150 watt HQI under 10K???

moosejac · #1 03/14/2006, 01:21 AM

Does anyone know of a 150 wat HQI out there that is lower than 10K? I've looked and looked, but have not found anything. I am currently keeping a few strands of Turtle grass and a few other macro's, and have seen decent growth with the 10K, but I imagine it would be better with a lower kelvin rating.

Thanks,
Nathan

bluenassarius · #2 03/14/2006, 01:44 AM

it could be that your lacking in nutrients. i had 130w of 6500k pc lighting over my tank for a while... there was good growth for about a week or two but it tapered off after that.

Samala · #3 03/14/2006, 01:58 AM

Hmm. Nathan I'm not sure there would be a huge jump in growth rates between 10,000K and, say, 6700K but it would be great if you are willing to try it. Like Blue, I'm curious, are you dosing nutrients, or is the tank hooked inline perhaps to some of your other (nutrient producing) systems?

>Sarah

moosejac · #4 03/14/2006, 05:09 PM

I have been dosing Iron (although without testing), but not NO3. I have a low-range NO3 test, and I usually register around 2-5ppm...is that enough? Also, I have been fighting diatoms and wondered if their were any correlation between that and the slow growth of the macro's???

Thanks
Nathan

The_Nexis_One · #5 03/14/2006, 11:59 PM

2-5ppm of NO3 is perfect - try to maintain the level while you have macro's/seagrass.

As for the diatoms...... you might try cutting back on your Iron dosing. There is evidence that Diatom blooms are caused, at least in part, by over dosing Iron.

John.