well...i did mention i want to talk about the methods of controlling algae...and somehow along the line came some unexpected events that calls for my defending of this track....well, i suppose it always diffcult to get back into the writting mood after an interruption...but as promise i will try to finish this topic about algae.

LIghtings:

i know this dude...he has a pair of Philips 865PL 36w in his 2x1.5x1.5 tank. later....he out did himself by producing the best algae tank ...the hairy green janggut type.
i advice him to do a general clean up...
1) throw all the plants from that tank....better to buy new ones than try to cure it

2)get some sodium bicarbonate...yup baking powder...3 tablespoon to be exact....and put in the tank for 2 days...stop all fileration. after that a 100% water change...add in some PSB or whatever bacteria and let the fileration run for a week....cover the tank with newspaper ...try to keep it really dark
.
3)change the lighting to 18000k 20w and 6800k 20w

"come back and see me after u had done all that"....next patient please!

now ...the cause of his problem no doubt is the lightings...Philips 865PL doesnt come cheap....they are nearest thing to sunlight ever produce for the low end market. but they are not meant for aquarium ...more like they are invented for industrial use.
but planters being geninus figure out 865PL could be used in planted tanks ...and they are right...but the explanation stops there.

so..came alone a planter whos still green and a proud owner of a 2 footer tank ...bought a pair of 865PL, spend some more on its casing on the understanding they are good for planted tanks...he is half right and half wrong in this belief.
what he doesnt understand is 865PL has a lumen of 65 to 75.
if u cant figure whats all this about ...check this out ....a Metal Halide has a lumen of 72 to 77....it wouldnt be wrong to say this dude here is putting 2 Metal Halide in his tiny 2 footer.....Now u tell me ...what would be the result??

the thing about PL lamps is they are MARADONAS...stocky short and powerfull....they could reach the depth of 3 feet without too much problem.
but in a 2 footer they do more harm than good...
simply coz they are too powerfull for a tiny 2 footer.
but if that 2 footer has a depth of 2 feet or above it would be a different story.
so the story here is ...if that dude has been asking around the right people he wouldnt have wasted good money on lighting for his 2 footer...infact its much cheaper to get the flo tube and would produce better result for his 2 footer.
the extra lightings from the PL is the cause of algae....

but hear this....
i can infact use that two 865PL in a 2 footer without much problem ...it could be done...infact it would be an ideal situation for light hungry plants like the reds.......but......i do not want to mention this method now coz i do not want to give any false hope to newbies who has powerfull PL in their small tanks....for the simple reason ...they are not ready for this ...maybe after they had attain some level of experience would i tell them how to do this....in a NOT so easy to follow methods.


So u guys out there with powerfull lighting outfits and having algae problem ...its time to really consider if your lightings are abit too much for your tank to handle..maybe its time for a change over to FLO TUBES

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