Lighting A Deep Tank For Plants

[SouthernCross]

Hi all,
 
I've got a 4 x 2 x 2 tank and I have the feeling the standard light unit  I have isn't enough, and might be contributing to the massive black hair algae problem I have that I can't shift.
 
I am wanting to plant this tank up again (to look nicer and also to help combat the algae which is all over my driftwood, rocks and tubing) and I want to know whether I need to address the lighting first for this size tank.
 
Two foot deep is a little deeper than average (its a pain reaching in the tank actually, to get to the bottom I need to stand on a chair!) so I was wondering if I should be putting an extra row of lights in? Similarly width wise I think the light doesnt reach all the way to the front and rear.
 
At the same time I don't want to add TOO much light, so just looking for anyone's ideas of what I should be doing.
 
The plants I want to have are cichlid tough plants like java fern, anubias, vallisneria, swords, crispus, tiger lotus. I am worried about enough light reaching the bottom.
 
Thanks!

 

[DrRob]

None of those plants are particularly light hungry and you don't need to punch the light to the substrate for them. To be honest you probably need CO2 if you're struggling the BBA, not more light, that'll likely make things worse.
 
As for depth, lighting and depth is always a complex story, often to do more with the angle and intensity of lighting than the total quantity. LED's give a lot of flexibility on that sort of problem but it's generally not necessary on plants that don't have carpets on the substrate.
 
I have a slight small, but just as deep tank at 3x1.5x2 that runs nicely with just T5's, growing a lot of similar plants and to be honest I'm pruning a lot still and still dealing with areas that are getting too much light.

 

[SouthernCross]

Thanks DRRob! Good to know I probably don't have to go spending any money on more lights.

I was going to start a Flourish Excel regime, should that sort my algae? Other have pointed out I might have flow issues - but I run two Fluval 305s on this tank which I thought would be enough. I also run an airstome, could that be causing problems? It's a fairly well stocked tank with mid size SA/CA cichlids.

 

[DrRob]

Excel should help. Flow needs to be considered in both total and dead spots. You can have a raging torrent with BBA in the dead zones if you don't angle the outputs correctly.
 
Your next problem may be mid sized SA/CA cichlids. Many of them like to munch on plants, or are just boisterous and mess them up.

 

[SouthernCross]

The BBA seems to be primarily where the light is brightest in the tank.

I know about the cichlids... I rehomed my Sevs after they ate all my other plants. I still have rainbow cichlids which might be a problem but I'm going for the tougher less messy plants so will see how we go...