More nutrients were in the water. Now with less nutrients, there are not enough proteins to build long gha strands.
By sizing smaller, the proteins that are remaining can still build long gha strands because they are not spread out so much.
More nutrients were in the water. Now with less nutrients, there are not enough proteins to build long gha strands.
By sizing smaller, the proteins that are remaining can still build long gha strands because they are not spread out so much.
What does it mean when I get better growth from a 1 sided screen than a 2 sided screen? Each time I built the scrubber it started as 1 sided and when I added another light of equal strength on the other side, it stunted growth dramatically. Brown/thin algae.
Screen is too big.
Well, I spent the day siphoning out the thick sludge sitting in the bottom of my sump. I figured these were contributing to high nutrients/cyano problems on the sand bed.
I've also suspended rocks in between two baffles off the sump floor so food and detritus keep in the water column for corals/fish. I also put two powerheads on the sump floor to aid in this purpose.
Tonight I built a box around my LED lights and screen so as to capture all light.
Question, on a 5x5 screen, how many LED watts would be needed to meet criteria for 9 hours? And 18 hours?
5 X 5 = 25 watts CFL, or 12 watts LED. However I'd just use 3 X 3w LED stars in a triangle, at 2" distance.
Ok so 12 watts LED each side for 9 hours a day. I just want to make sure I've got the proper amount and that's exactly what I'm using right now.
Here is a pic of the box I built with aluminum walls on the inside for reflectivity.
This is inside the box with 1 of 2 12w LED bulbs shining on the screen which sits between two diffusers.
At that distance, you do not need the diffusers. The aluminum is doing nothing for you as LEDs are directional. What I would do though is leave the diffusers, take the front of the light fixture off and remove all the optics, and put that light about 1" from the diffusers.
At this distance I get a nice round burned mark in the middle of the screen which is what prompted me to add a diffuser in the front.
The box was also more of a light trap so that the room doesn't look like a disco at night. :-)
Hm.. Maybe I will remove the optics. I just hope it's not a daunting task. Is it as easy as unscrewing the face plate and taking out a plastic lense?
Should be - at least that is what I have heard from others that did the same, it apparently is pretty simple.
There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote