Is 6 Hours Enough Light?

[Jennifer V]

Hi All! 

I'm battling staghorn in my puffer tank and based on the info I've collected from you incredible people, I've decided to try to tackle my lighting first but I'm not entirely sure that's right. I have Java fern, anubias, crypt parva, susswassertang and various swords in the tank. All the plants are doing very well! Thank you @Guppysnail@Torrey for recently describing the siesta period! The tank gets some indirect natural light in the late afternoon so I have my timer set for two hours in the morning and four hours at night when we're more active -- we're bakers so we're pretty nocturnal and view the tank more at night. But the lighting adjustment was just done yesterday so not enough time yet to know if that'll help.

Nitrates tend to be on the high side because of the messy puffers so I do a ~40 percent water change once a week and don't use liquid fertilizer, just root tabs for the swords. 

So, long story longer, is six hours enough for now? Am I going in the right direction? 

[Mmiller2001]

Not really. If you feel that you need to reduce light, then reduce the intensity and set the light for 8 hours.

Staghorn is usually caused by excess ammonia, high organics and unstable CO2 levels. Ironically, a lighting siesta causes fluctuating CO2. 

I would Increase water changes to maintain around 20ppm NO3 and vacuum your substrate thoroughly. 

[lefty o]

6 hours is plenty for now. once you conquer the staghorn you can always up it a bit if the other plants show the need. if it were me, i would kill the lights totally for a few days, then resume the 6 hours.

[eatyourpeas]

On 10/4/2021 at 12:28 PM, Jennifer V said:

I have Java fern, anubias, crypt parva, susswassertang and various swords in the tank.

This puffer tank has a similar plant population as yours, except for the swords. It gets natural light and because of it I have the aquarium light set for 6 hours a day, but no nap (simply because there are no light naps in nature, so I have not bought into that concept). If I need more algae for the nerite, I up the light period to 8 hours for a few days, then back to six.

Please ignore the puffer in center, wondering if I am going to put food in.

[Jennifer V]

On 10/4/2021 at 2:15 PM, Mmiller2001 said:

Not really. If you feel that you need to reduce light, then reduce the intensity and set the light for 8 hours.

Staghorn is usually caused by excess ammonia, high organics and unstable CO2 levels. Ironically, a lighting siesta causes fluctuating CO2. 

I would Increase water changes to maintain around 20ppm NO3 and vacuum your substrate thoroughly. 

The light is probably not that great because it was just the one that came with the tetra kit so I can't adjust it. I was thinking of adding elodea and hornwort to help with the nitrates as well. Since those are aquatic plants -- I forget which one of you geniuses described this in detail but it was awesome -- I'm hoping at least one will take off. Thoughts? 

I remember @guppysnail saying that hornwort doesn't ship very well but I haven't found it at my trusty local fish store yet. Do you know if elodea is the same? 

I can't remember the answer to this, but are multiple water changes a week fine for the fish? I don't want to stress them out. 

[Guppysnail]

On 10/4/2021 at 4:39 PM, Jennifer V said:

The light is probably not that great because it was just the one that came with the tetra kit so I can't adjust it. I was thinking of adding elodea and hornwort to help with the nitrates as well. Since those are aquatic plants -- I forget which one of you geniuses described this in detail but it was awesome -- I'm hoping at least one will take off. Thoughts? 

I remember @guppysnail saying that hornwort doesn't ship very well but I haven't found it at my trusty local fish store yet. Do you know if elodea is the same? 

I can't remember the answer to this, but are multiple water changes a week fine for the fish? I don't want to stress them out. 

Elodea has always shipped great for me 😁

[Mmiller2001]

On 10/4/2021 at 2:39 PM, Jennifer V said:

The light is probably not that great because it was just the one that came with the tetra kit so I can't adjust it. I was thinking of adding elodea and hornwort to help with the nitrates as well. Since those are aquatic plants -- I forget which one of you geniuses described this in detail but it was awesome -- I'm hoping at least one will take off. Thoughts? 

