Juwel Rekord 120 ................... !?

[Malfie]

Hi guys.
I would really like some help with my tank.

I had a problem with blue/green algae(bacteria) and in a nutshell I had to find homes for all my fish,chuck the plants and clean the tank and it's other contents.

I'm starting again and would really love a planted tank.In fact I have to have a planted tank and I need help.
With the tube that came with the tank I managed ok-ish results, but I then replaced with an Arcadia Classica - Tropical Sunlight and over the next few months the plants stopped growing and started to die.At this time I started to get the blue/green algae problem which can't have helped the plants as the were covered in the stuff.

If I keep to low light plants such as Java Ferns,Crypts and Anubias do you think I could have a good looking tank if I chose the correct tube,or is 30W just too low for a tank of this size ?

I have contacted Juwel and after moaning at them I asked if I could buy another hood for my tanks with greater wattage and they said there is no such hood ! Can you believe it ?

I have trawled the net looking for hoods I could buy - either with lights already fitted or without for me to bodge myself - but I can't find any.I have found a lumiere type thing (Hagen Glo T5 light beam) which is about £60 and looks cool,but that leaves the tank top open and I smoke which can't be good for the fish and apparently not for me either .

Has anyone ripped open their Juwel hood and been able to attach new lights ?That would be ideal,but it's a sealed unit and I can't easily see a way through that tough looking plastic.

Any help would be great.
I really miss my tank and would love to get it set up with plants before Christmas.
Cheers guys.
Malfie

 

[fish.com1]

Hi guys.
I would really like some help with my tank.

I had a problem with blue/green algae(bacteria) and in a nutshell I had to find homes for all my fish,chuck the plants and clean the tank and it's other contents.

I'm starting again and would really love a planted tank.In fact I have to have a planted tank and I need help.
With the tube that came with the tank I managed ok-ish results, but I then replaced with an Arcadia Classica - Tropical Sunlight and over the next few months the plants stopped growing and started to die.At this time I started to get the blue/green algae problem which can't have helped the plants as the were covered in the stuff.

If I keep to low light plants such as Java Ferns,Crypts and Anubias do you think I could have a good looking tank if I chose the correct tube,or is 30W just too low for a tank of this size ?

I have contacted Juwel and after moaning at them I asked if I could buy another hood for my tanks with greater wattage and they said there is no such hood ! Can you believe it ?

I have trawled the net looking for hoods I could buy - either with lights already fitted or without for me to bodge myself - but I can't find any.I have found a lumiere type thing (Hagen Glo T5 light beam) which is about £60 and looks cool,but that leaves the tank top open and I smoke which can't be good for the fish and apparently not for me either .

Has anyone ripped open their Juwel hood and been able to attach new lights ?That would be ideal,but it's a sealed unit and I can't easily see a way through that tough looking plastic.

Any help would be great.
I really miss my tank and would love to get it set up with plants before Christmas.
Cheers guys.
Malfie

You could get an arcadia overtank luminaire but they are jolly expensive. Looking at around £300 for your tank.

 

[Malfie]

Sounds great,but I may have to sell my body - for a long time - to get that sort of money !!

 

[RadaR]

Have a look at this.

 

[fish.com1]

Agreed, you could buy a new tank for that sort of money. I think there was a thread about attaching another tube to a rekord 60 hood but can't remember its name.Can anyone else remember?

 

[fish.com1]

Have a look at this.

Thats the one.

 

[Malfie]

Thank you so much for your help.

What a divvy.I didn't think of attaching another tube to the inside of the hood.It didn't look as if there would be any room,but a nice little T5 of about 15W would add just enough for the low light plants to grow without too much algae problems nor the need for Co2 injection,right ?

Yay.

Malfie x

 

[SuperColey1]

First post will give you your answer:

http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=208540

AC

 

[Malfie]

Wow.That guy's tank looks amazing.
He seems to have broken the rule book.A fantastic 1WPG planted tank WITH CO2 injection !!?

I'm even more confused now.

I think I'm going to go with the T5 15W thing with possibly DIY CO2 which I used with some success in my old smaller tank.

I'm really quite excited about the whole thing now.

Thank you guys.

M x

 

[SuperColey1]

What rule book are you talking about??

This my tank (Same size as Georges - 125Ltr tall) - 0.9WPG T5HO WITH CO2 injection.

He didn't break the rule book. He as many just showed that the common view of what are the rules are incorrect!!!

Don't believe all you read r.e. lighting etc. Search, then search and after that search again.

There are no real rules in this hobby. Many must dos but even then these must dos are different for each and every aquarium setup.

Just to prove a point here is my tank (same one 125Ltr tall) in June 2007. Earlier than the one in my first post. This is with 0.6WPG T8!!! and DIY CO2 :

Never believe the rule book. Take advice but try things for yourself as well. Experimentation opens avenues for yourself and others

AC

 

[Nick16]

i put a T6 into my rekord 120 hood so i have 60w of lighting.

 

[SuperColey1]

Nick. Did you change the ballast as well? If you are using the ballast from the T8s you used to have you have tubes that have a capacity to be 60W but are only being given the power from the ballast which will be whatever the T8 tubes were or could even be less.

i.e. Previous to the second picture I posted this tank had it's stock lighting which was 2 x 18W T8 tubes. however they were being powered by a 2 x 15W ballast which meant I didn't have 36W. I actually had 30W

In summary you may have 60W tubes but you don't have 60W light. They will be slightly more effective though because there will be a little less restrike due to them being thinner. How much more. Not a lot but a little more!!!

Expensive upgrade T6!!! for only a little improvement.

AC

 

[Nick16]

i got a 30w ballast for the 30w tubes mate. so i had as i said 60W.

 

[SuperColey1]

Nice one. Most people seem to be just adding the tubes and thinking they have more light.

AC

 

[Malfie]

Thanks for your replies,guys.

AC - your tanks are amazing

I so wish you lived next door - so many questions I would ask

I too love the plants as much as the fish and I truly would love to have a tank such as yours.

p.s. I have another thread on the general tropical section concerning my blue/green algae problem and have had no replies in over 24 hours.Any chance you could have a look ?

That would be great.

Thank.Malfie