I've got a 20g high setup (30 watts - two 15" bulbs) with Eclipse
hood. I added a CO2 system and now all I get is algae although
plants are OK and growing better. But I've got to get more light
because I can't get rid of the algae and you 'all told me that
something must be out of balance - so I'm assuming it's the lighting.
I've got two ways to go - try to retro the existing hood with
additional lighting or take the Eclipse hood off completely and start
from scratch. The first part would probably cost only about $40 USD
and could provide about 26 extra watts. They sell (ahsupply.com -
2x13 watt deluxe bright kit) compact lighting that I could fit in
empty space in the hood. But that may not be enough for a 20g high
tank. The advantages for the second system is that I could get rid of
the biowheel and lose the excessive surface agitation so that my CO2
system would become more effective. And without the Eclipse my
lighting options would greatly increase - any ideas for a good
hood/light system and how many watts would be recommended? I don't
know much about it because I've always had Eclipse. Last but not
least - money is not really an object - I can get what I need. Of
course, I guess it's possible to overdue it with watts but I don't
know that either. What do you think?

Regards

"Bill Beam" wrote in message
...
I've got a 20g high setup (30 watts - two 15" bulbs) with Eclipse
hood. I added a CO2 system and now all I get is algae although
plants are OK and growing better. But I've got to get more light
because I can't get rid of the algae and you 'all told me that
something must be out of balance - so I'm assuming it's the lighting.
I've got two ways to go - try to retro the existing hood with
additional lighting or take the Eclipse hood off completely and start
from scratch. The first part would probably cost only about $40 USD
and could provide about 26 extra watts. They sell (ahsupply.com -
2x13 watt deluxe bright kit) compact lighting that I could fit in
empty space in the hood. But that may not be enough for a 20g high
tank. The advantages for the second system is that I could get rid of
the biowheel and lose the excessive surface agitation so that my CO2
system would become more effective. And without the Eclipse my
lighting options would greatly increase - any ideas for a good
hood/light system and how many watts would be recommended? I don't
know much about it because I've always had Eclipse. Last but not
least - money is not really an object - I can get what I need. Of
course, I guess it's possible to overdue it with watts but I don't
know that either. What do you think?

Regards

Since money is no object, why not just buy a larger tank and start off
with the lighting/CO2/substrate/plants you want from the get go. Why
mess up a perfectly good tank, lights, and filtration setup trying to do
something so different than it was designed for.

On another note, your algae problems may be due to a nutrient imbalance
as opposed to lack of light, but I am only guessing. What CO2
concentration are you achieving, now versus your target?