4.7 Wpg -- Is This Too Much?

[BNyleen581]

I have never read anywere of anyone having more than 4.0 Watts Per Gallon (WPG) in their planted freshwater tank.

Will 4.7 WPG be bad for my fish? Will I have to turn up the dossing of CO2 to compensate?

I eventually want to get a group of schooling fish, either Galaxy Rasboras or some other kind of small schooling fish and then Discuss.

I have all the specrums covored for the plants, I just figure I might blind my poor fish??? Urg... 8)

 

[Underwurlde]

Not unheard of for smaller tanks.... but that really is off the scale mate. You'll be pumping in loads of CO2, loads of ferts, therefore loads of growth, therefore lots of pruning / high maintenance. Waste of time & money if you ask me because you'll get the same for less by knocking that lighting back.

Why do you want sooooo much lighting???

Andy

 

[nry]

It does depend on the size of tank - if you have ~5 gallons or less then this may be OK, but anything upwards of this and it is a massive figure. 1.5 to 2wpg is more than sufficient for the vast majority of plants in tanks of ~10-15 gallons and upwards.

 

[lljdma06]

It does depend on the size of tank - if you have ~5 gallons or less then this may be OK, but anything upwards of this and it is a massive figure. 1.5 to 2wpg is more than sufficient for the vast majority of plants in tanks of ~10-15 gallons and upwards.

As nry says, it depends on the size of the tank. Check out the links below.

This one is a study on the lighting intensities used by Amano.

http/www.fitchfamily.com/lighting.html

This one is more generic, and IMO, a little more feasible for a beginning aquarist as it breaks down the lighting by bulb type and the intensity level you want.

http/woo.gotdns.com/Aquarium/Lighting.htm

 

[garuf]

also, please don't get galaxies they'll end up as discus snacks

 

[mlawson]

Definitely depends on the size of the tank, my 5 gallon has 6WPG, whereas much larger tanks are fine woth 2WPG.

 

[BNyleen581]

Thanks for the responses people!

I have a 55 USG tank and pretty much by accident got too many lights installed. Had a little to do with a preexisting lighting system and a new one for the proper light color for plants... Long story short, I turned it on and it was like staring into the sun.

I will have to figure something out, maybe something to dim the lights or I might just all together take a bulb out, but then my color spectrums will probably be off??? Hmmm...

 

[nry]

Spectrum is not 100% important, something around 6500K is considered decent, but other options will probably work OK, what light tubes do you have?

 

[BNyleen581]

Spectrum is not 100% important, something around 6500K is considered decent, but other options will probably work OK, what light tubes do you have?

I have 3 65w Compact Florecent light tubes. One is Actinic and 10,000k, the other is 6,500k and Colormax, then one with two Royal Blue lights. I planned on using the first two light tubes throughout the day then the Royal Blue tube to simulate Morning and Dusk just before I turn on the LED night lights. I also planned on using the Royal Blue as a sort of light buffer for my mid day Siesta when I shut the lights off for an hour or two to help keep the moss away. I figure if I ease down the light it will give the fish less stress.

So I figure if I am having two of these lights on in the day that is four tubes at 65 watts a peace. Actually now that I think about it I wonder if the 65 watt rating is for the two tubes combined or for each tube??? That would make a substantial difference; if it was per tube set, then my WPG rating would be 2.4 instead of 4.7? Any ideas? I think I make this harder than it is... Here is a picture:

 

[Underwurlde]

Ideal range for plants is from 5,000K to 6,500K. All those bulbs you have there are basically colour enhancers / marine (SW) lights in the range of 6,700K to 10,000K

So I figure if I am having two of these lights on in the day that is four tubes at 65 watts a peace. Actually now that I think about it I wonder if the 65 watt rating is for the two tubes combined or for each tube???

Who cares how many bulbs there are? Equiment is rated FOR THAT EQUIPEMENT: So, its 65W period (or as you put it, for the 2 bulbs). So, you have 2.4WPG....

using the Royal Blue as a sort of light buffer for my mid day Siesta when I shut the lights off for an hour or two to help keep the moss away.

I'm trying to make sense of that idea of a 'lighting buffer'?? Erm moss as in algae. Big difference mate! IMO, lighting siestas do nothing to control algae.

I think I make this harder than it is

You're not kidding there!

In conclusoin then: You have a complicated arrangement of SW & colour enhancing tubes (each rated at 65W), none of which I'd say are any good really for growing plants....

Andy