horsensnowrider

Does anyone know if I need to compensate i.e. more hours etc. for splitting up the time the lights are on?
I have a 90g planted tank, deep (24"). Lights are a Coralife cf system with 2) 65w 10K and 2) 65w 6700 actinic. I do plan to replace the bulbs with 50/50 when due for the first replacement.
Currently I have all the lights on from 8:00 a.m. to noon then they go off til 4:00 p.m. then they're on for another 4 hours. I like this schedule so I can view the fish best when I'm home in the morning then again in the evening. There is minimal ambient light during the day from windows. Moon lights are on for another 4 hours.
I first started with 12 hours straight but that was too much as I developed a major algae bloom.
I think the plants could be doing better, the low light plants, java, anubus etc. are doing ok, but I don't know if that's due to the lights or if the others that are more delicate aren't thriving as I think they should because the 12" pleco likes to maul them.
Suggestions?
Thanks,
Tina

mathas

I don't believe there's any need to compensate just because your lighted hours aren't consecutive. I run my lights from 9am-1pm and 4pm-10pm with good growth and no adverse affects.

If you want to see better growth, get rid of the actinic bulb. They're good for marine setups/coral, but not so great for freshwater plants, and the same goes for the 50/50 lights. You'd do much better with a 6700K, GE 9325K (my personal favorite, and compatible with the Coralife fixtures), or 10000K bulb.

Another note is carbon. With 260 potential watts of light over 90 gallons, you're going to need some sort of carbon supplementation. Pressurized CO2 would be best, but Flourish Excel can work if you're lucky. I have 40W less than you do but better reflectors, so I'd say we're probably about even on lighting, and I'm contemplating which bank to rob to afford a CO2 setup Excel is doing OK for me, but I know the tank could do much better.

High lighting also introduces a need for fertilization. Are you doing anything on that front?

horsensnowrider

Thanks for the input.
I know different lights would help but even replacing those right now is out of the question. I'm running my biz in the red right now, a Realtor, and there is no end in sight. CO2 is only a dream right now.

I'll give the Excel a try. I am currently only using tabs for the swords as per advice from the LFS. I'll be in town tomorrow and will get some along with some val if there is any in stock.

mathas

Just keep it in mind when you do get ready to replace them... avoid actinic and 50/50 bulbs

Vallisneria is one of the plants that are overly sensitive to Excel. Most of my jungle val is brown and looks on the verge of death, but I keep finding new runners appearing every couple of weeks. Don't expect it to look as pretty with Excel as it did in the store.