VHO best combination

[trippclark]

I have four 48" 110W VHO bulbs over my 55g tank (single ballast). Right now it is just fish, live rock, and crew. I hope to add corals in the next few months. Right now all four bulbs are URI Actinic White, but I suspect that this is not ideal, and that I should have some mix of different bulbs. I'm looking for suggestions for the best combination of four bulbs to use. THANKS!

 

[thomas712]

For several years I have used the actinic URI and 50/50 bulbs. I just recieved my new order and this time I am going to try the same actinic bulbs but this time I ordered the bright white aquasuns also by URI.
Always liked the first combo. Will let you know about the new aquasuns.
The actinic reproduces a wavelenght that is good for the corals and inverts, corals find it easy to absorb this photosynthetically.
Thomas

 

[trippclark]

So, is there any problem in me using all four white actinic?

 

[trippclark]

:help:
I want to revisit this earlier post in hopes of additional feedback. I am curious if perhaps this light combination might be the culprit in an algae problem. Here is the situation. I have been experiencing a steady increase in brown hair algae -- on glass and live rock. I have a 55 g tank with a 10g sump (holding 5g water). Lights as described above are four 110w URI Actinic White VHO bulbs. Lights were on for 10+ hours a day, but when brown hair algae started showing up, I decreased hours to just over 5 hours. This was about 3 weeks ago, but algae continues to spread and grow at a noticeable rate. It is tough to quantify, but it has probably doubled or tripled since I cut the lighting time in half. Nitrate and Phosphate, what I thought were the most likely suspects, are very low. Nitrate is well below 0.2 (this is the lowest measurement on my kit) and Phosphate is below 0.1. I have had these tests double checked at my LFS. Up until a week ago, my crew was about a dozen Astrea snails and about the same number of Hermits (10 blue leg and 2 scarlets, I think). A week ago I added 10 more scarlet hermits, 10 more Astrea snails, 20 Nassarius Snails, and 3 Emerald Crabs. So, I think that my crew should be up to the task (and perhaps too large for the tank). Still, in the week since beefing up the crew, it still appears that algae is growing faster than it is being consumed. Am I being too impatient and just need to give the crew more time? Do I need to cut back lighting time still more? Is my combination of 4 Actinic White bulbs not a good one for the tank but a great one for culturing brown hair algae? Any other ideas?

 

[bang guy]

I am nearing the end of an experiment.
The results so far indicate that hair algae (not testing anything else) is NOT a product of spectrum degredation or what bulbs you choose.
It's a nutrient problem... <---period

 

[thomas712]

Originally posted by Bang Guy
The results so far indicate that hair algae (not testing anything else) is NOT a product of spestrum degredation or what bulbs you choose.
It's a nutrient problem... <---period
You mean spectrum degredation? Well perhaps not but would you not agree that if (in this posts case) that when adding all new lights at one time that the photosynthetic algea will suddenly energize with more life and there will be an uptake of these nutrients causing more growth?
In your case Bang you are experimenting with lighting age? and the older it gets does it cause more algea? Just checking
But in this case If I read the post correctly its a matter of adding new lighting which is in part, part of the problem here.
I agree that there is a nutrient problem and if not nitrates and phosphates something else in the matter of heavy DOC's or they are taking the nutrients up so fast that the test kits are not showing the problem as NO3 or PO4.
Back to you Guy.
Thomas

 

[trippclark]

Thomas, you are reading the post right. Back in October (???), I increased lighting significantly! I formerly had two NO 40W 50/50 coralife bulbs. When I installed the new set-up, in an attempt to minimize system shock, I first added two of the VHO bulbs and kept the 2 NO bulbs. I ran this for 2 weeks, then added the other 2 VHO bulbs. So, between late September and late October, I scaled up from 80W total (50/50) to 440W total (white actinic).
It is also worth noting, I think, that during this time my water changes have been way above normal. I have probably averaged 10 gallons (approx 20%) every week since September.

 

[thomas712]

Read and reread posts in this thread, Did not see where you added the lights over time from Oct to Sept. But hey I could be blind in one eye and can't see out of the other. But to me your steps in adding them sound reasonable.
Still:
With that many water changes I would suspect that your nitrates or phosphates are riding in on those water changes.
Have you or can you test your water change water before adding to the main tank?
Have you tried running fresh carbon?
Are you using a protien skimmer?
I would also like to know what your alkalinity is at.
I will still maintain that the addition of the new lights is causing the algea to take up the available nitrates and phosphates as fast as they can, and it is most likely difficult for you to test for them.
Thomas

 

[trippclark]

Thomas,
You are right, until the most recent post today, I don't think that I had mentioned the method and time frames for changing my lights. My alkalinity (KH) is between 11 and 12. I am not using carbon, but that would be easy to try. For my water changes, I am using de-ionized water filtered with Aquarium Pharmaceuticals Tap Water Purifier. This, I am told, is very near to RO water. I have not tested this water, but certainly could. I described my water preparation process in another thread, and got an OK from Bang Guy on the steps used (filter water with purifier; cycle 24 hours with airstone, heater, and powerhead; add Instant Ocean slowly; cycle another 24 hours still with airstone, heater, and powerhead; remove old water; add new water). I do have and run a skimmer in the sump. It is a SeaLife Systems skimmer that I bought maybe 10 years ago (at least 8). I paid much less than what I see discussed on this site (under $100, I am sure . . . $80 is what I recall) and it looks very similar to the NV75 model on SeaLife Systems web site. I am not sure how good it is, but it does skim off ugly green stuff! THANKS!!
Tripp

 

[bang guy]

Hey Thomas, you read me right. I'm only testing bulb degredation.
Giving algae more light seems to me that there could be a growth spurt but it should only be temporary.
All I have discovered is that it appears that VHO flourescent bulbs do not cause more algae when they get dim.
sorry for the typo

 

[trippclark]

I don't want to stray too much from my own issue, but Bang's latest post brings up another question . . . what is the frequency that VHO bulbs need to be replaced? Yearly?
BTW, I'll probably add a photo tonight showing this ugly algae. Perhaps I am not describing it correctly or effectively. It sure is an eyesore!
I am planning to try adding some macro's to the sump in hopes that this will choke out the undesireable algae . . . another step in the battle.

 

[bang guy]

Lots of variables.
For tar ballasts(magnetic) I'd recommend every 6 months.
For IceCap I recommend every year.
For other electronic ballasts, like the Workhorse series or Hellolights, somewhere in between, probably 10 months.

 

[trippclark]

Here is a pic showing that UGLY brown hair algae on the rocks and especially on the back glass --- yuck!!!

 

[trippclark]

Well, I added fresh carbon last night in hopes that that will help some. Over the holidays, I hope to replace my 10 gallon tank sump with a larger tank (20g long or 29 gallon) that I can partition off to contain my skimmer, return pump, and a refugium (to which I will add live sand, plants, and maybe some live rock). Hopefully all of that will help also. Beyond that -- I don't know!?
:notsure: