Yet More Lighting Questions For You Guys

[Winterlily]

I've got a couple (soon to be a few) 5.5 gallon tanks set up (one male betta in each) with glass covers on each, and 16" strip lights on top. I do not like this arrangement at all. For one thing, the glass "canopies" have a strip down the middle (flexible so you can open the front bit - here's a link to see what I mean) and the strip light is supposed to sit behind it. Well great, except that flexible strip thing seems to block some of the light. Plus, it's only the back of the aquarium that's getting illuminated, really. Overall, it's really dim. (Bulbs, btw, are 14w.) Now, I have a 55 gallon in the process of being set up, and I just don't want to do this same thing of glass top and strip light, I think - unless a better strip light would solve this. Are full hoods a better option for some reason?

So. What are my best options here? I've looked at some of the other strip light options and well, I just can't begin to afford most of them. Someone along the way suggested a shop light fixture from a DIY type store, but I don't know what I'd even be looking for? What is safe with an aquarium, what things must be on it or not? Aren't they metal - wouldn't it get hot? (I have a 3-year-old.)

If you have any suggestions of better strip lights, or hoods, or whatever, that are already for aquarium use, please let me know that too! (All the tanks need to be covered - the little ones because the bettas jump, and the big one because, as I said, I have a 3-year-old.)

Please help with lighting options here. My little tanks look dim, the plants are dying, so I want to get something different for them, and I want to start right with the 55 gallon. And, well, I haven't a clue what to look for or what lights are good ones.

Thanks!!

 

[afishdude]

Your looking at this the wrong way. The light strip is not the part you need to replace. The glass top is clouded so light won't go through it. Your either going to need to get a CLEAR glass top or leave it the way it is. You can buy one, or you can make one out of the parts that are on that one (the hinge and the handle). 17w should be lighting that up great. I only have 17w and 20w on my 30" tanks and it is plenty of light.

 

[Winterlily]

I think the picture is showing it a bit incorrectly. It is completely clear glass - definitely not clouded at all. I think, if anything, it doesn't sit in a good place and the light is obscured by that flexible strip there in the middle if you see what I mean? I dunno.

 

[Tropical_Fish]

I would have thought 14w would be plenty on a 5.5g, mines approx 20g and only has a single 18w bulb and it's plenty bright enough.

How old is the bulb? I did read somewhere that they have quite a short half life, so they should be replaced every 12 months.

My tank came with the light fittings but no bulb, for the minute I just grabbed a spare bulb from work, as the lights at work use the same size 2' bulbs. The one I have at the moment is a cool white bulb which does seem brighter than others

 

[Geoff1991]

I would have thought 14w would be plenty on a 5.5g, mines approx 20g and only has a single 18w bulb and it's plenty bright enough.

How old is the bulb? I did read somewhere that they have quite a short half life, so they should be replaced every 12 months.

My tank came with the light fittings but no bulb, for the minute I just grabbed a spare bulb from work, as the lights at work use the same size 2' bulbs. The one I have at the moment is a cool white bulb which does seem brighter than others

On bigger tanks, to achive the same plant growth you need less light than you do on smaller tanks. On paper his lighting is about 2.5wpg but in actual fact it probably would be the same as about 1.5wpg on a bigger tank.

 

[Winterlily]

The bulb is brand new - it's the one the strip came with; not a great one (have a daylight one coming), but is only about a month old. Seems to me like the wattage should be fine for this little tank, too - that's why I wondered if it might have to do with the glass canopy somehow.

On bigger tanks, to achive the same plant growth you need less light than you do on smaller tanks.

Why is that? I would've thought it was the other way around!

On paper his lighting...

Actually, her.

 

[Geoff1991]

Why is that? I would've thought it was the other way around!

I cant remember why, someone else will explain that...

Actually, her. ..

My bad

Edit:

Found the link

http/www.rexgrigg.com/mlt.html

 

[Winterlily]

Thanks Geoff!

Read through the link - but will have to re-read more than once to absorb! Very interesting though - thanks!

 

[Geoff1991]

Not sure if thats the right one actually, if you PM arronnorth i think he knows of the link im looking for, maybe he has it bookmarked.

 

[SuperColey1]

Although it is right that smaller tanks need more light than larger tanks and vice versa Rex has gone off on the wrong track there.

He is using Lumens and Lux which are not measures of light. They are a measure of brightness which is completely different to actual light. Brightness is a perception and not an actual. Lumens tells tou how mbright something looks to the human eye.

It is to do with the water's surface area basically per square inch can be used yes but Lumens is just as useless as Watts as a measurement.

Watts is the measurement of power used so it doesn't tell you what the output is, Lumens is brightness but at least is measuring the output at source. However the source measurement means not a lot. That is a potential rather than an actual.

The measurement needed is at the target. Its fine to know a potential amount but how much is the target receiving. i.e. how much is there at the substrate compared to the water surface compared to next to the light itself?

PAR/PUR are actual light measurements. PAR = photosynthetic active radiation, PUR = Photosynthetic useable radiation.

PAR is what most measure. PUR is slightly more accurate in that it measure what is in the range useable i.e. MH and flouro lights also give off certain amounts of UV and other non-usable ranges of light.

So now you're all confused. A 14W over your tank should be OK. 2.5WPG over a 5.5USG is in the medium to low light bracket!!! Should be OK for most plants.

Over any tank 2 x full length T8 tubes (4ft tank = 2 x 4ft T8 tubes) should be sufficient for virtually every plant you want to grow. Always better to have 2 tubes because it limits the effect of shading in that with 1 tube some lower plants may be in the shadow of larger plants.

AC