Its kickin my butt!!

OK...here's the deal

55 gallon plexiglass
3 inches sand
2 96watt 6700k PC

Flow in from sump...gravity back to sump.....maybe 80 gallon an hour flow rate

Water is about 6 weeks old ...all parameters are great to include Mag /Cal /Iodine/Phosphate all tested.

Temp is 78-82 day / night

THE DANG STUFF WON"T GROW !!!!!!!!!!!!!

Cheato / Culupera in tank ...handfull of each about 1 week ago...all turning brown .....this fuge stuff is KILLING ME !!! I want one ...I want one ...I want one !! I'm rdy to buy plastic plants and call it good !! lol

 

Tell us more about the fuge--IE hang on back, part of sump, What kind of lights etc

 

Srry the Fuge is 55 gallons ...coralife 36" 96watt lights 6700k bulbs X2 lights are on for 24 hrs......125 gallon DT with another 55 gallon used for the sump

here is a photo from the setup ...its in the garage..the DT is in the house.

 

What type of lights do you have over your fuge, and how long is it on??? Plus how old is the tank?? Is it a seperate tank or have you put the algae in your display tank???? If so you had better get it out now before it attaches to something because it WILL talk over your tank.

 

Try one of those 6500 daylight spiral bulbs (Wal-Mart carries them) and a clip on light from Home depot. I run mine on a reverse schedule 12/12 from my DT and my Chaeto Grows like crazy. Also how much flow is in fuge? Should be 1/10th of your DT. IE-150 gallon tank 15gph for fuge

 

You can't leave the lights on the fuge for 24hr it needs a rest just like you. The calurpa will grow asexual and wreak havoc on your tank. I only light mine on a reverse cycle from the display tank.

 

I know this is a simple problem.....but I seem to have bad Karma when it comes to PLANTS !! I wish I could get my lawn to die off this fast so I did't have to go mow it !!

 

Also, as I think Otty is the one who first told me, there's no reason to keep a fuge lit 24/7. The sun doesn't burn 24 hours in nature, (well it does, but not as far as we're concerned here on planet earth.) Tangster would tell you plants need downtime too. They photosynthesize during the day, and the darkness might be just as important for them to rebuild, grow, and repair.

 

I went 12/12 lighting from the begining....and I noticed it was not living .....I called the LFS i got it from and he said to go 24 hr lights as thats what he does.

I would prefer the reverse lighting. is the lighting sufficient for the plants ?? depth wise ?? or do I need to build a eggcrete shelf to get it closer ?

 

Robman...the spirial lights are ok for a shallower tank...mine is to deep.....full 55 gallons