Question About Watts

[ace61502]

When you say to use 2 (or 3, 5, etc) watts per gallon, does this refer to the actual wattage regardless of type, or the "equivalent" posted on the package? So say I'm going for 150 watts, I can use 2-20w 6500k CFLs that are equivalent to 75w incandescent? Or do I need 8 to get to 160? I'm thinking it's the equivalent measure, which begs the question... why do we use a wattage scale to determine lighting rather then something else? How much energy is used to produce the light doesn't change the light, right? These 20w 6500k CFLs I've got put out nearly twice the lumens of the 60w "full spectrum" (no k disclosure) GE Reveal bulbs I like for household use. According to the rule, I need three times as many of these CFLs to get the same quality of light, and that just doesn't make sense.

Like I said above, I'm pretty sure I know the answer. I guess it's not so much a question about the wattage I need, but rather, why so much emphasis on watts when it is no longer a true measure of output?

JSYK, I'm using two clip on desk lamps, one on each end, to light my tank. It's what I can afford right now, and it provides shady areas for my loaches. The "curb appeal" is fantastic with these CFLs, but what does that mean for plant growing?

 

[blesser13]

What kind of plants do you want for your tank? Are you going for a low tech planted tank or High tech?

 

[ace61502]

What kind of plants do you want for your tank? Are you going for a low tech planted tank or High tech?

Figured I'd start out low tech seeing as I'm new at it and don't have the $$ available to spend on high tech. Build up as knowledge/funds allow. I've got java fern now, and a smidge (very small smidge LOL) of hornwort floating around.

 

[blesser13]

Low light tanks have about 0.3 - 0.4 W/L (Watts per liter) of normal fluorescent lighting. CO2 can be added via DIY Yeast Reactor, that is inexpensive. Low light set-ups that are injected with a fair amount of CO2 through DIY Yeast Reactor (1 bottle per 100 liters) should be fertilised at least once a week. I fertilise with Seachem flourish. My setup is new also, i need to find the good balance. I like the old methods, not to much chemicals and no co2.

 

[ace61502]

Low light tanks have about 0.3 - 0.4 W/L (Watts per liter) of normal fluorescent lighting. CO2 can be added via DIY Yeast Reactor, that is inexpensive. Low light set-ups that are injected with a fair amount of CO2 through DIY Yeast Reactor (1 bottle per 100 liters) should be fertilised at least once a week. I fertilise with Seachem flourish. My setup is new also, i need to find the good balance. I like the old methods, not to much chemicals and no co2.

OK, 75 gallons is about 284 liters, so do I have .14 w/l (2 20w CFL) or 1.89 w/l (2 75w equivalent)? Which do I go by, going back to the original question here? I can't imagine making this aquarium any brighter. It already lights up the whole hallway, and it's not even IN the hallway. LOL

Is there a good site with plans for a DIY yeast reactor? Do I need one? I'm not really sure I want to go high tech. I like how simple low tech sounds to maintain.

I've also seen conflicting information about bubble curtains. I have one (18") and the fish love it. Should I remove it?

OK, searching as I type here.... is this a good setup? This is very doable! I already have everything but the silicone and bottles if I can use the 18" bubble curtain rod instead of a stone. Would that work? I know where to get the silicone, too, since I resealed an aquarium just last summer. Remembering what I read about CO2 a month or so ago, about counting bubbles and whatnot... just sounds more tedious than I want to deal with, though.

Yeast CO2 setup

Here is a picture of my tank... I wish it was easier to see the java fern on the driftwood, but it blends in with that plastic behind it on the right side... I'm so ready to pull all that plastic out. LOL I've got java fern on both driftwood pieces and the rock, and baby sprouts EVERYwhere. And wow does it look nearly devoid of fish. LOL They are camera shy. Only about 8 of the 28 fish are visible. Need bigger fish.

Heck, here's a couple pictures from closer and at an angle to show the fern better... And look! Fishies! They came out to say hi.

 

[ace61502]

Remembering what I read about CO2 a month or so ago, about counting bubbles and whatnot... just sounds more tedious than I want to deal with, though.

I guess some CO2 would be better than none, and any extra would just float up and out, right? Would the yeast setup run the risk of suffocating my fish?

 

[RadaR]

That's quite a lot of light.
DIY yeast CO2 would be impossible on this size tank. Also, the addition of CO2 would class this tank as high tech not low tech. Carbon addition requires you to add more nutrients and to perfrom large water changes per week.
If you want to keep this low tech with minimal effort and low cost then get rid of the 2x20W CFL.
Add lots of floating plants to cut out light intensity (because 2x75W is still quite a bit of light). The more light you have, the more CO2 the plants need and thus the more nutrients they need. More light = more work. So you want to limit the amount of light. Keep them on for a straight 7hours/8hours.
Plant up heavily (75% coverage), turn off the airstone and let the fish produce the nutrients. You might have to add some trace elements every water change but it won't be much.

If you start to see algae then something isnt right. See this algae guide.
Here is a plant deficiency guide too.

 

[ace61502]

If you want to keep this low tech with minimal effort and low cost then get rid of the 2x20W CFL.

Thanks. What bulb would you recommend? These were the ONLY ones I found at Lowe's that were 6500k, and there were very few 5000k options.

 

[RadaR]

Just use the 2x75W.
Kelvin is irrelevant to plant growth however some people prefer different kelvins. The lower the number, the "warmer" the colour.
lampspecs is a good place for bulbs.

 

[ace61502]

Just use the 2x75W.
Kelvin is irrelevant to plant growth however some people prefer different kelvins. The lower the number, the "warmer" the colour.
lampspecs is a good place for bulbs.

I like that answer because I really like the way it looks with them. Before you said get rid of them, though. Is it possible I'll run into problems due to that much light? If so, I'd really rather cut it back some.

 

[RadaR]

I said to get rid of the 2x20W.
It was my understanding that you had 2x75W as well as 2x20W. Is that not the case?
Less light is always going to be easier.

 

[ace61502]

I said to get rid of the 2x20W.
It was my understanding that you had 2x75W as well as 2x20W. Is that not the case?
Less light is always going to be easier.

No, I have 2x20w CFL only. They are "equivalent" to 75w incandescent.

 

[RadaR]

I said to get rid of the 2x20W.
It was my understanding that you had 2x75W as well as 2x20W. Is that not the case?
Less light is always going to be easier.

No, I have 2x20w CFL only. They are "equivalent" to 75w incandescent.

Oh, I do apologise.
Yeah, keep the 2x20W, that fits nicely as a low tech/low light set up. Very easy to deal with. You wont need lots of floating plants as I previously thought.
Compact t5 18W bulbs (closest I could find to 20W), for when you need to replace at some point

 

[Mikaila31]

You do not use the equivalent value. They are 2x20 watt bulbs so your tank has 0.5 WPG.

 

[ace61502]

You do not use the equivalent value. They are 2x20 watt bulbs so your tank has 0.5 WPG.

That makes absolutely no sense to me. How is a 20w CFL only @ 1/4 the light of a 75w incandescent? Why does it matter how much it adds to my electric bill if it puts out more light? The tank is insanely brighter than it was when I had 2 40w incandescent bulbs in it before. But you are saying those two 40w bulbs was twice as much light as these? More electricity=more light period? Please explain.