Freshwater Lighting Requirements

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Bud8Fan

Bud8Fan

Fire Eel
MFK Member
Nov 15, 2006
1,351
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68
Nebraska
I think I am down to my final purchase for my 300 acrylic, lighting.

The tank is 8 feet long, 24 inches tall and 30 inches deep.

I have been looking at the Satellite Compact Flourescents. (2) 48" strips would net me 260 watts which falls short of 1 watt per gallon but they say they are brighter than your average flourescent.

Am I looking down the wrong track. Being the tank is 30 inches deep would I need to spread the light out a little more depth wise?


PS. There will be no live plants in this tank, only fish.
 
I'd say you need a little more, but depends.

Plants its not good,

Fish I say its better with lower light.
 
That's going to be a lot of light for not having plants. I run 4 48" 6700K T8s above my tank and I'm more than happy with the amount of light. It was pretty cheap to do also:)
 
It's going in this tank here. Never mind my dumbass friend with his *** jacket. He just in the photo to show size. The hood is empty.

PB180007.jpg


A pair of Oscars will be the main tank dwellers. I want lighting to help make this tank stand out when people see it but not to bright as to over power it, I hope that makes sense. My only other tank was a 55 gallon in the past which was only 12" deep so this will be my first tank that is 30" deep.

And I'm still kicking around if I want blue or white moonlight. :)
 
rallysman;753677; said:
That's going to be a lot of light for not having plants. I run 4 48" 6700K T8s above my tank and I'm more than happy with the amount of light. It was pretty cheap to do also:)
Click to expand...

What size is your tank?
 
WeeNe858;753691; said:
yeah.. you can do a retrofit with 48 inch compact flourecents.. running 2 on each side.. or you can run T8's its all up to ou.. the CF will run cooler and longer but its also more expensive
Click to expand...

Sorry for asking but what do you mean by retrofit?

Do you mean installing the ballasts and etc directly into the hood versus buying a completed strip light?

I was also thinking of running T-8 shoplights with the reflective hoods.
 
Personally I'd look at a HO T5 kit. They are cheap, they put out ridiculous amounts of light, and they don't run very hot.
 
Bud8Fan;753684; said:
What size is your tank?
Click to expand...

300 acrylic and 265 glass with the same lighting on both.

If you do run T8, make sure you get daylight (6700k) bulbs. Normal ones will make it look yellow
 
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