How much light for a 5.5 gallon

[Alfalex]

Hi, my new tanks is finaly cycled and I don't know how much light I need. I only have 6 cherry and 3 neretina zebra miner in it. I want to keep it simple with only riccia and echinodorus tenellus. I have diy co2 in it!

Thanks!

[silane]

My guess is a 15W FL will do the job, without know the exact dimension of your tank especially the height.

[evolim83]

Riccia requires high lights to have the pearling effect!
Try to hit 3watts per gallon or more!

[gr81]

Riccia requires high lights to have the pearling effect!
Try to hit 3watts per gallon or more!
I think 1W/L is minimum, but I had big problems with hair algae at this light level.

[evolim83]

I think 1W/L is minimum, but I had big problems with hair algae at this light level.

Were you dosing any fert at this level?
How heavily planted is your tank?

Opps, jus realise you are talking about 1W/L!
I was referring to 3wpg (US gallon)!
3wpg should do fine if the tank is well-planted!

[shrimp]

How long do you on your lights. If you are having algea growth maybe you can reduce the number of hours the light is being on each day.10 hours a day should be quite ok.

Furthermore it also depends on what are the plants that are planted in the tank and how much plants are there. Some species doesnt need as much light and excessive nutrients will also encourage the growth of algea.

[Robert]

Hi,
for such a small tank there is no need for intensive light. Even Riccia fluitans doesn't need so much light. I keep it in my show tank (60x40x40cm -> 96L) under two 18W FL tubes and it pearls. The CO2 level is more important for this effect. BTW, it shows only that this plant reached its maximum photosynthesis level. The plant would also grow well with much less light.

I would recomend a 9-11W PL tube (energy saving lightbulb) or a 15W FL tube for this tank. Be careful with the DIY CO2 because it can cause fast pH changes, especially in the first two till three days.

regards
Robert

[azn_fishy55]

Riccia flutians do tend to like having higher light but it is not really that nessary.I had some under lower light but I have noticed that under lower light(2 wpg NO) the thali tend to be bigger and less attractive that the ones put under higher light(3 wpg cp).HTH