When/how To Increase Lighting

[Themuleous]

Well the HC is properly grow now, and I'm thinking I should start to increase the photoperiod. Its currently at 6hrs, when/how should I increase this? Was thinking given the timer on the lights I could up it by 15mins each week for 8 weeks to get me to 8hrs, which I think is the max for this tank and the new lighting.

Sound like a plan?

Sam

 

[George Farmer]

Sounds good to me. Nice and gradual should to the trick.

 

[nry]

Sounds about right, upping things gradually lets you monitor algae levels: if algae begins to show then either drop the period back or leave it an additional week to see if the plants begin to grow better because of extra light and out-compete the algae. I find that 7-8 hours is more than enough for my low light tank otherwise algae goes mad though currently I have a small amount of staghorn algae growing on the upper leaves of things.....