Bright Lights

[Munroco]

I have a vision 260 which came with 2 High-Lite Day 54 Watt, 1047 mm T5 tubes
 
I find this a bit bright, and some of my plants have been developing stag horn Algae. Apart from this, there is very little other algae in the tank. I have a mixture of amazon swords, vallis and various stem plants which are all growing well. I'd quite like to dim it a little and if that helped with the stag horn that would be a bonus. Which type of bulb/s could I switch to? (Colour enhancing would be good too).

 

[SeanTrollope]

i developed the same problem in my tank ( very simalar light ). i did a total blackout for 3 days and then whem i put the light back on i reduced the tme that my lights were on for each day.
it worked for me

 

[Munroco]

Cheers Sean, when you say a total blackout, did you cover the tank, or just switch the lights off?

 

[SeanTrollope]

i just swiched the lights off ( only if your tank stands in a very light place will u have to cover it)

 

[AshleyNZ]

You could also try floating some sort of plant on the top - that could help block some of the light. 

 

[SeanTrollope]

yea that could also work

 

[Byron]

Neil, you don't mention if you have diffused CO2.  Reducing the photoperiod (the duration when the lights are on) can help, as can floating plants, as others have suggested.  But the balance between light intensity and available nutrients must still be there or algae will take advantage.  As liquid fertilizers can easily be used to add nutrients, that leaves carbon (CO2) as the one nutrient that is not so easily supplemented.  If you cannot manage to find a reasonable balance, algae is almost certain to be a problem.  Blackouts may remove it now, but the imbalance means it will continue.  And on the blackout, if you try this, remember that killing off the algae quickly can cause water quality issues.
 
To your question on different tubes, this depends.  You have a T5 fixture so only T5 tubes will work.  There are NO (normal output) tubes as well as HO (high output) and I am assuming you have a form of the HO.  If you can find NO, and if the fixture will take them, that is an option; I don't know if this is feasible with your fixture.  Another is only having one of the two tubes light; some fixtures will provide for this, by removing one tube, but some need both tubes in to work.
 
Byron.

 

[Munroco]

I don't use anything other than compost under the sand. Although the stag horn is annoying, its not taking over (so far) it was more the intrinsic look of a dimmer tank. I thought about using one of the tubes for marine tanks that give off a blue light.

 

[Byron]

I don't use anything other than compost under the sand. Although the stag horn is annoying, its not taking over (so far) it was more the intrinsic look of a dimmer tank. I thought about using one of the tubes for marine tanks that give off a blue light.

 
Blue light will usually encourage algae.  Plants have more difficulty (when red is minimal plus the higher blue) but algae is much more accommodating.
 
The "compost" may be a problem too, depending what this is exactly.  Anything organic in nature in the substrate is going to release nutrients, and again algae will feed off these if the plants can't (because of an excess that creates an imbalance).