Lighting Help Needed

[brycie1978]

Hi Guy's

I've been searchin on the forum for quite a bit now but can't seem to find a clear answer to my query.

I'm looking to re-do my tank but I'm stuck with the lighting "watts per gallon - lumens per square inch" , the tank I have is an Aqua One 350 litre corner tank.

Does anybody have any recomendations with suitable lighting or has anybody had one planted???

HELP!!!

Thank's

Any help would me much appreciated

 

[pepedopolous]

Hi,

The general guideline given here is 2 T5 fluorescent tubes along the length of the tank. Watts per gallon only applied to older T8 tubes. LED lights days run at much lower wattage (power consumption) compared to their output so WPG doesn't apply to them either.

I looked at the Aqua One website and all their tanks seem to come with T5's so your lighting should be OK already.

 

[brycie1978]

Cheer's m8

I'll maybe just try with better bulbs as a start then as the ones that's in the unit don't really look that bright.

 

[pepedopolous]

Sure thing, you may prefer a different brightness or colour but the plants should grow regardless.

I've only used T5s and LEDs but the thing that really made the difference for plant growth was fertilisers.
P

 

[brycie1978]

Hi,

The general guideline given here is 2 T5 fluorescent tubes along the length of the tank. Watts per gallon only applied to older T8 tubes. LED lights days run at much lower wattage (power consumption) compared to their output so WPG doesn't apply to them either.

I looked at the Aqua One website and all their tanks seem to come with T5's so your lighting should be OK already.

Just checked the bulbs & it look's like it's the t8's or 12's that are in my unit, I bought my tank just under a year ago 2nd hand so it won't be they're new model of this tank .

 

[darren636]

are you planning on using co2? If not then brighter lighting will not be needed

 

[brycie1978]

are you planning on using co2? If not then brighter lighting will not be needed

Yep I will be using co2, I'm looking at the co2 fire extinguisher's & regulator's on eBay, just trying to get some ideas on lighting 1st though before going & buying everything else.

Sorry for being a pain in the A**, I just don't want to go spending a fortune trying all the different lighting methods :? .

 

[pepedopolous]

Maybe there are some adapters to fit T5 bulbs into T8 slots. Something like this: -

http://www.energysaveni.co.uk/prod01.htm

 

[brycie1978]

Maybe there are some adapters to fit T5 bulbs into T8 slots. Something like this: -

http://www.energysaveni.co.uk/prod01.htm

Thank You

Look's like this method would save a lot of money although would only two bulbs be enough to get "medium to high light" enough to grow most types of plant's.

I know you said earlier WPG doesn't matter with t5's but would there not still be minimum requirements for planted aquariums with these.

 

[roadmaster]

I think if T5 bulbs are placed in T8 fixture,,you will need ballast capable of powering the T5 bulb's.
Were it me,,I might just spring for dual T5 fixture 48 inches long .

 

[brycie1978]

I think if T5 bulbs are placed in T8 fixture,,you will need ballast capable of powering the T5 bulb's.
Were it me,,I might just spring for dual T5 fixture 48 inches long .

So that idea would be a waste of time, there's a 6 bulb overhead system on eBay that comes in 60,90+ cm length, Would this be ideal with differnt bulbs.

I was trying to get the link to post but can't seem to do it from the ipad .

 

[hinch]

I know you said earlier WPG doesn't matter with t5's but would there not still be minimum requirements for planted aquariums with these.

doesn't matter there are no min light requirements for planted tanks (even co2 injected ones)

light is simply the energy that drives the process. if you put in low energy the plants will use as much co2/ferts etc as they need for those power levels and any excess just sits in the water column/substrate/degasses etc as there's not enough inbound energy to use it all.
higher light means the plants can process faster and so burn through their fuel faster, at some point they use more fuel than is currently input and so you have to increase your dosing and co2 input to compensate.

if you put in massive amounts of light but not enough fuel things go bad however there's less harm to be done in putting in low light and too much fuel. however getting your balance of too much or too little fuel vs energy input is what tends to lead to algae outbreaks. not enough fuel and the plants can't out grow the algae too much fuel and there's plenty left around for the algae to grow in.

