Lighting Upgrade Considerations

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The new photo makes a difference.  We are still in the area of adequate light with the two T8 tubes, so that question I guess is answered.  I would replace the tubes though.  The Power-Glo is intense, hence the name, and many like this tube but I find the purplish hue it casts over the aquarium disconcerting, and I had this for several years way back when.  The Life-Glo will give you good light/colour, and you could combine it with the Sun-Glo or a second Life-Glo.  I personally like the warmer light (Sun-Glo) in the mix.  You can look into the reflectors, but with these "Glo" tubes you will not really need them, and you may find it too much, so be careful.  Of course, another option is to choose different tubes that many not be so good in intensity, and use reflectors.  You are in the UK, so daize can best advise what decent tubes are available to you.
 
The GH of 225 is almost certainly ppm, so that equates to 12 dGH.  You will not have hard mineral issues with this, so stay with the Neutro T which is providing the trace or micro-nutrients.  Some of the macro-nutrients are the hard minerals in the water, others are nitrogen, carbon, oxygen and hydrogen that are available naturally, and a few that don't seem to be lacking from the latest photo.
 
By "no substrate" I will assume you are thinking of so-called enriched plant substrates.  My view is that these are a waste of money and bother.  I will admit they might be helpful in high-tech set-ups, though that is debatable too.  But there is absolutely nothing wrong with plain gravel or sand.  Your gravel is a bit large-grain, but if you like it, fine.  I would prefer sand, especially if you intend substrate-feeding fish like corys, loaches, cichlids.  But aside from this, no issues.  Even Diana Walstad admits that after a year, a non-soil substrate holds the same benefits as soil from that point on, once the organics have accumulated to supply the CO2, and in my experience this occurs after only a few weeks.
 
Byron.
 
Thanks again,.very detailed. My substrate is actually fine grain sand of two different types but maybe that doesn't show in the picture.

If daize is still about then any advice on good UK tubes would.be good! They just seem overly expensive.

Will probably look for 2x 6500k ish daylight tubes and leave the reflectors for now?
 
My only experience in buying tubes is the dirt-cheap kind, which is probably why I use reflectors to give them a boost!
 
I couldn't tell you where to buy Life-Glo bulbs - Amazon seems to be the only online retailer that stocks them at all (around £15).  I know that Maidenhead Aquatics stock Power-Glo and Aqua-Glo bulbs but I'm not sure about Life-Glo.
 
 
As I understand it, reflectors (such as Arcadia) will multiply your light output by roughly 1.5x to 2x.  I've been directed to this thread (on another forum) which might be interesting for further reading.
 
Not a tech genius but that tanks gorgeous, that's the most perfect looking bit of wood I've ever seen, get that up for TOTM next month, will sure as hell grab my vote
 

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