Bit Of Help With Small Planted Tank

[littlest]

Interpet do ballasts for compact T5 lights. They have one for 18W and an 18W bulb that is the same size as my current 11W one, so I could fit the bulb into my lid and use the Interpet ballast instead of the fitted ballast.

That sounds a bit preferable to me. Might go for that option.
It may have to wait until after Christmas though

 

[SuperColey1]

Thats the way to go IMO. either double up as poster above has done or upgrade the unit.

I think you lost my point from the last post.

What I meant is that yes you can put any wattage you like in there as long as it is above the ballasts wattage BUT why?

You will buy an 18W bulb and it will still only produce 11W because thats all the ballast can supply it with. So you still have the same light as before.

The poster above also confirmed my guess that the ballast is underpowering the lamp anyway so you currently only have 10W. Never read the bulb wattage. Its the ballast wattage that matters.

I wouldn't buy the Interpet one as it is quite hard to find reflectors in the UK for PC lights. Try this instead. It has built in reflectors and contrary to the sellers statement it is not a magnetic ballast!! If it were it would need starters. Therefore it is an electronic one. Interpet or ASL bulbs will fit this.

[URL="http/www.aquatics-online.co.uk/catalogue...hting-units.asp"]http/www.aquatics-online.co.uk/catalogue...hting-units.asp[/URL]

Andy

 

[ulster exile]

Having the same tank as the OP (and similar problems ), I've been following this thread closely - do you have the name of the unit you were trying to link to, since the link doesn't work I'm afraid?

 

[SuperColey1]

Sorry try clicking on this.

ASL T5 Compacts

Andy

 

[littlest]

Thanks, I did understand your point, which is why I went away to look for a more powerful ballast that would work with a bulb that could fit my lid.

Thanks for the link but I don't think the ASL unit will work with the lid. It just wouldn't fit.

 

[lljdma06]

Hi, thanks for the thorough reply.

I think you may have misunderstood my lighting. It's currently 11W but I found a bulb online that will fit that is 18W. I take it you think it's a good idea to buy that. Can I just put a higher watt bulb in the same lighting unit?

I apologize. When I finished posting, I paused for a moment and was wondering if you were the one with only 11W, but, there are a lot of tanks here. Supercoley is correct, just because you put an 18W bulb on a 10 or 11W ballast, does not mean you will get 18W. You will only get the amount of light posted on the ballast. I also recommend that you upgrade your lighting.

Now, for the good news. I think your thread has been very useful. Lighting for nanos has been a very tricky subject and the experience with your tank proves that nanos need quite a bit more lighting to get the equivalent lighting levels on say, a 20g aquarium. I have been trying to figure out what is the low-end threshold for a nano for some time based on the experiences of members here, so your thread has been very useful. We now know that 11W over 7.5g isn't enough. Now, an 11W may be enough for a tank half that size.

One more question, what are the dimensions of your tank?

llj

 

[ulster exile]

From t'internet...

Capacity: 28 ltr

Dimensions: 38 W x 33 H x 30 D cm

It's bowfronted as well. It's a shame that the lid doesn't come off easily, or I'd just remove it and use a standalone lighting unit, but unfortunately I can't see how it could come off and not look stupid.

Supercoley, thanks for re-posting that link. Nice unit, but as the OP says, just wouldn't fit Are your objections to the Interpet starter solely based on the lack of a suitable reflector, as personally I'd be happy just to use some mylar (my main tank has odd lighting too meaning that i can't have standard reflectors )

Apologies to littlest for the hijack but as our problem is a shared one, the solution might be shared too.

 

[littlest]

no apologies needed, it's all useful

Btw, I think those measurements are external and include the sizeable lid

 

[SuperColey1]

The problem I had with the 55W version of the interpet is using a standard curved T8 reflector there was so much light redirected all into the same area that it washed all the colour out of the top third of the tank ruining my photos. lol

I also got loads of staghorn whilst using it from the plants directly underthis 'blast'

So yes its really that it is nigh on impossible to get good reflectors for PC lights and also (I cant remember names) I have seen auite a few good results of the ASL version both the bulbs and the unit itself.

I now use T5HO linear instead. easier to get correct reflectors + much better spread of light therefore better colours in the tank. (IMO)

Andy