Light Options In A Trigon 190

[stormy78]

Me again.... my Trigon 190 has the following lights installed as standard:

Juwel High-Lite Day, 24W, 23" approx, Colour temperature of 9000 Kelvin.
Juwel High-Lite Nature, 24W, 23" approx, Colour temperature of 4100 Kelvin.

Are these suitable for plant growth both with regards to Kelvin and WPG (they are currently on for 5 hours off for 2 then back on for 5 hours)? Looking at the lighting pinned topic 5500K to 6500K seems to be the optimum. Would you replace these tubes? If so what with? I'm happy to go and replace these if there are more suitable lights available! Thanks for looking

 

[Colin_T]

sunlight is about 5,700K and plants do well with light between 5 & 10,000K. I would up the 4,100K to something higher but leave the 9,000K alone.

 

[stormy78]

Thanks, any suggestion on brand? I'm guessing that Juwel have used a standard size for their lights?

 

[Colin_T]

it doesn't really matter what brand as long as it fits.

If the tank is new then just ask the LFS to swap the lower rating globe for a higher one.

 

[stormy78]

it doesn't really matter what brand as long as it fits.

If the tank is new then just ask the LFS to swap the lower rating globe for a higher one.

Ok I will go take a look at the weekend!

 

[bricko]

Unfortunatley with the New Juwel Hi-Lite system you can only use juwel Hi-Lite tubes, The ycome as follows;


For Marine Aquariums:
High-Lite Blue tube creates actinic blue light with a colour temperature of 20000 Kelvin.It enhances coral growth.
High-Lite Marine tube creates intense white light with a colour temperature of 15000 Kelvin . It emulates natural reef colours..

For Tropical Tanks;
High-Lite Nature tube creates a warm and natural light with a colour temperature of 4100 Kelvin
High-Lite Colour tube enhances natural colours with a colour temperature of 6800 Kelvin .
High-Lite Day tube creates a cool and bright light with a colour temperature of 9000 Kelvin.

Regards,

Mark

 

[stormy78]

Unfortunatley with the New Juwel Hi-Lite system you can only use juwel Hi-Lite tubes, The ycome as follows;


For Marine Aquariums:
High-Lite Blue tube creates actinic blue light with a colour temperature of 20000 Kelvin.It enhances coral growth.
High-Lite Marine tube creates intense white light with a colour temperature of 15000 Kelvin . It emulates natural reef colours..

For Tropical Tanks;
High-Lite Nature tube creates a warm and natural light with a colour temperature of 4100 Kelvin
High-Lite Colour tube enhances natural colours with a colour temperature of 6800 Kelvin .
High-Lite Day tube creates a cool and bright light with a colour temperature of 9000 Kelvin.

Regards,

Mark

Thanks Mark, I did some digging last night. It looks like I may swap the Nature tube I have for a Colour tube. I am also thinking of adding a Compact T5 unit to the back lid of the tank to improve the lighting. Has anybody done this? I found an older thread on here where someone had attached a new unit but any advice is appreciated. With adding new lights should I add CO2 to the tank a week or so BEFORE I add new lights of at the same time as adding new lights?

 

[three-fingers]

Unfortunatley with the New Juwel Hi-Lite system you can only use juwel Hi-Lite tubes,

The bastards! I never even realised that tbh. I was thinking of upgrading my hood maybe for christmas but don't think I will now, I like having the huge range of t8 tubes that fit in the old units.

I am also thinking of adding a Compact T5 unit to the back lid of the tank to improve the lighting. Has anybody done this? I found an older thread on here where someone had attached a new unit but any advice is appreciated.

I added a T5 to the back panel, it works well, and when I'm bored and have the money I intend of adding a second smaller T5 to the back panel along with 2 fans to keep them cool.

One T5 doesn't get too hot but 2 probably would.

Simple tips: go for triplus tubes instead of the interpet daylight ones, I find them better for plants and they look much better. For the moment I'm stuck with a daylight tube because I broke my last two triplus tubes, and I hate the colour off it.

Don't put a reflector on the juwel tube closer to the back panel - this will partially block and reflect some of the compact T5 light back onto itself, which overheats it and melts the fittings . Although this may be possible with the high-lite t5 tubes, as they are thinner and have thinner reflectors, test it first.

Oh, and just be careful when changing compact T5 bulbs, they can get stuck in the fitting quite tough sometimes, and they are rather fragile - I've broken two bulbs this month while trying to remove them - meaning I've spent £50 on bloody light bulbs out of clumsiness .

With adding new lights should I add CO2 to the tank a week or so BEFORE I add new lights of at the same time as adding new lights?

You can add CO2 to the tank before you change the lights and up it slightly when you improve the lighting.
Personally I'd just add it when you add the new lighting.

 

[bricko]

Just to update my previous statement, arcadia now do a J5 bulb which fits the High Lite range.

http/www.aquaessentials.co.uk/index.php?...roducts_id=1993

Regards,

Bricko