Too much light, to make it darker? Blackwater Extract?

[CroDiscus]

I got a 80 gallon with 2x 54W t5 and it looks like a solarium. I want to reduce it but it's not really possible since I can't remove one, the other wont work then.
Was thinking about Blackwater Conditioner aka. Blackwater Extract what do you think about that? And how does it work with a UV? Will the UV clean the Blackwater Extract in 24h and make it crystal clean or will it be good?

[Bill63SG]

Is it too obvious to just get a weaker light instead of messing around with the water?

[Second Hand Pat]

You could just some window screen, folded into layers and place between the water and light. Add or subtract layers as needed. For staining the water I would suggest rooibos tea. Get the organic loose leaf from Amazon, place a couple table spoons in a media bag and set it in the water column.
Pat

[DJW]

The Rooibos tea or the tannins in blackwater will be removed by carbon or by purigen, not by the UV.

[Jason.M]

Paint half of the bulbs length wise with black paint. Then you can rotate the bulbs to give you the amount of light you want. That's what I did with mine on my 125. I found with the full black painted side of the bulb facing down it was to dark so I have mine rotated a bit.

[Filip]

Uv won't take the tannins out.
You can also get floating plants or try buying one 3000 kelvin light it's a bit yellowish and dimmer than 6500 and will accent the red and warm colours of your Discus.

[navarro1950]

I take it the the bulb that works is the one stuck that you can't get out and the one that doesn't work is broken, I would try to get the stuck bulb out and use a bulb with lesser kelvins like Filip says. Does Blackwater tonic change the ph of your water if so, don't use it because you'll just make unnecessary work for yourself trying to adjust the ph. Get the bulb out and but another one.

[Boyd Luth]

Are you able to increase ( raise ) the lite fixture further away from the tank, thereby decreasing the intensity ?

[CroDiscus]

Is it too obvious to just get a weaker light instead of messing around with the water?

No you can't this are special t5 length and there are only 54W models.

Painting the t5 is also not smart since it burns like hell, it will dry the paint and then the small fragments of paint will fall off and in the aquarium.

I can't move the top with the lights nor can I put something inside, no way to fixate it.

[Mrs. J]

Go to your nearest discount store and purchase an inexpensive roll of shelf paper that looks like an etched glass pattern...non stick. Mine looks like a lot of little diamonds on it. Cut a piece to fit under your light and put it between light and top. You can remove it as needed, clean it, etc. Very inexpensive...less than 6.00. You can use it on half of the top or more as needed.

[strawberryblonde]

When I had t5's that were too bright (have since gotten rid of them an purchased an inexpensive LED bar with a remote that allows me to dim the lights) I just put film on the actual tank tops to dim the lights. You can use nearly anything you have handy, or purchase the film. Contact paper works well, just be sure that it's the shelf liner type that's easy to remove.

I've used colored paper, newspaper, press N seal kitchen wrap and shelf liner. They all work. Just find the one with the proper amount of translucency to provide enough light for your tank. Putting the film onto the top rather than on the light fixtures themselves will eliminate the fire hazard.

The other option is to remove the t5's and then purchase and install an LED strip light. They aren't hard to install and are fairly inexpensive if you shop around on the internet.

[DISCUS STU]

I usually just put a piece of tin foil between the light source and the glass canopy that it's resting on. You can also lightly spray paint fluorescent bulbs.

[DJW]

I use foil also. I have square pieces of foil that sit below the light that I can slide around to adjust the light. If a plant is getting some algae I darken that part by moving the foil over it.

[pitdogg2]

I take it the the bulb that works is the one stuck that you can't get out and the one that doesn't work is broken, I would try to get the stuck bulb out and use a bulb with lesser kelvins like Filip says. Does Blackwater tonic change the ph of your water if so, don't use it because you'll just make unnecessary work for yourself trying to adjust the ph. Get the bulb out and but another one.

some lights the way they are wired it is all or none has nothing to do with being stuck. I do agree with getting different bulbs to lower light putput.