Regarding Day/night Light Cycles And/or Live Plants

[bobbo268]

Couple questions:
 
1.  So i've read to keep algae somewhat under control, you need to keep your light on for more than 10 hours a day.  I have regular flourscent (29 gallon tank) and blue leds medium brightness for night time.  I have a day/night timer as well.  Is it ok to have the white light from 11am - 7pm and have the blue leds on the rest of the night and day, or should the tank be pitch black?  *(i ask because my day/night timer only has one timer, and when the daytime outlets are on, the night are off, and vise versa, there are not two separate timers)
 
2.  Live plants... never had them, heard it may help the well being of the tank and keep the algae under control....  does the tank need to be established or does it not matter for plants?  And when i vaccuum the gravel, how do you keep the roots from getting pulled up, or do you just avoid that section when vaccuuming?

 

[lovestoeatfish]

My tank is full of live plants and they do help control the chemistry of the water. There should be enough gravel or whatever material in your tank, so that you can bury the roots of the plants. When vacuuming I just lightly vacuum the top of the gravel over the roots.

 

[bobbo268]

Do I really have to fertilize them and everything or can i just stick one in? I already have a marimo moss ball in the tank.. and is there a certain type of plant that is super easy and hardy that I can get at petsmart or petco?

Lights anyone?

 

[FreshwaterAfishianado]

Java fern, crypts, and anubias are a few really easy plants, if you don't want to bother with fertilizing you can buy root-tabs, just bury a few in your substrate near the roots of your plants and theyre fed for months. Much less expensive than daily or weekly fertz as well. As far as photo period you really have to find what works for your tank volume and amount of plant life. I use a siesta method. 4 hours of light 4 hours of dark then 4 more hours of light and off for the rest of the night. The 4 hour break during the day allows the plants to release co2, most of which will have been used u during he first 4 hours, and start fresh again. The reason this helps is without easily accessible carbon the plants struggle to continue photosynthesis and the algae can out compete he plants for nutrients. By keeping your dissolved carbon and oxygen levels balanced throughout the day you give the plants the advantage and leave very little nutrients for he algae.
Hope thus helps

 

[techen]

Just to note, don't keep the leds on all night. You'll stress the fish out. You need to have it mostly pitch black so when main lights go out leds could come on for a few hours then go off. Once it's pitch black your fish can rest