Need Lighting Help..have 1 F18t8

[kj23502]

Hi...I'm a total Lighting newbie

I'm looking at the potential to turn my 29 gallon 30"L x 12"D x 18"H into a South American Puffer tank and will need to heavily plant it. The bulb I have now is an eclipse F18T8 Natural Daylight bulb. Whats that mean? Is it 18 watt? Will that be sufficent in the long run? (I've never had live plants until a couple months ago when I got a couple java fern and moss. I've always had plastic.)
Thanks sooo much for any help anyone can give

 

[Themuleous]

Not sure what the 'F' bit is for but the 'T8' bit means the diameter of the tubes, T8 = 8/8th of an inch, T5 = 5/8th of an inch.

Sam

 

[SuperColey1]

You have an 18W T8 tube. If there is room in the hood buy another starter unit and attach another tube to the hood (by means of the clips supplied) then put reflectors above and you will then have 1.25WPG which is fine for most of the lower light plants.

Andy

 

[kj23502]

You have an 18W T8 tube. If there is room in the hood buy another starter unit and attach another tube to the hood (by means of the clips supplied) then put reflectors above and you will then have 1.25WPG which is fine for most of the lower light plants.

Andy

Ohhh thanks. I searched for F18T8 on the forum and didn't come up w/much.
Is it possible to just buy another light with a higher wattage? Would that be ok??

 

[SuperColey1]

No. The wattage in fluorescent tubes is dependent on the length. Also dependent on the ballast.

i.e. a 24" tube is by definition 18W. somer are 20W but the 2W is by the by and I doubt they are any brighter.

Then the ballast is the power handling in the hood which will be a ballast to handle 18W of power. So even if you could get a 24" tube that was higher wattage your ballast wouldn't supply it!!/

The starter units are relatively cheap at £10 ish and screwing the clips to the hood are 2 screw for the whole thing!!. The unit goes inside your cabinet or down the back of the tank.

the reflectors in the UK are £5 each.

Andy

 

[chr15_8]

You have an 18W T8 tube. If there is room in the hood buy another starter unit and attach another tube to the hood (by means of the clips supplied) then put reflectors above and you will then have 1.25WPG which is fine for most of the lower light plants.

Andy

Ohhh thanks. I searched for F18T8 on the forum and didn't come up w/much.
Is it possible to just buy another light with a higher wattage? Would that be ok??

nope you have to replace with the same wattage lamp.

as said above the easiest way to get more light is another started unit and run another light along side it

 

[kj23502]

Zoo Med Tropic Sun 5,500K Daylight Fluorescent Lamp - 30" (T8)....This is on the internet..
How do you figure out how many watts this is? Link to it

Sorry, I really am a total newbie when it comes to lighting requirements for plants.

You have an 18W T8 tube. If there is room in the hood buy another starter unit and attach another tube to the hood (by means of the clips supplied) then put reflectors above and you will then have 1.25WPG which is fine for most of the lower light plants.

Andy

Ohhh thanks. I searched for F18T8 on the forum and didn't come up w/much.
Is it possible to just buy another light with a higher wattage? Would that be ok??

nope you have to replace with the same wattage lamp.

as said above the easiest way to get more light is another started unit and run another light along side it

oh. I have one of those standard hoods that came with the tank. I'm guessing I'll need to set that aside and get a glass top for it so I have room to set another light strip on there? right?

 

[kj23502]

You have an 18W T8 tube. If there is room in the hood buy another starter unit and attach another tube to the hood (by means of the clips supplied) then put reflectors above and you will then have 1.25WPG which is fine for most of the lower light plants.

Andy

Is it possible to get a 30" hood/ballast thing that holds 3 18W lights? Just thought I'd ask to see if anyone knows...

edit---
here's this one...something like this ok...I figure it'll give just over 4watts per gallon. I'm guessing that might be ideal or is it possible to fry the plants?

This one sounds really good?!