150watt metal halide on a 30 gallon planted tank.

[eklikewhoa]

IME MH surrounded by a few tubes of T5HO does the trick when using high light foreground and to keep stems in their lush growth.

[fwazeter]

IME MH surrounded by a few tubes of T5HO does the trick when using high light foreground and to keep stems in their lush growth.

I like you, you've got the right mindset.

[Totenkampf]

i have actually cut back to 4 x 54w (from 6 lamps) T5 on my 75 gallon and am still getting nice reds and good growth using only PPS-PRO dosing and excel. i am still getting some hair algae due to the long photoperiod put i can live with the small amount. it is choking my peacock fern though so i may get sick of that. digitallihn brought up a point about controlling algae not by PO4 or Fe restriction but via light energy. I am trying it and may end up totally agreeing that it is the easiest way. It is all about balance, but I agree that plants will only grow so fast and their growth curve will eventually net you diminishing returns. Incidently I had a 250W MH over a 37 gallon to grow glosso flat and it didnt go well so I will never use MH again but maybe I needed to play around with it more. I wonder how much the heat could affect algae growth versus just the intensity? If I recall correctly, algae blooms may occur in freshwater lakes if median water temps rise too much.

[gardentank]

This tank has been running dual t8's and is about to get a major upgrade IMO. I was wondering how far away from the substrate should i start with the 150mh? I know i need to cut my light cycle back alot too, probably go from 8hrs to 4 or 5 to start.

. Do you have a way to hang the light high above the tank and adjust it? If so I would do a 5 hour photoperiod, start with the light super high (I sometimes run my t5 lighting over 12 inches from the surface of my 55 gallon but it varies) and experiment with finding the right height. In my experience, plants actually grow fastest when the light is really high over the surface(they stretch) and super compact but slow with the light right over the surface. Look for signs of your plants developing stunted distorted curled or twisted NEW leaves.. this means your light is too intense for that particular plant. So if you find the closest height to the surface that doesn't result in stunted plants, then you will get the most intense colors from your plants. Keep us posted!

[nightster]

Well I imagine I'm gonna have some algae problems soon. This sucker is bright.

[ssrprelude]

Start with a shorter photo period for now then ramp it up to what your plants like.

[nightster]

I'm running 6 hours might bring it down to 5 for a week or 2.

[gardentank]

Well I imagine I'm gonna have some algae problems soon. This sucker is bright.

This might sound crazy but I know its true from experience: in order to prevent algae in a tank with that much light you need to add a lot MORE fertilizers than usual. The plants will use it up faster and the constantly changing levels of nutrients will prevent algae from starting in the first place but the second nitrogen potassium phosphorus, carbon (dioxide) calcium magnesium or iron run out, the plants stop growing and the algae takes over. Also I would definately overdose flourish excel once or twice a week. I learned all this from years of trial and error. I don't care what everybody says about phosphates causing algae, It's false. I keep my nitrates at 15ppm, phosphates at 15ppm and use Seachem equilibrium to dose calcium magnesium and potassium and I use about 5 times the reccomended amount of flourish comprehensive but my tank is almost full of plants.... And I don't have algae problems UNLESS I let something bottom out.

[Dan]

This might sound crazy but I know its true from experience: in order to prevent algae in a tank with that much light you need to add a lot MORE fertilizers than usual. The plants will use it up faster and the constantly changing levels of nutrients will prevent algae from starting in the first place but the second nitrogen potassium phosphorus, carbon (dioxide) calcium magnesium or iron run out, the plants stop growing and the algae takes over. Also I would definately overdose flourish excel once or twice a week. I learned all this from years of trial and error. I don't care what everybody says about phosphates causing algae, It's false. I keep my nitrates at 15ppm, phosphates at 15ppm and use Seachem equilibrium to dose calcium magnesium and potassium and I use about 5 times the reccomended amount of flourish comprehensive but my tank is almost full of plants.... And I don't have algae problems UNLESS I let something bottom out.

I definitely agree with you, the system is only as good as its weakest link. The lights are what basically drives the system. The more intense the lights are the more nutrients and CO2 you are going to need As soon as you bottom out of nutrients (micro, macro) or CO2 you will incur the wrath of algae. I dose more than EI ever suggested and have zero algae, micros and macros alike.

The trick is CO2, nutrients are easy, CO2 on the other hand is difficult to maintain/measure. Forget the drop checker if you are relying on one, look at your plants to tell you what they need.

Dan