Too Much Light?

[br3ach]

Hi, I recently bought an Elite 95 tank (95 litre) with 1 x 20w tube fitted. I would like to upgrade this to support planting in the aquarium and was thinking either 38w or 58w tube to replace it.

Can anyone confirm if it is just a simple swap of the tube and if so what wattage you would suggest for the size tank I have? Is there such thing as too much lighting?

Thanks

 

[three-fingers]

Unfortunatly, it is not a simple swap of the tube.

Upgrading the lighting would involve buying something like this ( http/www.warehouse-aquatics.co.uk/arcadi...ller-1444-p.asp ) and fitting it along side your existing lighting in the hood.

Your exising lightingtings isnt very good, but it's not the end of the world either, there are many easy plants you can grow .

Such as Java fern, Anubias, Hygrophila polysperma, Cryptocorynes and some Echinodorus.

Stick to easy low-light plants and you will be fine .

 

[waterdrop]

Completely agree with 3fingers - I would "practice" for a period of time with "easy plants" as mentioned and build up some plans and skills for further exploration of the whole "planted" thing...

~~waterdrop~~

 

[br3ach]

Thanks for the replies

So I can't just replace the tube with an upgraded one? If the existing 20w T8 tube goes though I can buy and replace that right? I am not familiar with how tubes work in or out of tanks.

I thought, like a normal light bulb I could have just put a higher wattage bulb in of the same size and length.

 

[waterdrop]

Typical linear fluorescent lights are unlike incandescent lights in that, depending on the design of their "ballast", it is often necessary to -match- the wattage and type of tube to the ballast unit in the fixture. This is usually supposed to be stated in the instructions that come with the fixture. This is even the case when tubes of the wrong value/type can be often be fitted physically to the pin configuration. What typically happens to people is that they substitute a tube of higher wattage and find that the ballast device subsequently fails and must be replaced.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[br3ach]

Thanks for the reply again Waterdrop, I get it now