I remember @guppysnail saying that hornwort doesn't ship very well but I haven't found it at my trusty local fish store yet. Do you know if elodea is the same? 

I can't remember the answer to this, but are multiple water changes a week fine for the fish? I don't want to stress them out. 

Try this.

NICREW Aquarium Light Timer, Fish Tank Light Controller and Dimmer https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07KYLX2P6/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_fabc_F3DZMBNATJ975MYGS5M2?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

Just make sure the light has the same connectors. Or try 7 hours. Also, raising the light a bit will work too.

[Jennifer V]

On 10/4/2021 at 2:16 PM, lefty o said:

6 hours is plenty for now. once you conquer the staghorn you can always up it a bit if the other plants show the need. if it were me, i would kill the lights totally for a few days, then resume the 6 hours.

Ok I'll try that! I'm mostly worried about the swords getting enough light because I know they need more than the other plants. Will I be at risk up either stunting their growth or causing them to etiolate? Maybe not in the short term? I've been running eight hours of light for quite some time and they seem fine but I don't want to stress them because they're finally starting to take off after 11 months of patiently waiting. 

[eatyourpeas]

On 10/4/2021 at 1:39 PM, Jennifer V said:

The light is probably not that great because it was just the one that came with the tetra kit so I can't adjust it.

I have the cheap basic Nicrew light that does not have dimming capabilities, but seems to work fine.

[Jennifer V]

On 10/4/2021 at 2:26 PM, eatyourpeas said:

This puffer tank has a similar plant population as yours, except for the swords. It gets natural light and because of it I have the aquarium light set for 6 hours a day, but no nap (simply because there are no light naps in nature, so I have not bought into that concept). If I need more algae for the nerite, I up the light period to 8 hours for a few days, then back to six.

Please ignore the puffer in center, wondering if I am going to put food in.

I know the puffs are begging but I pretend they're just excited to see me when they do that. 

I had a nerite in there and the little monsters literally picked at it to death before I could catch the problem. 

Now I'm 100 percent confused about the siesta. You're right, there aren't blackouts in nature. Just occasional cloud cover so maybe I'll rethink thank. 🤔 My head is spinning! 

On 10/4/2021 at 2:42 PM, Guppysnail said:

Elodea has always shipped great for me 😁

Where did you get yours? I don't think ACO had it last time I checked. 

[eatyourpeas]

On 10/4/2021 at 1:48 PM, Jennifer V said:

Now I'm 100 percent confused about the siesta.

I did not mean to cause confusion, sorry. My tanks live in a room that gets lots of natural light, so I follow that rhythm. Tank lights come one hour after sunrise and go off one hour before sunset. So, they do get more light during the Summer months.

[Guppysnail]

On 10/4/2021 at 4:48 PM, Jennifer V said:

I know the puffs are begging but I pretend they're just excited to see me when they do that. 

I had a nerite in there and the little monsters literally picked at it to death before I could catch the problem. 

Now I'm 100 percent confused about the siesta. You're right, there aren't blackouts in nature. Just occasional cloud cover so maybe I'll rethink thank. 🤔 My head is spinning! 

Where did you get yours? I don't think ACO had it last time I checked. 

Forum guidelines we cannot share competitor info. But i can tell you i have ordered it several places and as long as the seller was sending quality plants packaged correctly they arrived in great shape. 

[Guppysnail]

My take on siesta(which have done amazing things for my plants)

to a well hydrated person a glass of water is virtually nothing. To an extremely dehydrated person a glass of water means everything. My tanks are excess surface agitation plus bubblers so it helped mine alot. Im never concerned with the why of something working just the results I achieve using it. No results i stop using it. Hope that helps. 

[Jennifer V]

On 10/4/2021 at 3:08 PM, Guppysnail said:

Forum guidelines we cannot share competitor info. But i can tell you i have ordered it several places and as long as the seller was sending quality plants packaged correctly they arrived in great shape. 

Oh shoot! I thought that after I sent the reply. I'm sorry about that everyone!