Lighting problem

[Sagi]

Hi, well it is agreed (according to a thread i posted and replied in another section), that lack of light at the base of the plant is the main cause for this thinner and leaner form of the rotala. These are all top cutting replanted which were in tip top condition, thick and colorful when replanted, since then only deteriorated.

Perhaps this is not exactly insufficient light at the horizontal plane but rather low light penentration typically caused by insufficient light intensity or coverage from the aquarium's light source.

Co2 is reaching them, it must be lighting issue. This is all in comparison to the plants getting richer in thickness and color again when reaching water surface, as seen in the 2nd picture .

 

[_Fried_Bettas_]

The causes are insufficient light, insufficient nutrients, or CO2. It has to be one of these 3. If you think you are supplying moderate or higher light and plenty of CO2, I would look at your nitrates and trace dosing.

 

[Sagi]

Not plenty of co2, but rather adequate, since I'm running two diy co2 yeast based reactors simultaneously to compensate for the relatively low flow rate as compared to traditional systems.

There's an indication for it being a light issue, as I described earlier, these plants when reaching water surface height getting thicker and more colorful as shown in the 2nd picture

 

[_Fried_Bettas_]

Light shouldn't be hard to come by. At least here in the US, many budget lights put out excessive amounts of PAR and should only be a problem with very deep tanks. It is hard to get good growth near the substrate in deep tanks.

 

[Sagi]

Light shouldn't be hard to come by. At least here in the US, many budget lights put out excessive amounts of PAR and should only be a problem with very deep tanks. It is hard to get good growth near the substrate in deep tanks.

Well yes, I did purchased the week aqua m600d2 50w, which is quite powerful, I'm on 90% intensity right now, HOWEVER, it is NARROW fixture, 10 cm, not enough coverage for a 30 cm wide tank. I considered buying a 2nd bar, but this is not sold independently, I don't need the mounting brackets again. If I knew that, I would have acquiring a wider bar light.

35 cm depth considered deep tank ?

 

[_Fried_Bettas_]

Well yes, I did purchased the week aqua m600d2 50w, which is quite powerful, I'm on 90% intensity right now, HOWEVER, it is NARROW fixture, 10 cm, not enough coverage for a 30 cm wide tank. I considered buying a 2nd bar, but this is not sold independently, I don't need the mounting brackets again. If I knew that, I would have acquiring a wider bar light.

35 cm depth considered deep tank ?

I don't think depth starts being a significant factor until you reach 50cm or more.

 

[Sagi]

I think I should raise the intensity to full power now. Running 90%for quite a while now. Till I add a side white light projector.

 

[Sagi]

Or could it be that light is actually too strong in comparison to the insufficient co2 level they are getting, that's why they get thinner?

 

[Sagi]

Well, nitrogen starvation is needed here. As soon as I dose about 3 ml of this diy nitrate nitrogen fertilizer, they starting to look like that.
Or
Too much light. This is not insufficient light, the rotala couldn't consumed/haven't received enough co2.

 

[Sagi]

Hi, examine this picture, not the whole bush cluster is pearling equally

 

[Sagi]

Let's check that matter out by examining the pic Attached herewith.

If one looks carefully, one notice aerial roots protruding from the rotala already in mid high. Now, the rotala is known to generating such roots when reaching water surface, as it "In general, when stem plants start to grow horizontally, often at the surface of the tank, the natural response is for serial roots to start to grow. In nature, this prepares the plant to colonise other areas when it is swept away by currents."

This is introducing regularly with the rotala I have, however, not in mid height.

And with adequate co2 and satisfying pearling, lack of light at the horizontal plane turns out to be the cause.

 

[Sagi]

OK, This is after trimming, what can we make out of it ?

 

[Sagi]

Lots of Cladophora

 

[DaveKS]

Lots of Cladophora

Excess Cladophora indicates a nutrient imbalance, mainly excess N and P as well as excess DOC content in water. Switch to a fert that has minimal N and P content as well as run some carbon in filter for a couple weeks.

 

[Sagi]

Yes, I did reduced the fertilization regime significantly, I'm using Easy-Life for the phosphate source and diy nitrogen fertilizer, dosing 2ml from each 3 times a week.

 

[ruud]

I think you already found the answer. Add more light sources to improve coverage / light hitting from different angles.

But even then, bottom sections can look very different from top sections. Walk around prize-winning aquascapes, and it won't be any different. On an image you don't see it as other plants and hardscape obstruct the view.

As always I would try to reduce the overall light intensity as much as you can, compensate a little with red spectrum perhaps, up to the point where you believe red pigmentation becomes less. Pearling is no sign of plant health. I understand some people enjoy watching it and see it as a sign the plant is working....

 

[Sagi]

Current state

 

[ruud]

Always hard to judge an image as a camera and room light does a lot, but plants look great as far as I can tell!

 

[Sagi]

Always hard to judge an image as a camera and room light does a lot, but plants look great as far as I can tell!

You're absolutely right, I can't take a good photo, ambient light in this room is terrible, phone camera a bit old and I can't find a good angle due to narrow room I put the tank in. But thanks

Add more light sources to improve coverage / light hitting from different angles.

I was just about being organized on a sort of white LED flood light planned to be mounted horizontally to the tank, that is, from side, approximately 1 m distance, height a bit above tank surface and beamed 45 degrees downward. To cover horizontal plain lack of light. But then understood plants will start growing to the side towards the light. Abandoned this idea.

Indeed, you don't see this kind of lighting fixes in online tanks.

Walk around prize-winning aquascapes, and it won't be any different.

Well, most of them are well thriving bottom sections, flourishing, obviously getting tons of co2 well distributed.

On an image you don't see it as other plants and hardscape obstruct the view.

Well, you're probably right and they doing a great job obfuscating lower parts.

Pearling is no sign of plant health. I understand some people enjoy watching it and see it as a sign the plant is working....

Well, it does indicates something, as intensive pearling reflects intensive photo in that section. Which in turn suggests plant has all the needed resources and use them in action.

 

[DaveKS]

Current state

 

[Sagi]

Hi, why the pogostemon stellatus bending like that, light too strong?
I had this plant growing in the same tank with same lights in previous layout, growing strictly upright, though it was positioned in the middle. Obviously light issue.

Though the lights are hq high intensity week aqua 50w, the bar is as I recall about 16 cm wide, mounted about 17 cm above water surface, it isn't give me the desired coverage of the whole tank, either I add another bar or perhaps switch to a 60 cm wid3 T5 set

 

[Sagi]

Actually, I think it grew strictly upright when this light was set to 40%
Additionally, this could be an uneven currents issue