I have a 72" long 24" wide and 30" high it is near a window but I had the back of tank painted black. During the day the tank is quite dark I want to put low tech plants in. I have a 43" fluval fresh and plant 6500k and a 38" fluval fresh and plant .I was wondering in the 43" light would be enough and how many hours of light would be needed seeing it is quite dark in the tank during the day due to the back glass panel is painted black.
lighting a deep tank
- Thread starter bathawk
- Start date
I doubt you'll be happy with just the one light. It will have to be very high off the tank to get decent coverage left to right. We run 2 48" 50 watt led lights as well as some led strips inside our low tech 210. The photo period is always something you'll have to play with depending on stock and plant load. I've found the siesta method very effective at getting the plants enough light without over feeding the algae
While it may be that you find as suggested above (a single strip may not give enough horizontal coverage, or not enough depth penetration), I would first try it with the 48" light you have, see how you like it, and then decide whether you want to get additional light. It all depends on what you want to do with the tank, whether fish only, (relatively) few or low light plants, or fully planted with more light-demanding plants.
For instance, I have two 125g (yes, 21" high, so less height than yours, and not 24" but 18" wide). On top of each of those I have 2 36" Finnex Planted lights, end to end. I consider that plenty of light for my planted tanks (admittedly relatively low-light plants)- see pictures below. I am finishing setting up a new 125g, which will have less (but still some) plants, and thus I want a bit less light than in the other two, such as just a 48" LED, or perhaps 2 smaller (30" ?) LEDs end-to-end. In my opinion, the fish prefer less light (at least it seems so to me, at least my fish).
So it all depends of the emphasis you are considering such as plant-driven, versus fish-driven, and what kinds of plants and of fish.
Another consideration is that some types of plants (those with rhizomes, which grow attached to surfaces), don't need light all the way to the bottom, as they can be elevated above the bottom, so less penetration is needed.
Regardless of which way you go, good luck. It sounds like a sweet tank. I will be making similar decisions with my new tank soon.
125g, 2 36" Finnex LED strips.
120g, 2 36" Finnex LED strips.
For instance, I have two 125g (yes, 21" high, so less height than yours, and not 24" but 18" wide). On top of each of those I have 2 36" Finnex Planted lights, end to end. I consider that plenty of light for my planted tanks (admittedly relatively low-light plants)- see pictures below. I am finishing setting up a new 125g, which will have less (but still some) plants, and thus I want a bit less light than in the other two, such as just a 48" LED, or perhaps 2 smaller (30" ?) LEDs end-to-end. In my opinion, the fish prefer less light (at least it seems so to me, at least my fish).
So it all depends of the emphasis you are considering such as plant-driven, versus fish-driven, and what kinds of plants and of fish.
Another consideration is that some types of plants (those with rhizomes, which grow attached to surfaces), don't need light all the way to the bottom, as they can be elevated above the bottom, so less penetration is needed.
Regardless of which way you go, good luck. It sounds like a sweet tank. I will be making similar decisions with my new tank soon.
125g, 2 36" Finnex LED strips.
120g, 2 36" Finnex LED strips.
