RM...........here are some links to some good sites that have the proper bulbs

"AquariumFatasies" wrote in message
...
On Dec 24, 7:55 pm, "Reel McKoi" wrote:
I did add another rubberlip pleco to that tank today. Massive water
changes
and serious gravel vacuuming has made no difference either.
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OK, now were getting somewhere. Regular old shop lights with a with
reflector. That is most likely the main problem. First off, the
reflectors on those lights are made to reflect light from a height so
yuo get decent light dispersion.

* No. They have the shade thing on the sides to direct the light downward.
They come that way. The tanks are very bright.

The light reflected is made to
disperse out and cover a wide area (cone of dispersion) and that they
are that close to a tank and only have a short distance to travel
until the light hits the substrate and is reflected out or back,. odds
are the majority of your light is being reflected "OUTSIDE" the tank
itself,

* The light is reflected down due to the side things on the reflectors.

and not as much inside the tank as you really think is there.
White reflectors is sufficient in most cases for a shop light however
it does little to nothing for good results in a fish tank, but its
still better than black. I'll bet you a coffee that proper bulbs (no
more than 2x40Wattaers of the correct kelvin temps and "PROPER"
reflectors will be more than enough light for "ANY" Freshwater palnts
you can possibly grow in a 55 gal tank.

* These provide enough LIGHT to grow plants successfully - until the algae
starts growing on them. Once the algae attacks them, either the red (I call
black) or green algae, their growth stops. I was told that Flourish Excel
would kill off the algae by an old timer on these groups. That wasn't true.
It seems to stimulate the algae.

..............People
underestimate the reflectors on a fish tank and next to the proper
lamp itself they are very important. If yu have the right light bulb,
and can not get it to disperse properly you may as well use any old
lamp as your not getting the full benefit out of them.

* Which is the right bulb in preventing red and green algae? And are they
guaranteed to work? If one doesn't work do I have to keep buying and
throwing out one bulb after another? I honestly never heard of a bulb that
allowed aquarium plants to thrive but not algae.

I am sure you or your better half can nail and cut a few boards.Why
not get some 1 x 6 pine and fashion up a quick and dirty wooden hood
for a fish tank (do one tank to start) nothuing needs to b e fancey,
and just look at how some hoods are made in places like Petco er ah
make that Deathco. A simple wooden frame box, with a few slats of 1 x
2 spaced apart on top to allow heat and ventilation to escape, and
also provides a place to mount lights under. If yu want some pics I
can post URL of a few sites that has simple yet effective aquarium
hoods that are easy enough to make. Then pay Big Als or another online
vendor a call, and purchase proper reflectors and attach them to the
metal white reflectors all ready on yuor shop lights......or retro fit
ballast and sockets etc from shop lights into the wooden hood..and
install proper bulbs.

* I'm not at all handy with tools and making things out of wood. And how
will that get rid of the algae? Also, I really don't want to have to lift a
heavy wood hood every time I feed the fish or want to remove algae from the
front glass. I never heard of any reflectors or bulbs that caused plants to
thrive but not algae. I can't afford to try one bulb after the other.....

......................done..............a quick
stain is all thats needed to finish it off..............and maybe a
top coat of clear sealer like polyurethane or varnish............I can
just about guarantee, your black algae problems will be over and you
can grow virtually any freshwater plant around then in these
aquariums.

* Why would the algae problems be over? The Flourish Excel was supposed to
do that and it does nothing. It doesn't even help the plants grow. It's a
rip-off like so many products these days. I don't follow your logic here
with the wood reflector. The units come with shade type reflectors that
direct the light downwards.

The lights would be a much different inmprovement that
will be benefical and work. Flourish Excel may work but its not going
to take the palce of having a proper lighting setup.

* What bulbs are the proper bulbs that allow plant but not algae growth? I
found no such bulbs online. Which are you using?

The lights you
have now are fine and dandy for a fish only tank or with a few low
light requirement plants, but still leave a lot to b e desired overall
as the color specturm and kelvin is totally wrong.

* Then what is the correct spectrum and Kelvin to allow plant but not algae
growth and do they guarantee them or will I go broke replacing bulbs?

Your plants as well
as your fish will all look and grow better, well the plants will
anyhow, because fish for thr most part are not reliant on linghts like
a plant is, but I bet the colors in the fish will be much more
vibrant. I believe lighting is about the most important item that can
be done to a fish tank that is going to have live plants or corals in
p lace and the person with the tank is totally committed to having
nice plants and corals growing, than almost any other thing that can
be done to a tank. Heck even the cheapest filters around will do a
decent job of what they are designed for, but a light is not that
way.............a cheap light setup will not do a thing for a fish
tank other than provide illumination for the tanks owner to see whats
inside..................

Once proper lights are in place

* Which are the proper lights and do they guarantee no algae? The Flourish
Excel was supposed to take care of algae.

it may take a
few weeks to a month or two to get lighting schedule worked out, but
odds are in that time frame your plants are gonna start to kick ass
and things will look better every day...........

* Yep! That's what they said on the plant NG (RAFP) about the Flourish
Excel.

...Like I said propper
bulbs and reflectors in a home brew hood is not even in the same
league as adding supplements to a tank..........

Eveyone tells me something different. The FE was supposed to do magic along
with water changes and gravel vacuuming. They swore that was the answer. A
homemade hood is out of the question. I don't know anyone who could make it
for me and I don't want to have to lift down a heavy wood hood every time I
want to feed my fish. I see no connection between a homemade hood and alge.

So which bulbs are guaranteed to get rid of the algae and did you have the
same conditions I have? If they're not guaranteed to work I wont keep
throwing money away on bulb after bulb.
--

RM....
Zone 6. Middle TN USA
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