New Set Up

[fry_lover]

Rio 300 litre (67 gallon), Cichlids,

In my current Rio 180 (40 gallon)i think the lights are "too bright" they are the standard Juwel ones for the tank 2x 30W

The ones for the Rio 300 are 2x 38W, my questions are

1. The Rio 300 bulbs are each 42" long, can i get 42" bulbs at a lower wattage, and if so any recommendations?

2. I basically want to reduce the lighting in my Rio 300 (once i set it up), in a tank without plants i personally dont like the "bright light" look. Just looks too artificial for my liking. Can anyone recommend a certain type of flourescent bulb, considering i just want something "softer", it looks like bulbs at each size (be it 24", 36" or 42" all come with their own "standard" wattage, i want less wattage!!!

3. By the way with Juwel lighting units you HAVE to use BOTH bulbs which is annoying, and i havent got the cash to change the lighting unit or standard lid of the Juwel tank

4. ALGAE control, i know lighting is just one variable here, but i found with my Rio 180, even if i have the lights on for 6-7 hours a day i get too much algae build up. I want to have my lights on for 8-12 hours per day without algae!!! With soft lighting is it harder for algae to grow?

5. Related to the above, with Convicts and similar, whats the best algae eater (a common pleco???) and how much difference does a decent size one make to algae levels? Or should i get 2 or 3 pleco's?

please advise on as many as these points as possible, thanks

 

[celaeno]

get a timer so that your lighting schedule is 4 hours on, a few hours off, and 4 more hours on.

bristlenose plecos would be the best algae eater for that size tank imo. i don't know if they produce a lot of waste, but common plecs do. but a m/f bn pair will most likely breed, and males bn's are territorial.

 

[fry_lover]

what about something (safe!) that does the opposite to reflectors LOL

cant stand bright lit tanks (unless they need it for plants)

 

[vinylman]

How about adding some floating plants?. That would subdue the light into the tank and benefit the water quality, too.

 

[fry_lover]

How about adding some floating plants?. That would subdue the light into the tank and benefit the water quality, too.

yes mate thought about that, and one problem

some of these fish will be Mbuna Malawi, so i think the floating plants will only work if i add loads every other day LOL

thanks for feedback though, keep it coming

Particularly interested to know if i can buy low wattage 42" bulbs, i am sure i can somewhere?

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

Just remember that using weaker bulbs won't nesarsarily stop algae like brown algae which can come about due to a lack of light...The best way to control algae is to keep on top of your nitrate levels and to do regular once weekly water changes etc. If you get some bogwood the tannins it leaks out will make the water look a little darker and a lot more natural regardless of how strong your lighting is .

 

[Ava_Banana]

How about some opaque diffuser below the bulb?...........at the most economic end of the range a sheet of white paper (kept well away from the hot bulbs), or even a sheet of painted acrylic/plastic.

 

[fry_lover]

cheers pal, gives me food for thought

 

[CLOSSIE]

I've been thinking about sticking some of that frosted sticky plastic stuff you can get from most places over my glass lid to diffuse the light, or even better, as dark as I can get, then the plan was to cut zigzags and holes in the plastic so that you get shafts of bright light shining into the tank like it was shining through a tree inti the water...the rest of the tank being dimmer etc..a bit arty farty, butyou know where I am coming from. Guess could alsobe achieved using thin plastic sheets.