Help with efficient lighting...

[MadRussian79]

two of those 3ft/4 bulb fixtures is too much. thats the equivalent of running four T5HO bulbs across the whole tank. at 25" off the bottom, that would give you a total of 160 micromols of PAR, which is way too much and youll create a box of algae.

I have a 250 MH fixture 12" above the water. It covers 1/3 of a 265 gallon tanks. I do algae scraping once every 2 weeks. Even then the tank isn't that over grown.

 

[Myarbro]

Ok JC, just saw your pictures. Like I said in my last post, I would like to utilize the 2x 2 bulb T5, and the 2x LED's that are on the way. Not sure if that would work with a hanging system. Also, I have a furniture top for the tank (which I have been in self debate on whether I even want to keep using it). I know both light systems will fit underneath the furniture top, so I could run them parallel and keep the top. However, if the fixtures start to get overheated, or if it is just too cluttered, I will ditch the furniture top.

I suppose I could make a custom hanging system for BOTH the LED's and T5. Would be a bit tricky though. What is that you are using between the hang bar and fixture? I assume that is what allows you to adjust?

 

[jcardona1]

I have a 250 MH fixture 12" above the water. It covers 1/3 of a 265 gallon tanks. I do algae scraping once every 2 weeks. Even then the tank isn't that over grown.

MH lights are interesting because they have a spotlight effect unless they are raised far from the surface, as in your case. Hoppy put another chart together for a 150w HQI fixture, not sure how it would relate to your fixture...

 

[Myarbro]

I know the blues don't serve a purpose to the plants, but I really like the way it looks. I really dig the look even if its just for show.

So, essentially, I could run the T5's for 6 hours, timer turns them off. Then the Marinelands white light for 2 hours (equivilant to low light), then have a timer switch them to blue for the remainder of the day.

 

[jcardona1]

Ok JC, just saw your pictures. Like I said in my last post, I would like to utilize the 2x 2 bulb T5, and the 2x LED's that are on the way. Not sure if that would work with a hanging system. Also, I have a furniture top for the tank (which I have been in self debate on whether I even want to keep using it). I know both light systems will fit underneath the furniture top, so I could run them parallel and keep the top. However, if the fixtures start to get overheated, or if it is just too cluttered, I will ditch the furniture top.

I suppose I could make a custom hanging system for BOTH the LED's and T5. Would be a bit tricky though. What is that you are using between the hang bar and fixture? I assume that is what allows you to adjust?

yup, its a little adjustable hanging bracket, found here: http://www.catalinaaquarium.com/pro...=1462&osCsid=2acf347cdeab9f64807e58983fa48b2f

you dont even need a hanging bracket. maybe just some pvc legs as support? lots of options for getting the light off the tank

 

[jcardona1]

I know the blues don't serve a purpose to the plants, but I really like the way it looks. I really dig the look even if its just for show.

So, essentially, I could run the T5's for 6 hours, timer turns them off. Then the Marinelands white light for 2 hours (equivilant to low light), then have a timer switch them to blue for the remainder of the day.

yeah, my fixture has blue LED moonlights which ill use after the lights go off. but they are very dull so there is no concern. if the blue LEDs that youre getting are in fact low light and just for show, then it will be fine

 

[Myarbro]

Great!

The Catalina set comes with mounting legs. So that should work well.

And yeah, the marinelands blue lights only pump out 16 watts total for the 2 of them.

 

[MadRussian79]

MH lights are interesting because they have a spotlight effect unless they are raised far from the surface, as in your case. Hoppy put another chart together for a 150w HQI fixture, not sure how it would relate to your fixture...

When it's not serving as a feline heat lamp I get great depth penetrations and the algae that I do have tends to have consistent growth with depth. One of the problems with light at depth is that the intensity is non linear with respect to spectrum. My tank is 3' deep so I need a lot more boom in certain wave lengths.

http://people.seas.harvard.edu/~jones/es151/gallery/images/absorp_water.html

Spectrum will play a huge role in plant growth as well as intensity.

 

[MadRussian79]

Photosynthetic light spectral activity by color.
http://envirociety.org/eco_economic...conomical_lighting_effectiveness_of_light.htm

 

[Myarbro]

Mkay...those Marineland LED's are complete fail on a tank my size (72" x 18" x 24"). Does near to nothing. HOWEVER, I will use them on my 40gal. I'll just remove the stock top and walla! That is a decent amount of light for a tank that small. Tried it and it looks great.

Will post pics here soon of both of them on the 40 gal when I get back from dinner.