How to lowtech a 125

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
Dominuslive

Dominuslive

Gambusia
MFK Member
May 26, 2006
420
3
16
Iowa
Ok, I have a 125 waiting to be setup. I do not want to run out and buy the lights that would create a bright light environment since I have already spent lots on lights for my reef tank. So I was wondering what would be adequate for lowtech on a tank that is 22" tall? Would a double strip light be adequate for Wisteria, IK that is should be adequate Jave Fern, Java Moss, and Anubias. Also, I would like a couple Swords, and Cryptos. Thanks.
 
Dependent on what you consider adequate. Personally I would say no that the double T12 would be way too weak to penetrate that deep a water column. Anything 100 and over really should have at least PC hoods. With a double you will have ~120W, which is less than 1WPG, for crypts and swords you should have at least 2 wpg to keep them healthy. I have never run T12's over a 125 or larger, and can't really say how the Java moss, java fern and anubias will do.
 
I am having a hard time finding anything 6', I would like T5's, which I have read work well on a 4' 120, the guy has 2 54 watt on his and can grow pretty much anything. But any more information you can give me would be great.
 
Those are the HO T5 which are more epensive than a single PC hood. They average around $200 as far as I have seen for a 48". I haven't seen a 72" fixture at all yet for the HO T5 bulbs. I would still do 4 bulbs on your fixture, which still will run more than a PC hood. A good hood for your tank would be the coralife single linear Freshwater light. A 48" and 24" on DF&S right now would run 152.98 plus s/h. That is a pretty good price. This would give you 195W over your tank putting you in at around 1.6wpg. I use the deluxe linears (have two sets of bulbs) on my 135, but I also have 650 W over that tank. These are really good lights for the money.
 
Aquactinics has a 72" T5 14 lamp unit, but it comes with marine bulbs, like most fixtures do. I could do 2 of the coralife single FW striplights, at DF&S, each are 85 right now, which would be 192 watts. But if I have 4" of substrate, wouldn't that effectivally make the depth 18", thus making the higher wattage PC a higher light output then I need for lowlight plants
 
I'm not sure which light you are talking about. The higher wattage isn't going to hurt. Low watt plants (like you are looking at) only need 1-2 wpg to live well, but will do better under higher lighting.

Just wondering why you want the T5? They are more expensive then the PC hoods. the one you are looking at is $170, for the pair, and the one I pointed out would be 152.98.
 
The reason I wanted T5's is because I thought they would be cheaper then pc. I was effectively wrong. I would want the 36" because they would be on the frame not the glass.
The way things are looking though, I might as well just go a bit more high tech, do you know of really good places to learn more about planted aquariums? Thanks for your help BTW.


You ever notice that almost everyone sells only reef lighting?
 
The best lighting IMO is the PC hood for efficiency on a planted tank. Now a MH is better, but cost so much more, although at a certain point it does become the cheaper choice. The new LED luxeon lights from PFO sound even better, but cost 3-5 times as much as a MH fixture. There are several good places to learn about planted tanks. My recommendation though would be a book over a web site. Although a really good site is aquaticplantcentral.com, or aquariumboard.com.
 
I was going to look into those LED lights too, but I am definately not spending that much on lighting.

I saw pics of your tank.......nice plants, but dude the glass......... And in that post you were talking about plants that need at least 5 wpg, is that with pc, or in general, or with MH would lower wattage be adequate for the plants. The post was your aquadise post. well I'll keep you posted on how things go, I am probably going to move b4 set it up, I already will have to move 6 setup aquariums, do't wanna move 7.
 
The lights that needed the 5wpg need it in either pc or mh, but 5wpg is the same for either. The glass is only an issue for photo taking, my camera focuses on the scratches. In person the tank has a slight hazy look to it, but that is all. I don't want to have to rip it up, and replant, and redo the substrate and all.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
MonsterFishKeepers.com
Top Bottom