Newbie To Co2 And Need Some Advice Please

[SuperColey1]

Buy the cheap one and then buy a decent ceramic Nano diffusor from Aquatic Magic, AE or other

All CO2 you buy including Nutrafins should be able to work of a glass diffusor



HAVE a look at this link. Another journal on here but the second pic down the guy has the JBL version of your reactor in the tank.
http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=203191

Andy

 

[Nosnibor]

Buy the cheap one and then buy a decent ceramic Nano diffusor from Aquatic Magic, AE or other

All CO2 you buy including Nutrafins should be able to work of a glass diffusor



HAVE a look at this link. Another journal on here but the second pic down the guy has the JBL version of your reactor in the tank.
http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=203191

Andy

Cheers for that link Andy. I've replied to him enquiring about how he made his external reactor diffusor. As I was typing the postman came and delivered the drop checker from HK at last, so just installing that.

There were some GREAT photos of tanks and pearling plants that I would love to do. I suppose you have to start from somewhere, and getting the CO2 system setup first is a great starting point eh.

I appreciate all the advice.

Martin

 

[Nosnibor]

Buy the cheap one and then buy a decent ceramic Nano diffusor from Aquatic Magic, AE or other

All CO2 you buy including Nutrafins should be able to work of a glass diffusor



HAVE a look at this link. Another journal on here but the second pic down the guy has the JBL version of your reactor in the tank.
http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=203191

Andy

Andy,

I'm sure I've asked you this before but can't find the post, what's your lighting setup?

I'm just about to start a new thread on the Plants and Planted Tankts forum and post my setup that came with my Vision 180, I was well shocked, even less then I thought it had Not happy and need to upgrade

Martin

 

[garuf]

Buy the cheap one and then buy a decent ceramic Nano diffusor from Aquatic Magic, AE or other

All CO2 you buy including Nutrafins should be able to work of a glass diffusor



HAVE a look at this link. Another journal on here but the second pic down the guy has the JBL version of your reactor in the tank.
http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=203191

Andy

Andy,

I'm sure I've asked you this before but can't find the post, what's your lighting setup?

I'm just about to start a new thread on the Plants and Planted Tankts forum and post my setup that came with my Vision 180, I was well shocked, even less then I thought it had Not happy and need to upgrade

Martin

go for t5s or t6 better light intensity and t6 will fit in a t8 socket

 

[Nosnibor]

go for t5s or t6 better light intensity and t6 will fit in a t8 socket

Cool Garuf,

I didn't know that, I will put my lighting thread on now. Would be great to hear what you have or going to get.

Martin

 

[garuf]

go for t5s or t6 better light intensity and t6 will fit in a t8 socket

Cool Garuf,

I didn't know that, I will put my lighting thread on now. Would be great to hear what you have or going to get.

Martin

im running a single 36w t5 power compact, its brilliant, kicks out so much light and puts me nicely in the 3.6wpg bracket i dont use a reflector but id recommend one.
my tanks a 10 us gallon tank and only 18inches long, the same lenght as my light fitting, its a tight squeeze.

 

[Nosnibor]

im running a single 36w t5 power compact, its brilliant, kicks out so much light and puts me nicely in the 3.6wpg bracket i dont use a reflector but id recommend one.
my tanks a 10 us gallon tank and only 18inches long, the same lenght as my light fitting, its a tight squeeze.

Nice one, mine is a 48 US gallon tank and only 2x25watts on it

I'd like to get a hood made for my tank in the near future, then I'll install four tubs and replicate the dusk 'til dawn effect.

I'm managed to post that thread regarding my lights [post="1701228"]here[/post], I just hope I get some good advice back on it.

Martin

 

[SuperColey1]

im running a single 36w t5 power compact, its brilliant, kicks out so much light and puts me nicely in the 3.6wpg bracket i dont use a reflector but id recommend one.
my tanks a 10 us gallon tank and only 18inches long, the same lenght as my light fitting, its a tight squeeze.

I'm afraid that although it might seem high the rule is generally for the medium 30-50 gallon tanks. Smaller tanks need a much higher WPG and the larger ones much less. don't ask me why. Just what all the experts say in the lighting threads.

Most people wanting high light over a NAno are looking at 6WPG or around there.

Martin

I have a single 55W PC and an 18W T8 over a 125Ltr tank. approx 2.5WPG medium to high lighting this is classed as at this size of tank.

andy

 

[garuf]

im running a single 36w t5 power compact, its brilliant, kicks out so much light and puts me nicely in the 3.6wpg bracket i dont use a reflector but id recommend one.
my tanks a 10 us gallon tank and only 18inches long, the same lenght as my light fitting, its a tight squeeze.

I'm afraid that although it might seem high the rule is generally for the medium 30-50 gallon tanks. Smaller tanks need a much higher WPG and the larger ones much less. don't ask me why. Just what all the experts say in the lighting threads.

Most people wanting high light over a NAno are looking at 6WPG or around there.

Martin

I have a single 55W PC and an 18W T8 over a 125Ltr tank. approx 2.5WPG medium to high lighting this is classed as at this size of tank.

andy

ahhhhh i see, will i still be able to grow high light plants under this light or am i low light even though i have alot of light in the tank?

 

[Nosnibor]

Martin

I have a single 55W PC and an 18W T8 over a 125Ltr tank. approx 2.5WPG medium to high lighting this is classed as at this size of tank.

andy

Oh really, I thought you had a full 4 bar set under the hood? I haven't had much luck with my thread that I posted regarding advice on tubes

I was thinking about trying to open up my lighting unit under my hood and seeing if I can separate the two tubes so I can have two single power leads going to independent timers.

