Compact fluorescent Vs Led Vs reg Fluorescent Lighting??

[henria86]

Hello Fellow MFK,
I just got a 120 gal 4*2*2 reef ready tank, I want to have a freshwater plant setup with discus n tetra's..
Which lighting setup is better Compact fluorescent Vs Led Vs Reg fluorescent tubes???
Im drawing toward 4 55watt compacts?? is it enough light??

thanks H

 

[Noto]

You'd be better off posting this in the planted tank subforum. How much light you need depends on what plants you want to keep and how fast you want them to grow. The setup you suggest would be considered low to medium light and would work for most plants.

 

[Bderick67]

The compact fluorescents are becoming old technology and on their way out. LEDs are relatively new tech and rather expensive. You best be it to look into the T-5 and T-5HO fluorescent lighting fixtures.

 

[yashaswibs]

I have almost the same set up.

Lighting depends on what plants you are trying to keep.
T5HO is currently one of the better technologies avalable- cheap and best.
If you have really light demanding plants then with 2ft ht you need LED/Metal halide. You could likely get away with 4T5ho light with full spectrum bulbs. For 120 gallon you would probably need 4*54watt bulbs- so total close to 220watts (although this is a crude way of stating things).
Are you planning to use CO2/Flourish excel? if so high light is not bad.

LED is new, still not completely evolved aquarium technology- if you are handy then you may be able to set things up yourself otherwise a small strip is about 100 and you will need several of these- might run 500-600.
Hope this helps.

 

[henria86]

thanks guy's
any pics of the setup so i can take a looky???
im going to run CO2

 

[yashaswibs]

Have you done co2 before? If not you have a steep learning curve ahead of you.

You need a co2 solenoid- buy the best you can- Rex grigg/GLA are both good. Azoo makes a reasonably good one too- I have one of those. Use a ph probe to switch co2 on & off. I know many things affect ph and that it is not a good way to do it and the best way is to start with low bubbles per second and increase incrementally- but this is the easiest and has least fuss about it.

Now if you are searching for a clean look and that is why you want Eheim pro3+ adding co2 reactor- great idea. Might I suggest eheim classics-2 filters for your tank and add co2 reactor to one and hydor heater to other- much less expensive.
I know you can add heater to Rena (they have their own inline) but I dont know if co2 reactor connects to it.

Always go for the easiest to use and clean filter. If you have used one in the past the try to stick to it and there would be very little learning curve that way.

 

[NOLAGT]

Back when I had a planted tank I ran the ahsupply.com PC lights in there reflectors. Did great...ran co2...plants grew like weeds. But that was on a small 28gal bowfront.

 

[HarleyK]

Howdy,

I have Coralife PCs and love them. No point in running CO2 IMO (see sticky).

Happy planting,
HarleyK

 

[AKlass]

LED is best T5HO is the next best and be careful with MH I used one and had one of my glass lids break because hot glass+water = no

 

[MadRussian79]

Of the choices you listed PC will give you the most bang for your buck. HO are lower powered so you need more of them to get the same light. LED's have advantages over both option but the price is frightening, so not worth it if you are on a budget.

As far as CO2 if your tank is running great it can make a huge difference. To get the full advantage of CO2 you need the heavy duty lights, proper supplements, fertilizer (either from you or from your fish), and regular maintenance. CO2 will be the last thing you add to the setup. When you do get CO2 get the pH controller with a solenoid valve. When your fish are active they will produce CO2 which may be enough for your set up.