burned 14 hours a day. Crypts had to
be thinned out every 2 to 3