What Illumination for Indoors?
- Thread starter AndreR
- Start date
Just a little more info first...
What's the measurements of the pond, including depth?
F/W or S/W?
What kind and how many fish?
What kind and how many plants?
What's "it should not be so expensive in operation" mean to you? (I just had a guy wanting to spend $500.00 US on 'a' aquarium light
).
Dr Joe
.
What's the measurements of the pond, including depth?
F/W or S/W?
What kind and how many fish?
What kind and how many plants?
What's "it should not be so expensive in operation" mean to you? (I just had a guy wanting to spend $500.00 US on 'a' aquarium light
).Dr Joe
.
Dr Joe;715151; said:Just a little more info first...
What's the measurements of the pond, including depth?
F/W or S/W?
What kind and how many fish?
What kind and how many plants?
What's "it should not be so expensive in operation" mean to you? (I just had a guy wanting to spend $500.00 US on 'a' aquarium light
Dr Joe
.
Yeah, you´re right, good questions, thanks.
I am thinking about a pond measured as 10ftX6ft with a depth of about 3ft.
Freshwater including some Goldfishes or european Natives, with native plants (more or less native like Elodea densa
).There is no surrounding illumination extra (no daylight), so I try to find matching bulbs etc, that support the plants growing completely.
If there is no special idea I would also appreciate descriptions and pics of all of your equipment.
Does anyone keep the plants growing with artificial light?
Expensive in operation means with a high power demand, that should potentially not be so if there is any saving equipment.....
Incandescent: High heat vs Light output not economical to run
Fluorescent: Ok for floating plants and to about 18" deep
Hi-output T-5: Same only better
Compact fluorescent: Less heat, cheaper to run, initial cost is higher.
Metal halide: Most economical to run but highest initial cost.
http://www.dyna-brite.com/lamps.htm
Check the planted Tank section for ideas too.
I'll check for more references.
Dr Joe
.
Fluorescent: Ok for floating plants and to about 18" deep
Hi-output T-5: Same only better
Compact fluorescent: Less heat, cheaper to run, initial cost is higher.
Metal halide: Most economical to run but highest initial cost.
http://www.dyna-brite.com/lamps.htm
Check the planted Tank section for ideas too.
I'll check for more references.
Dr Joe
.
Great Link, Thanks, now I know the english terms
In my experience actually the double-ended halogen quartz lamps with a "sunlight" do best, but are too expensive to run for a pond of that size.
Right now I prefer the CFL´s with 6500K but I am not quiet sure if it´s enough for the plants.
Heat is no problem, more heat is welcome but I am struggeling with the costs to run.
It´s not that I am stingy but as I keep about 10,000 gal by now including all tanks, tubs and ponds I am looking for a good and practicable standard.
To read a little about the practical experience of running the one or the other would be great.
In my experience actually the double-ended halogen quartz lamps with a "sunlight" do best, but are too expensive to run for a pond of that size.
Right now I prefer the CFL´s with 6500K but I am not quiet sure if it´s enough for the plants.
Heat is no problem, more heat is welcome but I am struggeling with the costs to run.
It´s not that I am stingy but as I keep about 10,000 gal by now including all tanks, tubs and ponds I am looking for a good and practicable standard.
To read a little about the practical experience of running the one or the other would be great.
what im going to do is get some big flourescent fixtures ( like the one you see in buildings) and special order the correct bulbs.
AndreR;716587; said:Great Link, Thanks, now I know the english terms
In my experience actually the double-ended halogen quartz lamps with a "sunlight" do best, but are too expensive to run for a pond of that size.
Right now I prefer the CFL´s with 6500K but I am not quiet sure if it´s enough for the plants.
Heat is no problem, more heat is welcome but I am struggeling with the costs to run.
It´s not that I am stingy but as I keep about 10,000 gal by now including all tanks, tubs and ponds I am looking for a good and practicable standard.
To read a little about the practical experience of running the one or the other would be great.
Have you seen this calculator? http://www.fishyou.com/aquarium-calculator.php
me_wee_todded;717074; said:
Commercial fixtures are higher voltage (240v-480v).
Dr Joe
.
Nice Calculator, thanks, but unfortunately the basics do not match my "german" costs
On point of special interest for me is the reflector-technique.
Do you have any suggestions concerning DIY-Reflectors, I am just trying on selfmade ones with glossy aluminium foil.
The CFL´s can increase their capacity greatly with the right reflection of all the undirected light being lost instead.
Unfortunately I could not find the perfect lamp shade including a great reflector yet, although in my experience a DIY one is not as perfect as an industrial made one.
eg:
Selfmade build into an average lampshade:
industrial-made one:
As you can see by the reflected flashlight the Non-DIY is very more directed but the costs differ between 40 bucks for it and just about 10 for the cheaper version.
What do you think?
On point of special interest for me is the reflector-technique.
Do you have any suggestions concerning DIY-Reflectors, I am just trying on selfmade ones with glossy aluminium foil.
The CFL´s can increase their capacity greatly with the right reflection of all the undirected light being lost instead.
Unfortunately I could not find the perfect lamp shade including a great reflector yet, although in my experience a DIY one is not as perfect as an industrial made one.
eg:
Selfmade build into an average lampshade:
industrial-made one:
As you can see by the reflected flashlight the Non-DIY is very more directed but the costs differ between 40 bucks for it and just about 10 for the cheaper version.
What do you think?
Excuse my ignorance, but what factors in the calculator don't work for you? (I'm just curious).
Sorry your pix didn't come thru...
Using a photographic light meter, do some experiments...I've found brite white paint to be a good compromise in some cases.
You can put a thin layer of reflective material (polished stainless steel or even mirror) on your DIY frame or cheap commercial reflector.
Dr Joe
.
Sorry your pix didn't come thru...
Using a photographic light meter, do some experiments...I've found brite white paint to be a good compromise in some cases.
You can put a thin layer of reflective material (polished stainless steel or even mirror) on your DIY frame or cheap commercial reflector.
Dr Joe
.
Dr Joe;719867; said:
Yeah you are right, my mistake, I thought the calculator would work with preset values in $ concerning the power costs, but I do only have to replace $ by Euro
Sometimes I am relly stupidYes, I don´t know why, I just have some struggle with the programming of my Server...I´ll try once again, hope it works.....
I am already thinking about getting one, but I am still looking for the basics to find a reliable quality product. Do you have any recommendations for a good lightmeter?
The material that matches is not so easy to find, I think on the next step I will construct something new including mirrorpieces, that for I will try to find a glazier...I think anything not beeing a real mirror is just substitutional
...but actually you already inspired me
Next Picture attempt
:Handmade:
Industrial-made: