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Lighting a 36 gallon Walstad Low-tech

Echinodorus20

Seedling
Joined
25 May 2012
Messages
3
Hi,
I was wondering what the best lights (as in specific models/brands) would be good to light my Walstad tank to get a low/medium amount of light (1-2wpg). I only ask this because the tank is of slightly strange dimensions (80cm long x 50cm tall x 38cm deep). As such, it is difficult to find bulbs that are short enough but with sufficient intensity to light the tank. I was thinking something like compact fluorescents or LEDs.
Any advice would be appreciated
Thanks.
 
Specific brands/models do not matter, plants don't really care much between the different spectrums of bulbs, it's only that marketing that tried to tell you it matters.

I think a single T8 tubes would be fine, I have 2 x 58W T8 on my 150x60x60 cm and this is great for low/medium light plants. I would try 1 x 25W 30" T8 bulbs, or 1 x 24W 22" T5 bulbs depending on what fits best in the space available. This would give you what I would probably call "low light". If you got 2 of either of those tubes instead of one, it would be medium/high light IMO and you could grow most things, but this is not ideal for your style of tank.

As to what colours of bulbs you should get, see here :): James' Planted Tank - T5 Lighting On The Cheap

There are many LED options, but since you don't want "high light", if you look at these you should also consider a controller as people often find modern LED's too bright for their needs!
 
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