How much light will I need?

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H

Heathd

Fire Eel
MFK Member
Mar 9, 2010
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Dallas, Texas
I have a moderately planted 75 gallon tank with:
[SIZE=+1][/SIZE][SIZE=+1] Pigmy Chain Sword
Narrow Leaf Micro Swords
Cryptcoryne Wendtii "Red"
3 Java Ferns
Tropica swords
1 Anubias nana
12 Italian vallisneria
4 Jungle Vallisneria
1 Anubias Frazeri
1 Red flame sword
1 Uruguayensis sword

About how many watts per gallon will I need?

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Most people frown on the rule of 2watts per gallon. But I have yet to see where that did not work.

2 watts per gallon
kelvin rating of 6000-10000k with 6700k being best.
8hrs a day for starters

thats what i would do.
 
keep in mind this would be 2wpg of normal output fluorescent bulbs. 2wpg of T5HO lighting w/o co2 would most likely give you algae problems.....
 
I currently have a co2 setup, just not seeing the results I want right now, and I am pretty sure its a result of the poor lighting.
 
knicks791;3985026; said:
According to this artical (http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=73446), you need 13125 lumen for a moderately planted tank.
Click to expand...
the problem with lumen output is lumen is what the eye perceives are brightness plants are usualy the reverse of the human eye (we see green as brightness while plants use red/blue for photosynthesis)

that being said lumens do give you a closer aproximation of light intesnity than wattage does


idealy you should use PAR as a measure of light in planted (and reef!) tanks
 
A par meter will get you spot on and the WPG rule is just as jcardona mentioned.

I see you have plants with different light requirements. The java ferns and anubias are low light plants. The anubias are really slow growing plants, high light on them will grwo algae on the leaves for sure. The red flame sword(if you mean echinodorus), is a high light plant, I have some in my tanks. Pretty much you have shmorgasborg of plants with lighting requirements. You could swing it , if properly placed ie. low light plants in the shadow of high light plants.

You mentioned you have a co2 setup. For a 75 gal running high lighting you may not be able to get the best results from DIY co2. Also what do you have for sunstrate and ferts?
 
JDub7771;3995916; said:
A par meter will get you spot on and the WPG rule is just as jcardona mentioned.

I see you have plants with different light requirements. The java ferns and anubias are low light plants. The anubias are really slow growing plants, high light on them will grwo algae on the leaves for sure. The red flame sword(if you mean echinodorus), is a high light plant, I have some in my tanks. Pretty much you have shmorgasborg of plants with lighting requirements. You could swing it , if properly placed ie. low light plants in the shadow of high light plants.

You mentioned you have a co2 setup. For a 75 gal running high lighting you may not be able to get the best results from DIY co2. Also what do you have for sunstrate and ferts?
Click to expand...


Substrate is crushed coral to help buffer the PH level for my chichlids. I have noticed with this, some aren't rooting well. And im not using and ferts, but if you have a recommendation, that would be cool. :)
 
Hmm.. The crushed coral substrate may play a big role. It may increase the hardness and ph too much for the plants. :(

My water is ridiculously soft and acidic from the tap, so I keep South American Dwarf Cichlids.

Ferts, you can either use a liquid ready to go brand (Seachem line is good) or use dry ferts(waaaay cheaper) and use the Estimative Index.
I get my ferts here.
http://www.greenleafaquariums.com/index.html Orlando at GLA is the man.

My 2 cents:
1: Change your substrate- Plants like soft acidic water for the most part.
2: Add ferts
3: Use pressuirzed co2
-----or-------
4: Find plants which will do well with your situation.

Maybe do some digging and see what does well with hard water. It may be limited, but i have read in the past of such plants. I think thats why I never see plants in African cichlid biotopes. :P

PS i was being a smartass with #1..keep your African Cichlids. :)
 
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