I know this isn't as detailed as clive/darrel/troi would post and I'm sure one of them will correct me but this is how I understand it.

 

[brycie1978]

I know you said earlier WPG doesn't matter with t5's but would there not still be minimum requirements for planted aquariums with these.

doesn't matter there are no min light requirements for planted tanks (even co2 injected ones)

light is simply the energy that drives the process. if you put in low energy the plants will use as much co2/ferts etc as they need for those power levels and any excess just sits in the water column/substrate/degasses etc as there's not enough inbound energy to use it all.
higher light means the plants can process faster and so burn through their fuel faster, at some point they use more fuel than is currently input and so you have to increase your dosing and co2 input to compensate.

if you put in massive amounts of light but not enough fuel things go bad however there's less harm to be done in putting in low light and too much fuel. however getting your balance of too much or too little fuel vs energy input is what tends to lead to algae outbreaks. not enough fuel and the plants can't out grow the algae too much fuel and there's plenty left around for the algae to grow in.

I know this isn't as detailed as clive/darrel/troi would post and I'm sure one of them will correct me but this is how I understand it.

My standard light's won't do though would they even with the right level of co2 & ferts, or would I be best looking for some t5's to give me a better chance as the bulbs in my unit now are only 30w each .

 

[hinch]

your standard lights will be just fine as several people have said already. if you're running 2x 30 watters I don't even run that much over a 7 footer

 

[brycie1978]

Cheer's

 

[Danny]

I have a BNIB twin 4ft 54w t5 unit spare from when I got them to fit my tank if you are interested, it is a commercial unit not aquatic but does the same job, you would just need to get some twin and earth wire from b&q etc and a plug to wire it up then add bulbs.

If you are interested let me know and I will take some pics £25inc 24hr courier delivery.

 

[brycie1978]

I have a BNIB twin 4ft 54w t5 unit spare from when I got them to fit my tank if you are interested, it is a commercial unit not aquatic but does the same job, you would just need to get some twin and earth wire from b&q etc and a plug to wire it up then add bulbs.

If you are interested let me know and I will take some pics £25inc 24hr courier delivery.

4ft would be far to long for my tank m8, or I would have took them off your hand's

Cheer's anyway.

 

[wazuck]

Ok at 16 inches tall, 2xt8 puts you at medium lighting. Same height with a single t5HO is high light. 2xt5HO is too high. Unless going for insanely fast growth. Any plant should grow under a t5HO bulb. One of my next tanks is 14" high. Im raising my 2x24w t5HO over a foot higher than the tank to get medium lighting. Just remember tho, the more light you have, the more co2/ferts you need. You could grow a lot of plants with 2xt8 lights. Hope this helps.

 

[brycie1978]

Ok at 16 inches tall, 2xt8 puts you at medium lighting. Same height with a single t5HO is high light. 2xt5HO is too high. Unless going for insanely fast growth. Any plant should grow under a t5HO bulb. One of my next tanks is 14" high. Im raising my 2x24w t5HO over a foot higher than the tank to get medium lighting. Just remember tho, the more light you have, the more co2/ferts you need. You could grow a lot of plants with 2xt8 lights. Hope this helps.

Do you think a couple of higher output bulbs in my existing unit would be suitable for most plant's then???.

I'm still pretty confused with all this, it was mentioned that with t8's it still goes with watts per gallon :? Lol, Think I'll buy a goldfish & bowl

 

[ceg4048]

Hello,
You need to stick with the lights that you have until you learn how to grow plants successfully. There are no plants that need T5 lights. The more powerful lights you have, the more problems you will have, so just get on with it and figure out how to grow plants and how to use CO2 and nutrients properly, as well as how to maintain the tank to keep everything healthy. There are a lot more important things in the success of your tank that how many watts T5 you have. Lighting upgrades should be at the very bottom of your priorities. Like all beginning hobbyists, you have a lot of things to learn right now about plant husbandry that have absolutely nothing to do with lighting.

Cheers,