Need Help Choosing Lighting For 55g

[iceprizm]

I am so confused.....I have a 55g 48x13x21 tank I am setting up. I want to be able to have some live plants without alot of extra work. I am stuck on how much lighting I would need and what type.

 

[iceprizm]

Would 108W T5 sound right?
Like this: http/www.marineandreef.com/Nova_Extreme_..._p/rcu01129.htm
Are the bulbs it comes with acceptable?

 

[iceprizm]

Wow thanks for all the good advice Im getting. I probably shouldnt bother asking but is 700GPH too much for a 55g tank? My options are 400 or 700.

 

[aaronnorth]

to work out lighting levels use this as a rough guide:

watts/ gallons = watts per gallon

108w/ 55g = 1.9WPG

with it being a large tank, the lighting will be more leanient, and the link given is HO T5's (high output) which give off more light per square inch so it will be more like 2.5WPG which means you need CO2.

aim for tubes that peak in the green, red & a bit of blue in the colour spectrum with a kelvin between 5500k - 11 000k (spectrum is more important than kelvins)

That light unit and tubes will be fine.

 

[iceprizm]

I decided to go with 2x40 T8 should give me 1.5WPG. Dont want to mess with co2 right now. Whats the info on T6 bulbs?
Will they work on T8 ballasts?
Do they generate more lumens? How much more?
Do they generate more heat?
Who makes them?

Any comment on my GPH. I went with 400GPH but would 700GPH be a better option.

 

[tenke56]

I decided to go with 2x40 T8 should give me 1.5WPG. Dont want to mess with co2 right now. Whats the info on T6 bulbs?
Will they work on T8 ballasts?
Do they generate more lumens? How much more?
Do they generate more heat?
Who makes them?

Any comment on my GPH. I went with 400GPH but would 700GPH be a better option.

I know from reading that T6 bulbs will not fit in T8 ballasts because they are a different plug size. If you would have gone with a T5, you could have use a T8 or T12 bulb in it as they use the same connectors. My T5 3x40w will be arriving today so I can find out more information on them. As far as T6 goes, it does put out more light, but I am not sure how much more. I would also assume that it puts out heat, but once again, I am not sure. As far as the GPH question, I would think that 700gph would be better as more water movement = better filtration, from what I have read. If I am wrong on any of this, someone please correct me.

 

[aaronnorth]

T6 tubes do fit T8 ballasts, thats the whole idea of them, they give out 40% more light.

in a planted tank, aim for 10x turnover as this pushes the nutrients & CO2 around, aswell as not creating any dead spots for more algae to grow - mainly BGA. 700GPH will be better.

T6 lighting - http/www.aquaessentials.co.uk/index.php?...mp;cPath=12_207

 

[tenke56]

That is good to know aaron. Apparantly I had read totally wrong information about them.

 

[Crajik]

T6 tubes do fit T8 ballasts, thats the whole idea of them, they give out 40% more light.

Phew cos I just ordered a pair for my rena tank and was wondering if I had just wasted thirty quid. How does this work on the WPG ratio? I will have two 30" T6's rather than two T8's on a 200 litre tank, will this improve the WPG score or does it not work like that? Even though I have had a tank for two years now I find myself constantly confused, especially when I read all the posts on here. How long does it take for someone to feel like a confident well informed fish keeper?

 

[locust267]

This is what I also want to know as I dont know whether to go for higher wattage or T6's

I've only been fish keeping since January and cant believe how difficult and confusing it is, at least you are well ahead of me lol!

Maybe one day

 

[iceprizm]

I see recommendations for the 700GPH setup. I was just worried that the water flow would be too strong. I have small community fish, mostly platties and a number of them will be about 4 month old. If people in the know say it will be ok then ill go for the 700GPH option.
EDIT: I just found that I could do a 560GPH option. This fits the 10% requirement maybe wont suck up fry as much as 700GPH?
What does BGA stand for?

I was looking at plant packages. I need plants that can work with 1.5WPG, no co2, and will be hardy.
Here are 2 options I found:

Option 1
2 Anacharis
4 Rotala indica
5 Blood Stargrass
8 Japanese Fans
4 Dwarf Lily Plants
20 Dwarf Onions
4 Ambulia
20 Tall Sagittaria subulata
3 Large red-spot Ozelot swords
20 Crypt Walkeri
10 Crypt Wendtii Reds
5 Java Ferns

Option 2
(dwarf Sagittaria) Foreground
(hornwort) floating
(java fern) rhizome - driftwood
(java fern narrow) rhizome - driftwood
(anubias nana) rhizome - driftwood
(crypt wendtii green) midground
(crypt wendtii brown) midground
(crypt lucens) midground
(ozelot sword red) midground
(amazon sword) background
(brazilian water ivy) background
(valspiralis) background


Any comments on what would work and what wouldnt.

 

[aaronnorth]

the WPG rule is based on T12 so even with T8's, it is slightly more leanient, T6's are haeding towards the T5 range so i would imagine it would up it quite a bit, it also depends on the size of the tank. What wattage are the tubes crajik?

if you find that out, then work out 40% of the wattage then add the answer to it eg

50W (T8)/ 100 x 40% = 20w

add the 20w onto the original 50w = 70w of light.


BGA = Blue green algae, it isn't a true algae, it is cynobacteria but it photosyntheszes in the same way. I would go with option 2, lot easier and hardier plants, (also not heard of some in the 1st option)

 

[Crajik]

the WPG rule is based on T12 so even with T8's, it is slightly more leanient, T6's are haeding towards the T5 range so i would imagine it would up it quite a bit, it also depends on the size of the tank. What wattage are the tubes crajik?

if you find that out, then work out 40% of the wattage then add the answer to it eg

50W (T8)/ 100 x 40% = 20w

add the 20w onto the original 50w = 70w of light.

That makes sense. Both T6 tubes are 25W so I guess in a 40ish gallon tank that moves it closer to two than one WPG.

I got my new bulbs and seals today and they fit perfectly. All I can do now is wait and see if they have the desired effect.

 

[aaronnorth]

Not a bad guess at 50w to say you have that! With it being a 40g, you will probobaly have 2WPG just because of the size of the tank

 

[iceprizm]

Hey my post got 'jacked
Any help with my plant list?