Help needed with light selection

[stegoodall]

Hi
I have been looking at the Interpet Power Compact T5's and was wonderin which lights people would suggest. I have a 32 uk gallon tank (i think thats 38) us gallons. (36x18x15). I have been looking at getting either 2x36W or 2x55W, If i got the twin 36 unit, I could also use my current 18W light to get it to 90W.
I think I will use the daylight plus light, any other suggestions?
thanks
Stephen

 

[houndour]

well thats either 2.3 or 2.9 WPG.

I guess it depends what plants you want and how dedicated you are to CO2 injection. People say you wouldnt need CO2 for 2.3wpg, but I would have it.

For the price difference I would say go for the 2 x 55W. But...the pain with the twin ones is you have to have them both running. (so you cant switch down to 1 55W if you needed to).

I'm no good at decisions, and I dont think I've helped much.

//edit
the daylight bulbs are fine by the way.

 

[stegoodall]

I was thinking of the 55's because the ballast is only about £2 difference and bulbs about £1.50. I have been looking into co2 and i guess now is the time to try it before i add fish, to try and get levels right without affecting the water much. Is DIY a good way?

 

[houndour]

Yeah for that difference in price you may as well get the 2x55W.

DIY is fine. There are loads of posts in the DIY forum about DIY CO2.

What a lot of people use though is the Hagen Nutrafin CO2 set, but with our own DIY mixtures (yeast and sugar - and sometimes bicarb). The Nutrafin set is available online for around the £20 mark including postage. Check out your LFS though, mine sold them for £15. You might need 2 of these on a 32 gallon. I've got 2 on my 19 gallon.

And then if you're rich theres pressurized CO2...which is what a few of us are starting to go for...I'm still debating at the mo, but my main reason for going pressurized is cos I'm too lazy to change my mixtures. Cost wise here, you're looking at £120 to £180 depending where you have a night shut off valve or other extras.

 

[stegoodall]

I aren't rich lol. I'm 16 and don't have a job. If I onli needed one light on, i could cover one up right? Would this work?
Any tips you can offer on the DIY CO2?

 

[zig]

Hiya Stephen

I use them as well, I have the daylight tubes and i really like them.

Both good options you are thinking of, personally id probably go for the 55 watt, but i think at either option you would have to consider co2 as hondour has allready suggested, diy co2 isnt that difficult, its basically bread yeast, sugar and bicarbonate of soda and just add water, all of which are very cheap, i use the nutrafin units, but you could use ordinary 1 or 2 liter mineral bottles with some airline tubing, the only thing you would have to think about is what you are going to use as diffuser, just putting the tube in the water wouldnt have any real effect as the co2 bubbles would just rise to the surface.

I dont think just covering up the light would be a good option either as they get quite hot, it is the drawback of the twin ballasts that you have to run both lights together.

With that much light running you would have to also consider your fertiliseing routine, have a look at the EI journal of hondour and nodding dino, thats a really good method for fertiliseing and a lot cheaper than buying liquid ferts all the time, id also definatly get the co2 up and running before you switch the lights on, with that much light and no co2 you would be combatting algae before very long, but it isnt that difficult lots of us here are doing it.

If you want to go with co2 you will need a Ph and a Kh test kit in order to be able to measure it, your target for the co2 should be 30ppm, and try and keep the supply of co2 as stable as possible.

You will find co2 charts on the web or gf225 has one in his sig.

Best of luck with it, and post some pics when you have it planted