Need some tips to start

[West1]

I have a 300gl and my lights are about 150watts (I know thats not enough). I have some anubias and they have been fine for the past yr... only prob is they dont grow that fast.

The first light I have is 2 24" compact lights with a built in fan (also has a lil purple light that is about .25Dia and dont know what its for??)

the 2nd fixture has 2 reg 4' bulbs

Im not sure the exact watts on the compact light so im guessing.

I keep getting lots of alge on my sand under the compact light so Im assuming it is strong enough to grow some low light plants.

My Q is....

1st, is there something I can add to a poor mans tank to help get stuff growing (I say poor man cause i dont want to go the Co2 System route)


2nd, I need another light, what kind should I get? I have a canopy that is about 12" off the top of my acrylic tank so I am limited on space.
Im just worried about the light being to strong on the Acrylic and having it Bow on me in the future...

Thanks

 

[HarleyK]

Howdy,

1) Liquid fertilizers, I use Kent. Re: CO2: Read HERE

2) I use Coralife FReshwater aqualight on most of my planted tanks. Acrylic should be able to withstand aquarium lights ... but you could double-check with your tank's manufacturer.

HarleyK

 

[velanarris]

Sounds like you have a 24" marine light fixture with either a blue tube/moon light, or an actinic bulb in it.

What color and temp are your bulbs? If you aren't sure, start there.

 

[West1]

Howdy,

1) Liquid fertilizers, I use Kent. Re: CO2: Read HERE

2) I use Coralife FReshwater aqualight on most of my planted tanks. Acrylic should be able to withstand aquarium lights ... but you could double-check with your tank's manufacturer.

HarleyK

Thanks, Im going to check out the link

Sounds like you have a 24" marine light fixture with either a blue tube/moon light, or an actinic bulb in it.

What color and temp are your bulbs? If you aren't sure, start there.

color is 10k and actinic.
Temp? as in how hot it gets or the watts?
either way Im not sure. Id have to look at it

So what size light fixtures would you think is the best for me. There is a center brace to the canopy so a 8' light will not work (center brace is 2"x1"x30").

I was leaning on 2 30" or 2 36"

 

[velanarris]

color is 10k and actinic.
Temp? as in how hot it gets or the watts?
either way Im not sure. Id have to look at it

So what size light fixtures would you think is the best for me. There is a center brace to the canopy so a 8' light will not work (center brace is 2"x1"x30").

I was leaning on 2 30" or 2 36"

Temp/color is the kelvin rating. I ask for both because most people know one or the other.

You could always go with a couple of hagen 36" or even the 24" depending on tank depth. Now I'm assuming this is freshwater, if so, lose the actinic, it's not helping you. You may want to add a softer, 6700k, light to fill out the redder end of the spectrum.

 

[West1]

Temp/color is the kelvin rating. I ask for both because most people know one or the other.

You could always go with a couple of hagen 36" or even the 24" depending on tank depth. Now I'm assuming this is freshwater, if so, lose the actinic, it's not helping you. You may want to add a softer, 6700k, light to fill out the redder end of the spectrum.

Yeah... anything electrical is not me.

The tank depth is 30" and Yes it is freshwater.

isint the 6700k a more yellow color?

 

[velanarris]

In visible light there are 7 colors, however, all 7 are simply points between red and blue (violet). The lower on the Kelvin scale you go the more red, conversely, the higher you go the more blue the light is.

6700k sits on the low-middle side of the scale. To us it appears yellow, but it's actually a mix of reds and greens, with a small amount of blues.

Here's where it's important: Plants do not absorb the mid spectrum colors, hence why they appear green (and why most light fixtures come with 10000k or 12000k tubes as stock media). Those llights will make you plants look more green without actually benefitting the plants' health as well as lights of a softer temp.


Ok, that's out of the way. The ideal color for aquarium plants is between 5500k and 18000k. A very wide range indeed. So now the question of, what plant species are you going to be raising comes into play.

For almost all species of anubias, anything in that range will work. If you want to get specific to the plant characteristics, at 30 inch depth, in a two tube t5 system, you would want a single 10000k and a single 6700k set of bulbs, running for 6 to 8 hours of the day. This will satisfy your lighting needs perfectly.

Now that doesn't mean you HAVE to use a 10000k and a 6700k. Anubias are not incredibly picky, you could run any bulbs within the spectrum and get a result, probably a good one as well, however, I would, (and most likely the other denizens of the planted tank forum), will tell you to not exceed 12000k as a rule, and not to exceed 10000k in practical application.

To make this short and easy, for a t5, I'd go buy the Hagen Glo plant-glo and life-glo bulbs. Stay under 2 wpg as t5 intensity is far higher than t8 (standard size fluoro).

 

[West1]

In visible light there are 7 colors, however, all 7 are simply points between red and blue (violet). The lower on the Kelvin scale you go the more red, conversely, the higher you go the more blue the light is.

6700k sits on the low-middle side of the scale. To us it appears yellow, but it's actually a mix of reds and greens, with a small amount of blues.

Here's where it's important: Plants do not absorb the mid spectrum colors, hence why they appear green (and why most light fixtures come with 10000k or 12000k tubes as stock media). Those llights will make you plants look more green without actually benefitting the plants' health as well as lights of a softer temp.


Ok, that's out of the way. The ideal color for aquarium plants is between 5500k and 18000k. A very wide range indeed. So now the question of, what plant species are you going to be raising comes into play.

For almost all species of anubias, anything in that range will work. If you want to get specific to the plant characteristics, at 30 inch depth, in a two tube t5 system, you would want a single 10000k and a single 6700k set of bulbs, running for 6 to 8 hours of the day. This will satisfy your lighting needs perfectly.

Now that doesn't mean you HAVE to use a 10000k and a 6700k. Anubias are not incredibly picky, you could run any bulbs within the spectrum and get a result, probably a good one as well, however, I would, (and most likely the other denizens of the planted tank forum), will tell you to not exceed 12000k as a rule, and not to exceed 10000k in practical application.

To make this short and easy, for a t5, I'd go buy the Hagen Glo plant-glo and life-glo bulbs. Stay under 2 wpg as t5 intensity is far higher than t8 (standard size fluoro).

WOW... thats a lot of info. Thanks, you pretty much got every Q I had plus more info, thanks

 

[velanarris]

If you have any other questions feel free to ask here or in PMs.

 

[West1]

If you have any other questions feel free to ask here or in PMs.

Right on, thanks