Lamp Ratings

[KirkyArcher]

Would the actual light output in Lumens not be a better way to set up/determine a correct lighting plan for an aquarium rather than the wattage rating of the tube?
​and if so what would the recommended Lumens per litre value be ?
 

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Yes, but PAR (Photosynthetically available radiation) and PUR (Photosynthetically useable radiation) are best.

 

[Zikofski]

Agreed with eagle if you can find out the PAR of you light that is a good idea if you can even lumens is uncertain just like Wpg but people rally should not use Wpg any more I won't even use it as a reference

 

[fm1978]

Would the actual light output in Lumens not be a better way to set up/determine a correct lighting plan for an aquarium rather than the wattage rating of the tube?
​and if so what would the recommended Lumens per litre value be ?

Only if people were going to live in it...

But seriously, what I mean by that is that lumens is a very anthropocentric way to measure light. It only measures the part of the light that we humans are able to see. So for example, if you were to have a bulb that emitted a broad spectrum of light, the lumens measured would not cover any of the infra-red or ultra violet light since humans can't perceive it. So, if you used lumens only as a measure for aquarium lighting, you wouldn't ever know the power of the non-perceivable light that plants may also be able to use.

 

[eaglesaquarium]

fm is right.  Plants use a wider range of light wavelengths than we can see... and most plants get absolutely no benefit from 'green' light.