Lighting Upgrade

[xing]

Hi all

I'm looking at upping my lighting on my tank. currently I have 1x48"(40w), 1x36"(30w) and 1x24"(20w) giving a total of 90w. My tank measures 72"(l)x15"(w)x18"(h). I was thinking of moving to this http/www.firstlightdirect.com/pp/Fluores...cent_Tubes.html (ia this suitable?) which will give me 2x58w (116w in total). This will increase my light output my around 30%.

I know I could go down the t5 double route but the controllers are more expensive and a don't think they will work with my existing reflectors, being a double-tune. Plus the tubes are only 21" long (42" total) when my tank is 72" - would this be an issue (I'd need 10" gaps at each end and between tubes)

Ideally I'd go with a t5 double plus t5 single to give 3x55w=165w but I can't justify the expense.

Or does anyone have any sub £50 suggestions?

TIA

Stu

 

[jspence1]

Personally I wouldn't spend the money on that lighting upgrade. it's about an 80G tank and the upgrade would put you at 1.45 wpg verses 1.13 wpg that you have now. Most sources recommend lighting of at least 2 wpg. IMO why spend money on an upgrade that below the 2 wpg mark. I say save your money enjoy the plants you have that are growing well.

I recently went through the same thing I had a tank with 0.7 wpg I had a few plants that were doing well and a few that were not, the lfs sold me a lighting upgrade to 1.25 wpg for $90 And I posted here I was told it wasn't enough light. fortunately I was able to return the new lights. In the end I was able to get some CF lighting for my tank 4.48 wpg for $153

I also looked into building my own with the kits off the net but in the end I just bought the coralife lights. The kits are a little cheaper but by the time I factored in my time and how pretty the coarlife lights looked I opted to just buy them.

John

 

[lljdma06]

Personally I wouldn't spend the money on that lighting upgrade. it's about an 80G tank and the upgrade would put you at 1.45 wpg verses 1.13 wpg that you have now. Most sources recommend lighting of at least 2 wpg. IMO why spend money on an upgrade that below the 2 wpg mark. I say save your money enjoy the plants you have that are growing well.

I recently went through the same thing I had a tank with 0.7 wpg I had a few plants that were doing well and a few that were not, the lfs sold me a lighting upgrade to 1.25 wpg for $90 And I posted here I was told it wasn't enough light. fortunately I was able to return the new lights. In the end I was able to get some CF lighting for my tank 4.48 wpg for $153

I also looked into building my own with the kits off the net but in the end I just bought the coralife lights. The kits are a little cheaper but by the time I factored in my time and how pretty the coarlife lights looked I opted to just buy them.

John

I think some of the sources you've been consulting are a little inaccurate. Larger tanks, 75g or more require less lighting than a smaller tank to grow the same plants. 1WPG on a 75g is not the same as 1WPG on a 20g. In fact, 1WPG can grow quite a bit in the larger tanks.

I personally think you'll grow plants very well, provided you pick the right ones, at 1.13WPG. A DIY CO2 system will, IMO, boost growth more than the small upgrade you had planned.

A question for you John, sorry for the hijack, Xing. What is the size of the aquarium that is getting 4.48WPG?

llj

 

[jspence1]

I think some of the sources you've been consulting are a little inaccurate. Larger tanks, 75g or more require less lighting than a smaller tank to grow the same plants. 1WPG on a 75g is not the same as 1WPG on a 20g. In fact, 1WPG can grow quite a bit in the larger tanks.

I personally think you'll grow plants very well, provided you pick the right ones, at 1.13WPG. A DIY CO2 system will, IMO, boost growth more than the small upgrade you had planned.

A question for you John, sorry for the hijack, Xing. What is the size of the aquarium that is getting 4.48WPG?

llj

75*15=1080 surface area

surface area x distance of light to gravel 1080*18=19440

lighting factor for moderate to bright lighting plants 19440*0.18=3499 watt hours ( lighting factors low .08, low to moderate .12, moderate to bright .18, bright .27)

3499 / 11 hours of light per day = 318 Watts of lighting = approx 4 wpg

This is the calculation I used from the Krib http/faq.thekrib.com/plant-lighting.html I was under the impression that the krib was a reliable source of information. I didn't intend to pass along bad information if this is the case my apologies.


As for my tank it's a 29G I don't run the full 130 watts all day as all my plants are low to moderate lighting requirements I run 1 65 watt bulb all day and 1 65 watt bulb for 3 hours midday.

John

 

[SuperColey1]

4WPG over a 29G i very high lighting, and not necesarily needed for any plants.

I assume it is a tall tank. 18 - 20 inches?

This will not affect the lights ability to get to the bottom really.

I think some people on these websites get far too technical with their guidelines to light and you seem to have taken all the readings.

I have 2.4WPG on my 29G tall and the only time I get an algae problem, it is CO2 related and none of my plants are suffering from lack of light. In fact my Ludwigia Repens, Hygro Poly Rosanervig and Alternanthera Reineckii are lovely reds in their higher reaches.

I was originally led to believe 4WPG was what was to be aimed for but with reading other experiences and advice read from Tom Barr, George and others with beautiful tanks. I got to the 2.4WPG and left it at that.

All 4 WPG will give you different to 2.4WPG is a bucketload of pruning each week.

Andy

 

[cleekdaFish]

I have 2.3 wpg for my 30 gallon and i can grow gloss!...anything! needing so much light is kinda overrated imo and can cause algae to grow crazy

 

[jspence1]

Ok here's how i figure my lighting

65*3 = 195
65*11 =715

total 910 Watt hours

daily average 910/11= 83 watts/hour

watts per gallon 83/29= 2.9 watts/gallon Not far off from your numbers of 2.3 and 2.4 wpg anyhow we've gotten a little off topic

I'm looking at upping my lighting on my tank. currently I have 1x48"(40w), 1x36"(30w) and 1x24"(20w) giving a total of 90w. My tank measures 72"(l)x15"(w)x18"(h). I was thinking of moving to this http/www.firstlightdirect.com/pp/Fluores...cent_Tubes.html (ia this suitable?) which will give me 2x58w (116w in total). This will increase my light output my around 30%.

As I said in my first post most people recommend 2wpg or more for a planted aquarium. I believe that to spend money on lighting and not reach the 2wpg mark isn't the best idea. If your plants are growing ok I'd choose to leave it the way it is and save the money. If your plants are not growing well then I would recommend buying enough lighting to reach the 2wpg mark.

As for your upgrade choices, when I was looking by the time I bought the ballasts, end caps and bulbs the cost was almost the same as buying the CF coralife fixture, and CF's gave me alot more light.

 

[xing]

been away for a week - hence late reply

I'm growing all sorts of echinodorus fine, plus hairgrass and all stem plants were growing like wildfire for around 3 months and then all growth from them suddenly halted. Struggled with crypts and vallis - neither seem to want to take. Has diy co2 until 2 weeks ago. now gone pressurised. may keep lighting as it is for the time being and consider upgrading later.

thanks for the advice guys.