New Lighting = fish are skitish

[butterflymommy]

Hello all,

I have a 90 gallon planted tank that I just put new lights on.
I added 2- 96 watt bulbs. With the change I have had a major out break or brown and green algea. My Discus are also very skitish and in hiding.
Do you think it is to much lighting? Will the Discus adjust ?
Please let me know your thoughts....

lisha

[Carol_Roberts]

It sounds like a lot of light to me, but I'm a bare tank person.

[aix]

What kind of bulbs? Do you know the light temperature (K)? What are the measures of your tank(lenght etc). What kind of bulbs did you have before. I am a plant grower myself and according to my experience I would recommend light no more than 200W total (with reflectors) for your aquarium, otherwise it would be difficult to keep the algae under control. But under 120W your plants probably will not grow much. With added light there is always a balance problem. Check out your CO2, KH, PH relations. If you have enough macroelements lack of CO2 can be the problem. With enough light and CO2 plants will take enough elemets from the water to keep algae problem next to zero.

[Don_Lee]

Tough question there Lisha, and one I think you may ask in the Biotope section too. Personally, I think you will have too much lighting. I used to be a plant guy myself, but found that keeping the plants and fish alive at the same time was a tough road. If you are certain you want to keep the plants, you will probably have to adjust your the amount of nutrients you are adding to the tank. The discus will probably adjust in time.....but I would not say it is ideal for them.

Don ;D

[ronrca]

Discus will adjust to their surroundings. Dont worry! Give them some time and good food! ;)