LIGHTING?

[SheWhoConquers]

I have a 36g bowfront aquarium equipped w/ CO2 and and a 30in Finnex Planted+ ALC light.

 

I just need some advice on whether my problems are related to lighting. I'm getting fast growth but my plants are not growing bushy but rather spindly. I am hesitant to put more plants in because I am not sure what I am doing wrong.

As you can see the long spindly plant behind the Ludwigia is supposed to be Elodea and it barely has leaves. Even the Ludwigia is sparse just a bit.

Cabomba is growing long and spindly too.

I even have monte carlo and dwarf hair grass, unpictured, that is growing, but slower than I feel it should.

Basically in everyone's best estimate, do you think its a lighting issue? I understand this is a tall tank and strong lighting is necessary. Also if you agree its lighting do you think the Fluval plant 3.0 would give me the par needed in this tall tank?

 

[darkG]

I'd say poor lighting is the first that comes to mind. Keep in mind that the plants also shadow each other and themselves. I'm no expert though.

[SheWhoConquers]

On 8/19/2021 at 10:20 AM, Tankseeker said:

Is it a new set up? If you bought plants that where grown emersed they will die off before growing leaves to adapt to growing submerged 

No. I am certain I have very few if any stems from my original set. Almost all have been propogated from new growth in that tank.

[Patrick_G]

Haha, my wife and I were just talking about this over breakfast, but in relation to some houseplants. 
I think you’re on the right track and it sounds like you know what the problem is. You have a tall tank and medium lighting. It might be hard to achieve the nice compact growth you’re looking for, but a Fluval 3.0 will help. I might even clip and plant some of those leggy stems so the new growth with the Fluval is more compact. 

[SheWhoConquers]

On 8/19/2021 at 11:10 AM, Patrick_G said:

Haha, my wife and I were just talking about this over breakfast, but in relation to some houseplants. 
I think you’re on the right track and it sounds like you know what the problem is. You have a tall tank and medium lighting. It might be hard to achieve the nice compact growth you’re looking for, but a Fluval 3.0 will help. I might even clip and plant some of those leggy stems so the new growth with the Fluval is more compact. 

Do you think adding a second finnex will be enough to get the intensity needed? Or just replace current light w/ Fluval 3.0?

[Patrick_G]

On 8/19/2021 at 8:46 AM, SheWhoConquers said:

Do you think adding a second finnex will be enough to get the intensity needed? Or just replace current light w/ Fluval 3.0?

I was in the same situation with my budget light on my 75 gal. I decided to get a second budget light because I found some data that indicated the par was double in the area where the two lights overlapped. 

[Mmiller2001]

What are your GH and KH? What are you dosing? In my opinion, a 2nd Finnex ALC is better than a 3.0. 

What is your substrate and what is your pH drop from degassed to peak CO2?

[Bev C]

I have a 55 gallon and a Finnex ALC 24/7  i had to buy 2  48 inch i have one on each side on glass lid section and i had to adjust the intensity on both …i like Finnex  lights better then Fluval but that is my preference 

[StevesFishTanks]

I agree the ALC is a great light