alanmin4304 Posted November 28, 2005 Report Share Posted November 28, 2005 Your tubes will get dark on the ends when they are getting too old. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DiverJohn Posted November 28, 2005 Report Share Posted November 28, 2005 Hmmm.... not sure about those lights. "10000K" is usually for marine setups and I woudl have thought there would have been a distict blue tint if they were true 10000K tubes? The "purple " one @ 15,000K.... dodgy. How old are they?? if new you cna probably run with them for a while but look to replace them soon ish. The dont sound right from the numbers you gave. HTH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iisfaq Posted November 28, 2005 Author Report Share Posted November 28, 2005 Hmmm.... not sure about those lights. "10000K" is usually for marine setups and I woudl have thought there would have been a distict blue tint if they were true 10000K tubes? The "purple " one @ 15,000K.... dodgy. How old are they?? if new you cna probably run with them for a while but look to replace them soon ish. The dont sound right from the numbers you gave. HTH They are about 4 weeks old.... How do I know what I need to purchase? chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iisfaq Posted November 28, 2005 Author Report Share Posted November 28, 2005 Hmmm.... not sure about those lights. "10000K" is usually for marine setups and I woudl have thought there would have been a distict blue tint if they were true 10000K tubes? The "purple " one @ 15,000K.... dodgy. How old are they?? if new you cna probably run with them for a while but look to replace them soon ish. The dont sound right from the numbers you gave. HTH With Animates having 25% off - should I look at getting some new tubes? Or as Alan said try the lamp specialists. But I really need to know what to buy. At the end of the day it is all marketing because of my lack of knowledge in this area. So basically I have 3 locations for bulbs in my lid. 2x34" & 1x22" I assume all bulbs are rated at around 30W? is that true? I noticed my shorter length bulb was only 20w. Any ideas appreciated. If I do buy from animates their special ends on Wednesday. Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faran Posted November 28, 2005 Report Share Posted November 28, 2005 6500K tubes are the closest to natural light you can get. That's what I use. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iisfaq Posted November 28, 2005 Author Report Share Posted November 28, 2005 6500K tubes are the closest to natural light you can get. That's what I use. Would you set all 3 bulbs to 6500K if you were me? Remembering that the current bulbs are 3 weeks old. Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faran Posted November 28, 2005 Report Share Posted November 28, 2005 Nah, correction. Just went around and my tanks are about a 50/50 split between 10 and 6.5K and the plants are doing splendidly over here. I just saw your last post about Animates, the special, wattage and sizes. Each different length of flouro tube has a different wattage, ie 30cm/8W, 60cm/20w, 90cm/30w so on and so forth. This simply tells you the amount of energy that the bulb uses. The K rating is the actual wavelength of the light itself. I'm running out of time to explain it, sadly enough. I'm sure one of the mods have covered the flouro light bulb subject in the past and can direct you to the relevant thread... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suphew Posted November 28, 2005 Report Share Posted November 28, 2005 Since your tubes are so new save your money, they dont need to be replaced. Generally you should replace the tubes every 9-12 months cause they loose around 30% of there output after this. When you pleace them just do one at a time, and leave a week before doing the next one, this saves shocking the plants too much. Get you new tube from an electrical wholesaler, they will be HEAPS cheaper, if you can get the size you need. You should get 6500k (often known as "daylight" tube) or higher, as the Kelvin rating gets higher the light will look bluer, also as the K goes up the intensity go down Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted November 29, 2005 Report Share Posted November 29, 2005 Is the growth you were asking about firm or deteriorated and is it new or old leaf? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iisfaq Posted November 29, 2005 Author Report Share Posted November 29, 2005 Is the growth you were asking about firm or deteriorated and is it new or old leaf? The leaf is/was new - it is quite thin now - compared to a greener leaf furthur down. chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted November 29, 2005 Report Share Posted November 29, 2005 I would leave it as is and try to get as much light in there as you can without causing an algae bloom, and see what happens as the plants get established. Your ambulia looked pretty healthy. The other plants have probably been grown emersed and will take a while to adapt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iisfaq Posted November 29, 2005 Author Report Share Posted November 29, 2005 I would leave it as is and try to get as much light in there as you can without causing an algae bloom, and see what happens as the plants get established. Your ambulia looked pretty healthy. The other plants have probably been grown emersed and will take a while to adapt. I think that is also showing signs of not being too happy although it is growing rather well. The top of the plant is brownish and the bottom is a nice green. I cut the top two stems off it tonight since I may get a few more plants off of it. There is also signs of algee growing on the small riccia bed I tried to make. It is a hair algee - should I remove the hairs (if I can)? This is the Amazon Sword after I removed it from the plant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted November 29, 2005 Report Share Posted November 29, 2005 What part of Christchurch are you in? PM me and I will come and have a look if you want. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suphew Posted November 29, 2005 Report Share Posted November 29, 2005 The submersed leaves will be thinner, larger, and a different colour. Plants only grow if they are happy, the happier the faster, since yours is growing it is fine, just let it do its thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DiverJohn Posted November 29, 2005 Report Share Posted November 29, 2005 Ah ha!!! That pic on the left looks EXACTLY like the "No Name Sword" i have in my tank... iisfaq, are those leaves on the end of a a single stalk ?? Any ideas people?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted November 29, 2005 Report Share Posted November 29, 2005 It is a bit hard to tell as plants will even have a different submersed form sometimes. I have 2 mature melon swords in different tanks and the leaf starts at the crown on one and is on a stalk on the other. It could be a young cordifolus (radicans) or osiris but I also would leave it and see what happens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cees Posted November 29, 2005 Report Share Posted November 29, 2005 correct me if I'm wrong but is this another case of "peace lilly" sold as aquatic plant ? see http://www.fnzas.org.nz/fishroom/anyone ... t7711.html and Spathiphyllum wallisii Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Posted November 29, 2005 Report Share Posted November 29, 2005 You're corrected Cees. The plant in question has the main vein and two starting at it's base joining again at the top. Whereas the Spathiphyllum wallisii has the main central vein with side veins branching out to the edge of the leaf alternately, just counted mine and it has five each side, maybe they have more as the leaf enlarges(????). Alan NZKA 104 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
livebearer_breeder Posted November 29, 2005 Report Share Posted November 29, 2005 I have the same sword in Question in my tank, it has just put out a shoot with 3 more small baby swords starting to grow on it. Cees in my opinion they are not the same plant. Shae Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cees Posted November 29, 2005 Report Share Posted November 29, 2005 Your right Alan. my mistake. Leaf is different Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angus Posted November 30, 2005 Report Share Posted November 30, 2005 i have one similar in my tank - i've always thought it was Echinodorus schlueteri........ http://www.plantgeek.net/images/plantpi ... ueteri.jpg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogmatix Posted November 30, 2005 Report Share Posted November 30, 2005 cool link for plant id's thx Ben Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angus Posted November 30, 2005 Report Share Posted November 30, 2005 not a problem without sounding like a traitor :oops: the forum on that site has alot of really useful info for planted tank enthusiasts too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted December 1, 2005 Report Share Posted December 1, 2005 Curt's plantgeek site is an amazing resource. I often recommend it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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