I have noticed that the two tubes I've got with my set up are different. One is a Cool White and the other is a Warmlite. Not sure if that is designed like that so that one is at the back and one at the front.

I want to set it up so one comes on in the morning, both on during the day and just one late in the evening.

Martin

 

[SuperColey1]

If its the standard setup you got with the tank. You probably have a single ballast running both tubes.

This means that to have them turning on seperately you need to change to 2 ballasts!!

There are 2 ways of improving easily (I am no electrician)

I guess you are going to up you lighting to 4 tubes?

Option 1:
Replace the single ballast with 2 new ballasts. Each to power 2 tubes so for example a 48W ballast for 2x24W tubes)and rewire.

Option 2:
Buy 2 external double starters (again the right wattage) and fit them in (tube holders often come with them but they are cheap to buy or get spring clips)

Something like this x 2
http/cgi.ebay.co.uk/HAGEN-DOUBLE-LIGHT-S...VQQcmdZViewItem

Personally I would get 2 twin 36W PCs. That would get you 2x36W bulbs in each space where you currently have 1x25W
giving you 144W total. This would put you at about 3WPG. (for a 48USG tank) I think these bulbs are 16" +2 for end caps so you may have to stagger fit them. Alternatively there is a 24W version but they don't sem to make a twin starter so you'd need 4!!!

Like this sort of unit.
http/www.tamaraquatics.co.uk/showdetails.asp?id=281

They would fit in like this:

Andy

 

[Nosnibor]

Personally I would get 2 twin 36W PCs. That would get you 2x36W bulbs in each space where you currently have 1x25W
giving you 144W total. This would put you at about 3WPG. (for a 48USG tank) I think these bulbs are 16" +2 for end caps so you may have to stagger fit them. Alternatively there is a 24W version but they don't sem to make a twin starter so you'd need 4!!!

Andy

Andy,

Firstly, did you just knock that picture up for this post? If so, you're a dab hand at your graphics. If not, you're a dab hand with the internet - CHEERS

They are all great routes to go down, the only issue I have is that I have a soft top hood. Basically it's the standard flat top that comes with the Vision 180. It's split into three sections. The middle section is the part that has the ballast secured on it, the front and back sections are blank playes but they are quite flimsy and won't hold anything with any real weight to it.

I got a reply to an email to AE last night and he recommended putting two T6 Daylight or Spectrum. They are only 25w but as they are 40% brighter than the T8s they would be good for my tank as it's quite deep and the T8s aren't very good with the deep tanks.

Do you think it would be possible to have just the one ballast with two tubes and having them on separate timers? So I take it I will be looking for ones that don't say twin starter unit but single right?

Haven't you got just the two tubes running at separate times?

Sorry in advance if I have mis-read anything and got the wrong end of the stick here.

Cheers

Martin

 

[SuperColey1]

Yeah I read earlier that you were thinking of doing your own hood.

A twin starter will run both lights at the same time. If you have 4 lights (cos PCs are so short) the you can use 1 twin on 1 timer and the other twin on another.

I do have just 2 lights on timers but I have 1 single PC 55W at the back and 1 18W T8 at the front. The PC has an external ballast and the 18W is rewired to an 18W electronic ballast in the hood recess which I put in the space where the old magnetic 30W ballast was (for 2 T8s)

I chose this route because I wanted approx 2.5WPG, my tank is 30" and the PC is 23" including endcaps so it is quite a good fit (The T8s in these hoods are only 24" anyway)

T5s are better than T6s which are better than T8s and so on. Its more efficiency in that if you have a T8 you are losing some light so of the 18W it is any man's guess how much you are actually directing at your tank. The 40% just means that with reflectors you lose less light.

Therefore just putting a T6 or T5 doesn't gain you any more light. It stops you losing so much

 

[Nosnibor]

Yeah I read earlier that you were thinking of doing your own hood.

A twin starter will run both lights at the same time. If you have 4 lights (cos PCs are so short) the you can use 1 twin on 1 timer and the other twin on another.

I do have just 2 lights on timers but I have 1 single PC 55W at the back and 1 18W T8 at the front. The PC has an external ballast and the 18W is rewired to an 18W electronic ballast in the hood recess which I put in the space where the old magnetic 30W ballast was (for 2 T8s)

I chose this route because I wanted approx 2.5WPG, my tank is 30" and the PC is 23" including endcaps so it is quite a good fit (The T8s in these hoods are only 24" anyway)

T5s are better than T6s which are better than T8s and so on. Its more efficiency in that if you have a T8 you are losing some light so of the 18W it is any man's guess how much you are actually directing at your tank. The 40% just means that with reflectors you lose less light.

Therefore just putting a T6 or T5 doesn't gain you any more light. It stops you losing so much

Thanks again for that Andy, by the way what does PC stand for?

I think what I will do is until I get my hood, I will go for the Daylight and Spectrum T6 light as I'm sure I can't fit T5's in, and then when I get the hood I will install these lights in that and get a double or single for the front which can be the dawn and dusk effect tube.

At least I will be able to increase the lighting a little until I get the hood. Been watching the Riccia and it seems to be growing, slowly but growing and I only have 1.05wpg - go figure

Martin

 

[garuf]

getting back onto co2 how are you finding your setup noshnibor
going to collect my wages today and pay them into the bank, im going to go for the cheaper option and make a diy bubble counter i think, diy co2 doesnt seem to cut it. im getting 1bs without a diffuser.
ill re-invest in plants once ive got better conditions