Lighting Wattage Options

[chuts]

Hi,

As my first post can i firstly say what a top forum this is, have spent hours researching my next tank, so much so the missus is getting angry...

Anyways, i am thinking of upgrading my trigon 190 with Interpet's compact t5 lighting.

After measuring up I can fit a 55w in the front and a 36w in back.

Could i get the twin 55w controller (see: http/www.fishbitz.co.uk/index.asp?functi...;productid=2367 ) with a 55w bulb in one of the outputs, and 36w in the other without blowing anything?

this will get more wattage for my money, thus hopefully giving me the 2.5 wpg I so despirately need!

Thanks in advance to any sparky out there who may have the answer

 

[Rooster]

should be just fine... i have often used control gear meant for bigger tubes than I have used, once they are light a tube is just a tube.... theres a lot of this "black art" stuff bandied about, but at the end of the day one thing is for sure... goto a fish shop and buy anything with the word "aquarium" on it, youll get robbed !!!!! Try a lighting shop, I got an electronic "ballust" (not strictly ballust, but thats what they call them) for two tubes for £15.

 

[SuperColey1]

I would suggest that it is better to get the right wattage starter for your tubes, and also 2 singles provides you with the advantage of being able to turn the 36W on an hour or 2 before the 55W and off an hour or 2 later (to simulate the natural light better)

Try www.tamaraquatics.co.uk where the 55W single starter is only £20 compare to £30ish everywhere else. didn't look at 36W because I bought a single electronic ballast to power the existing 18W in the front)

my schedule is (or will be):

1am-11am - Moonlight only
11am-12pm - Moonlight+18W
12pm-12am - 18W+55W
12am - 1am - 18W + Moonlight
and then back to moonlight only.

I also use an original tropical for my 18W which is the pink light and therefore a softer brightness.
The 55W bulb when the damn thing arrives will be an Interpet Daylight Plus.

Found Tamar when I was researching for hours like you and yes...my missus was getting p****d off too.

Andy

 

[chuts]

Excellent, thanks for your help.

Will get 55w and 38w interpet compact units from tamar as suggested, agree they are more reasonably priced than any other place ive seen.

Andy, how were tamar aquatics for service?

Hopefully all the bulbs wont overheat my tank, will just have to see i suppose.

All the bulbs will give me 127W, so just over 2.5wpg. Will this figure plus reflectors and co2 be good enough for most plants, or will i need more?

Im getting a terrtec ex1200 filter and will run this in for a month allongside the internal filter before ripping it out for more space when i come to fully plant it, hopefully in a months time. I am currently cycling a spare tank to transfer all fish to when it comes to the big changeover.

Does this sound like a good plan?

 

[SuperColey1]

3rd orders bulb came yesterday, so will be doing my upgrade on Saturday, which will produce a monster post in my journal. lol

 

[chuts]

Wildo, thanks for your help.

With regards to EI, I will be doing it, bit more researching to do yet as not quite up to speed with it

 

[SuperColey1]

2.5WPG is plenty, especially over our sort of size tanks. The WPG rules is for medium sized tanks really, like ours are, and 2.5WPG should be able to grow virtually anything (My tank in the avatr is still on the previous 1.2WPG with no ferts or EI)

People who use over 2.5WPG tend to be after spectacular results but also this means heavy maintenace.

Glad to know you're doing EI. Luckily I work for William Sinclair the fertiliser and compost manufacturer's (J Arthur Bowers) so I can get my Pot Nit, MKP and Pot Sulphate for free (250g which is £5 or so on AE costs my firm about 6p!!!)

For trace I use Tropica Plant Nutrition. 1 x 500ml should last your tank about 6 months so at £16.99 that works out at less than a pound a week and GF and TB both use it and say its the best.

Good Luck

(I have just wired the new ballast and put in the 55W, then set up all the timers, so I am looking forward to watching the lights come on naturally tomorrow.)

Andy