freshwater and power compacts. - Aquarium Advice

RubixCube · 10-20-2005, 03:03 PM

Are power compacts recomended for a [acronym:862d25cac8="Freshwater"]FW[/acronym:862d25cac8] tank? Its a cichlid tank with live plants..48 [acronym:862d25cac8="Gallon"]gal[/acronym:862d25cac8]

rich311k · 10-20-2005, 03:05 PM

You can use [acronym:c4ac7c2432="Power compact fluorescent"]PC[/acronym:c4ac7c2432] lighting on freshwater tanks. Thats one of the ways to get high lighting. I have it.

**Devilishturtles** · 10-20-2005, 04:13 PM

I agree with Rich. You can add [acronym:c054a5970d="Power compact fluorescent"]PC[/acronym:c054a5970d] lighting if you'd like, as a high light source for your tank and plants. Nothing at all wrong with it.

Apocalypse_Gold · 10-20-2005, 05:04 PM

Some [acronym:4dbc816ea7="Power compact fluorescent"]pc[/acronym:4dbc816ea7] bulbs are 50% actinic, which doesn't really help plants, and may promote algae. Other than that, [acronym:4dbc816ea7="Power compact fluorescent"]pc[/acronym:4dbc816ea7] should work great.

greenmaji · 10-21-2005, 01:09 AM

actinic lighting promoting algae is a misnormer.. but yes it doesnt do much for plant growth, [acronym:c65f30572a="In my opinion"]IMO[/acronym:c65f30572a] ist a way of using [acronym:c65f30572a="Power compact fluorescent"]PC[/acronym:c65f30572a] lighting and limiting the watts per gallon so you dont have to go to high light needing the [acronym:c65f30572a="Carbon dioxide"]CO2[/acronym:c65f30572a] and such..

aquakev · 10-21-2005, 07:59 AM

well the thing with live plants in an aquarium is that you want to give them optimal conditions so that they can out compete algae for nutrients. With actinics, the light that they provide is not very useful for the plants in the tank, but some algae can use this small amount of light to cause problems. So, I have seen plant tanks with actinics (with normal daylight bulbs)do ok, it is just not a great thing to do. especially because of the light intensity of [acronym:6b631f86db="Power compact fluorescent"]pc[/acronym:6b631f86db]'s.

But yes, [acronym:6b631f86db="Power compact fluorescent"]pc[/acronym:6b631f86db]'s are great for plants as long as you get them in and acceptable color(kelvin temperature), common freshwater [acronym:6b631f86db="Power compact fluorescent"]pc[/acronym:6b631f86db] bulbs are great and most are in the 6500k range which is good for plants.

odobenus · 10-21-2005, 03:43 PM

With [acronym:1a1e1edae5="Normal Output Fluorescents"]NO[/acronym:1a1e1edae5] lights there is a general rule: less than 2 or 2.5 [acronym:1a1e1edae5="Watts Per Gallon"]wpg[/acronym:1a1e1edae5] is a low-light tank, more than that is a high-light tank and you probably need [acronym:1a1e1edae5="Carbon dioxide"]CO2[/acronym:1a1e1edae5]. Is there a similar rule or cut off for [acronym:1a1e1edae5="Power compact fluorescent"]pc[/acronym:1a1e1edae5]'s?

rich311k · 10-21-2005, 03:45 PM

Same rules for [acronym:6e128d2b22="Power compact fluorescent"]PC[/acronym:6e128d2b22] lighting.

malkore · 10-21-2005, 05:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rich311k

Same rules for [acronym:cde5bea6a5="Power compact fluorescent"]PC[/acronym:cde5bea6a5] lighting.

Yep, except you can cheat a little.

and technically it's:
1wpg = low
2wpg = medium
3wpg = high

but at 2.5wpg of [acronym:cde5bea6a5="Power compact fluorescent"]PC[/acronym:cde5bea6a5]'s you're in the high light category. with 3wpg you should be able to grow any plant if you have [acronym:cde5bea6a5="Power compact fluorescent"]PC[/acronym:cde5bea6a5]'s. if you have [acronym:cde5bea6a5="Normal Output Fluorescents"]NO[/acronym:cde5bea6a5] tubes, then you may need to bump to 3.5wpg for a few particular species.

