1.3 watts per gallon?

[M0oN]

Just trying to figure out if 1.3 watts per gallon on a 100 gallon tank would be enough to sustain a few potted swords and the like without having major algae problems...

I'm really not looking to get technical at all in this tank, would just be nice to have somthing to look at and get the benefits of plants.

[Wahter]

That could work; I used to only have 120 watts of light over my 50 gallon tank. Just remember that general rule of "watts per gallon" gets distorted when you get smaller tanks (because you will need a certain minimum intensity) and larger tanks (because the heighth doesn't change proportionally with the volume of the tank).

So 130 watts could work out for you (isn't your 100 gallon tank around 18"-20" tall?). Plus you have that hard water! I've recently moved all of my sword plants into pots; so far, so good. I have flourite for most of the substrate, a Duplarit K (laterite) ball, and some jobe's tabs, inserted into the root area. Once I remove all the gravel from the tank, I'll post some pics.

[M0oN]

Yeah Wahter, it's a 20" tall tank, I've got a lot of free floating horn wort that I'd like to grow and divide out faster then it is too.

Think you can send me some sword trimmings once I get the lighting fixture all set up? I'm actually looking into how I can get an acrylic pot made that has a sort of lid around the base of the plant so that debris can't get into it, but I'm not sure on how well it would work.

[vickie s]

Hey Moon,
How about using one of those square plastic boxes with lids that the craft stores sale? They come in lots of sizes (and colors) and I think you can drill a hole in the lid for the plant. Once the plants get large you will problably have alot of difficulty getting the plants out the hole and may have to break the lid.
What kind of swords are you looking for? I have a marti and some rosettes that could use a good home. I will also be thinning the crypts soon if you want some of those.
let me know,
vickie

[M0oN]

Never had much luck with crypts, I won't be getting the lighting setup for another month or two but preferably any low maintenance fast growing swords will do

[ChloroPhil]

That sounds just fine MoON. Oftentimes larger tanks need less light on the watts/gallon scale.

My Jeopardy Question/Answer for the day:

The sun provides between 800 and 1000 of light in a ten square foot area at sea level on a clear day. Many of our aquariums have a much higher amount of light than plants get in nature.

What is: The Solar Constant?

Best,
Phil

[Wahter]

[quote author=M0oN link=board=7;threadid=17662;start=0#msg181487 date=1080750752]
Yeah Wahter, it's a 20" tall tank, I've got a lot of free floating horn wort that I'd like to grow and divide out faster then it is too.

Think you can send me some sword trimmings once I get the lighting fixture all set up? I'm actually looking into how I can get an acrylic pot made that has a sort of lid around the base of the plant so that debris can't get into it, but I'm not sure on how well it would work.
[/quote]

M0on,

If you want to keep some swords, make sure they aren't shaded by the hornwort.

I'd give you some sword plantlets, but I'm out of anything medium sized right now - I sold all the ones I had last month at our local club's auction. It'll be awhile before the mother plants send out new babies (I've only got a couple of rubin swords that are shorter than my thumbs!).

[M0oN]

Not a big deal Wahter, they're easy to find out here and I have a few friends with some flame swords or somthing like that that are pretty nice looking...

[RAWesolowski]

Phil,

Google is so great...

Solar Constant
Describes the Solar Radiation that falls on an area above the atmosphere at a vertical angle: s = 1.37 kW / m².

In space, solar radiation is practically constant; on earth it varies with the time of day and year as well as with the latitude and weather. The maximum value on earth is between 0.8 and 1.0 kW / m². In Germany, the average annual amount of insolation varies between 950 and 1100 kWh / m², depending on the region.

Thank you, Phil.

[ChloroPhil]

Bob,

I love google too! I get info there so much faster than I do in my Climatology class.