Increasing light wattage

[pendragon]

My aquarium came provided with a glass top and a separate 36-inch flourescent ballast that just sits right on top of the glass. The flourescent bulb that came in the unit is an Eclipse brand light, but I can't find any wattage numbers actually printed on the bulb itself. The unit also has a removable flourescent "starter" that does have some wattage numbers on it (can't recall what they are offhand, but lower than what I need, ~30 W if I recall correctly).

Question: Being a 46-gallon, 19-inch depth aquarium (16-inch water column) I'd like to bump the light wattage up to around 90 watts or so. Is this possible using the setup I have (by changing bulb and, presumably, starter)? Or is that type of wattage beyond the capability of my current setup? I'd really rather not undertake a complicated project involving rigging a whole new light system, if I can just accomplish what I want with what I have. But, if necessary, I'm certain that in the end I'll do what I must.

Thanks!

pendragon!

 

[EddieW]

Hi Pendragon,

Yep, a normal T8 (1" diameter) tube 36" long is 30w. Both the ballast and starter would usually need to be changed for a higher wattage (and longer) tube.

Alternatives (all prices are from the web siteDrs Foster and Smith website as I am in the UK):

VHO tubes. These are special tubes that emit a lot more light in the same length. A 36" VHO Aquasun tube would output 96w. They are more expensive though - $29.99. You would also need an appropriate ballast, these usually seem to power two tubes and start from about $200....

T5 lighting (5/8" diameter tubes). These pack a higher wattage into a shorter length, for example 36" T5s are $26.99. Again you would need a suitable ballast, endcaps, etc. A 362 retro fit T5 set up including everything for two 36" T5 tubes is $159.99

Compact T5 (power compact). 20" compact T5s are usually 55w, not sure how long 65w ones are as we don;t seem to get them over here but they are $27.99. An electronic ballast to control two 65w is $79.99

Hopefully this gives you somewhere to start having a look - there are lots of lighting options on their web site. It may also be worth having a look around for other aquatic lighting web sites as you have a lot more options in the States that we currently have over here.

Cheers, Eddie

 

[pendragon]

Thanks for your response, Eddie. I don't know an awful lot about lighting and helpful information - other than the very, very basic - has been difficult more to find than I'd thought. As luck would have it, I ran into a friend yesterday who knows a bit about lighting and tapped his brain a little as well.

It sounds as though compact flourescent might be the way to go. It appears most 36" CF strip lights have two 55W bulbs in them, for a total of 110W of light. It seems, though, that in some of these units one bulb is 'white' and the other is 'actinic'. Is an actinic light necessary or beneficial in some way (e.g. particularly good for plants) or do they just "color" the tank's contents more attractively? Do I need one, should I steer away from them, or is it just my preference?

My tank is freshwater, not saltwater, if that's important.

Thanks!

pendragon!

 

[EddieW]

Hi, generally actinic (blue) tubes are used with marine tanks as they make the corals, etc. fluoresce and look better. Using them on a FW tank won't cause any problems, but you might find that your plants need a wider spectrum.

On my FW at work I have a mix of compact tubes - one is called a Freshwater Tropical tube and is 50/50 White 7100k and Pink 8000k the other is called a Freshwater Plant tube and is 50/50 Pink 8000k and Blue 12000k. Given that the actinic is usually Blue 12000k then a mix of White & Blue tubes should be OK.

On a FW tank at home where I use T8 tubes I have just replaced both tubes as they were over ten months old and I went for a 6,500k and a 9,100K - the white at the front of the tank is much stronger and sharper.

Can you not ask the supplier to change the tubes as they are not usually supplied with the tubes over here?

Cheers, Eddie

 

[Great Lakes]

Pendragon. My .02 worth.

On that size tank, power compacts are a waste of money.

I have used and abused all types of lighting combos over the last few years. Many I have wired myself. Floerescents are the easiest to work with, are easily obtained, and come in a wide variety.

One consideration though, are you going to have a hood/canopy for you tank? If not, PC lights are the least obtrusive, but if the answer is yes, it is quite simple to wire up flourescents.

GL

 

[Bol]

I believe I have the same exact tank as you, pendragon (46g All-Glass bowfront).

If so, the easiest way to get 90W is to buy a twin-tube normal output (NO) strip, and use it in conjunction with your existing strip. The downsides to this are price (twin-tube strips can get expensive, unless you go the Home Depot route), and looks (the single strip will have to sit on the hinge part of the lid, and will slightly overhang the front corners).

Otherwise, if you go with Compact Flruorescents, then the twin-55W strip should do you nicely. Keep in mind that with the offset bulb design, you'll probably get less light on the sides of the tank, and may have to plan your plant placement accordingly.

If you do go with CFs, then I can add that many plant people rave about the GE 9325 bulbs (which I believe come 'standard' with the All-Glass 36" CF strip, if you buy it from DrsFosterSmith).