10-20-2005, 03:03 PM	#1
RubixCube Aquarium Advice Activist Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Newfoundland, Canada Posts: 175 Images: 8	freshwater and power compacts. Are power compacts recomended for a [acronym:862d25cac8="Freshwater"]FW[/acronym:862d25cac8] tank? Its a cichlid tank with live plants..48 [acronym:862d25cac8="Gallon"]gal[/acronym:862d25cac8]

10-20-2005, 05:04 PM	#4
Apocalypse_Gold Aquarium Advice FINatic Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Utah USA Posts: 803	Some [acronym:4dbc816ea7="Power compact fluorescent"]pc[/acronym:4dbc816ea7] bulbs are 50% actinic, which doesn't really help plants, and may promote algae. Other than that, [acronym:4dbc816ea7="Power compact fluorescent"]pc[/acronym:4dbc816ea7] should work great. __________________ Long live the UGF!

10-21-2005, 03:43 PM	#7
odobenus Aquarium Advice Activist Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: UP of Michigan Posts: 132 Images: 2	With [acronym:1a1e1edae5="Normal Output Fluorescents"]NO[/acronym:1a1e1edae5] lights there is a general rule: less than 2 or 2.5 [acronym:1a1e1edae5="Watts Per Gallon"]wpg[/acronym:1a1e1edae5] is a low-light tank, more than that is a high-light tank and you probably need [acronym:1a1e1edae5="Carbon dioxide"]CO2[/acronym:1a1e1edae5]. Is there a similar rule or cut off for [acronym:1a1e1edae5="Power compact fluorescent"]pc[/acronym:1a1e1edae5]'s? __________________ Think of a snake as a rope. A rope without legs and not available in hardware stores. A lot of people have died at the end of a rope. A lot of people have died at the end of a snake. Think about it. -- Ranger Gord

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10-20-2005, 03:05 PM	#2
rich311k Aquarium Advice Addict Moderator Emeritus Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Long Island, NY Posts: 8,972 Images: 35	You can use [acronym:c4ac7c2432="Power compact fluorescent"]PC[/acronym:c4ac7c2432] lighting on freshwater tanks. Thats one of the ways to get high lighting. I have it.

10-21-2005, 01:09 AM	#5
greenmaji Aquarium Advice Addict Join Date: May 2005 Location: Central Kentucky Posts: 5,937	actinic lighting promoting algae is a misnormer.. but yes it doesnt do much for plant growth, [acronym:c65f30572a="In my opinion"]IMO[/acronym:c65f30572a] ist a way of using [acronym:c65f30572a="Power compact fluorescent"]PC[/acronym:c65f30572a] lighting and limiting the watts per gallon so you dont have to go to high light needing the [acronym:c65f30572a="Carbon dioxide"]CO2[/acronym:c65f30572a] and such..

10-21-2005, 07:59 AM	#6
aquakev Aquarium Advice Freak Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: LA, Ca Posts: 212 Images: 2	well the thing with live plants in an aquarium is that you want to give them optimal conditions so that they can out compete algae for nutrients. With actinics, the light that they provide is not very useful for the plants in the tank, but some algae can use this small amount of light to cause problems. So, I have seen plant tanks with actinics (with normal daylight bulbs)do ok, it is just not a great thing to do. especially because of the light intensity of [acronym:6b631f86db="Power compact fluorescent"]pc[/acronym:6b631f86db]'s. But yes, [acronym:6b631f86db="Power compact fluorescent"]pc[/acronym:6b631f86db]'s are great for plants as long as you get them in and acceptable color(kelvin temperature), common freshwater [acronym:6b631f86db="Power compact fluorescent"]pc[/acronym:6b631f86db] bulbs are great and most are in the 6500k range which is good for plants.

10-21-2005, 03:45 PM	#8
rich311k Aquarium Advice Addict Moderator Emeritus Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Long Island, NY Posts: 8,972 Images: 35	Same rules for [acronym:6e128d2b22="Power compact fluorescent"]PC[/acronym:6e128d2b22] lighting.