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Re: Aquatic Plants Digest V3 #390

> From: Curt Shambeau <curt at execpc_com>
> > tank is a 70 gal tank with 3 40watt Triton bulbs.  I am considering
> > upgrading the
> > lighting system and would like some advice, since the whole thing seems
>
> First, you didn't really say *WHY* you want to upgrade your lighting
> system.  Are your plants not doing well?  Do you use any type of CO2
> injection?  I have 3 40-watt bulbs (All-Glass strip lights - one twin
> tube, and one single tube) on my 75G Tank, and my plants are growing like
> crazy.  Of course, right now it is not a real heavily planted tank (which
> will be changing soon).
>
> Just thinking that if you want to spend your money on the hobby, you might
> as well put it where it will do the most good.

Darn good point.  Sorry I didn't add that to the original message.  I want to
optimize my plants growth and health.  Currently, I have:
  3 40watt triton bulbs
  CO2 injection from a 10lb cylinder into an eheim reactor (I've been told I need
another reactor to optimize the CO2)
  liquid fertilizer (Kent, Flourish, and Flourish Iron)
  solid fertilizer mixed into the gravel (but its about time for me to add more)

The plants are doing well, but I want to do what is best for them.  The tank is
medium density (judging by the show tank at the lfs, which has no real empty area
for fish and no free space on the gravel bed).  Theirs has no real empty area for
fish or further growth, and mine is about 2/3 full, with maybe 15% uncovered
gravel area.  The idea that I might want to upgrade the lighting come from
observation.  I've seen 3 show tanks at various lfs.  Of the three, they all had
a LOT of light.  The most recent one had 6 175 watt MH bulbs on a 150 gal tank.
Thats about 7 watts/gal, where mine is only about 1.7 watts/gal.  With this in
mind, and comparing the lush growth of the lfs, I was wondering how much more
light, if any I need to improve the quality of my plants...

It really impressed me that the show tank plants were literly streaming bubbles
from the edges of their leaves.  Mine don't do that.  :)

Thanks for all the help I've received so far...  This is a great list, and I'm
glad I've found it.