Help with lighting.

[Tetra1990]

Hope I'm posting this in the right place. When I received my current 29 gallon tank, it also came with hood and light. I never paid much attention to the type of bulb/fixture. Today I took a good look at the assembly and I'm clueless. When it's on, it has a saltwater look to it. I have some pics of the only 2 labels I could find. Can anyone make heads or tails of it? I would like some more plants, but I'm not sure I have the proper lighting. All I have is some low-light java fern which seems to be doing fine.

 

[Readingexcalibur]

Well regardless if it's salt or not. It still comes down to a 20w bulb in a 29g tank. And if it has longer than 6m life, it may have even less light output. Generally, unless you want all low light plants (IE. anachrist, hornworts), you would be looking to achieve at minimal a watt per gallon. We normally see this in a twin T5 fixture. This is good for some swords and ferns (thick leafy plants). If you want to grow grasses or low cover plants, then you looking at 2-3 watts per gallon.

This question would best be asked in the planted sub-forum and will more than likely get moved there by some admin.

while there, consider asking about other items like substrate, ferts, ect. A light alone wont grow the plants.

 

[Scouser]

Watts per gallon is a very primitive way to measure lighting.

Thats from back when aquarium lighting was... For lack of a better word poop.

With the new high light bulbs, even T8 bulbs, you can grow a wide variety of plants.

Just thought I'd chime in with that.

 

[Readingexcalibur]

Watts per gallon is a very primitive way to measure lighting.

Did you use watts and primitive in the same sentence? Lol

I found the WPG an excellent way to measure light for plants. We are not taking about an expertly planted, Co2 injected tank. We are taking ferns and like plants as the OP stated.

IMO WPG is the best way to measure light output for a common measuring platform. Although, I do agree, T8s have been advanced enough to grow a lot of plants. But IME, they are still not ideal.

 

[Scouser]

Yes I did.

But taking certain words from a sentence and putting them into an order that you chose isn't going to do anyone any good.

Whether you are talking a major planted setup with all the trimmings or not WattsPerGallon is primitive.

There are many factors that can affect how a plant will grow with the same lighting.

Depth of a tank can play a key role.

If you have a 3ft deep tank then you would need a lot of lighting to grow a carpet of say HC Cuba? Yes?

But if you have a shallow tank, say around 1ft in depth then requirements are different as the light won't need to travel through 2ft of water compared to the other example.

Honestly, just because a lot of people use a system doesn't mean it's the best way.

I think every tank needs its own specific answers, not just copy and pasted general responses.

 

[Readingexcalibur]

It's upsetting in a way because even tho you are correct about each individual tank being different and having its own needs. You are not analyzing your audience and may confuse the OP. This thread appears to be running off topic so hopefully someone else will chime in and put it straight. Good luck to the OP.

 

[Scouser]

Hope I'm posting this in the right place. When I received my current 29 gallon tank, it also came with hood and light. I never paid much attention to the type of bulb/fixture. Today I took a good look at the assembly and I'm clueless. When it's on, it has a saltwater look to it. I have some pics of the only 2 labels I could find. Can anyone make heads or tails of it? I would like some more plants, but I'm not sure I have the proper lighting. All I have is some low-light java fern which seems to be doing fine.

Saltwater look.

Is there any chance you could elaborate on what you mean?

If you are referring to the colour of the light being put out then it's probably the K rating that is the issue.

See "K" refers to "Kelvin" basically the colour of the light.

This pic may better explain the colours against "K" rating

 

[Bearchumjs]

Hope I'm posting this in the right place. When I received my current 29 gallon tank, it also came with hood and light. I never paid much attention to the type of bulb/fixture. Today I took a good look at the assembly and I'm clueless. When it's on, it has a saltwater look to it. I have some pics of the only 2 labels I could find. Can anyone make heads or tails of it? I would like some more plants, but I'm not sure I have the proper lighting. All I have is some low-light java fern which seems to be doing fine.

If you don't want to replace the whole light fixture you could try to find a bulb with higher wattage. I have a 32W T8 bulb on my 55 gallon. It may be a good idea to get a new bulb even if all you can find is another 20W. That way you know you are getting the best light your bulb is capable of putting out. I'm not a planted tank expert but I think my Anubias, hornwort, argentine swords, water wisteria, crypt lucens, micro sword and water primrose are all doing well. I do use root tab fertilizers as well. They are all growing so I must be doing something right...

 

[blert]

Those markings on the bulb mean it is a 24 inch, 20 watt T8(size) bulb. The Hagen Aqua-Glo bulbs are 18000k bulbs, I think that is why you say it has a "saltwater" look to it. It is not a bulb used much in freshwater, it has a lot of blue in it. Your fixture is only rated at 20 watts, don't try and put a larger wattage bulb into it. Look for a 24 inch, full spectrum T8 bulb in the 3000-10000k range. The lower the "k" rating the more yellow it will look and the higher the "k" rating the more white it will look. Get into the really high "k" and things start to get bluer. Most planted folk look for a 6500k bulb. You don't have to buy the 20$ ones from the LFS, you can go to the hardware store and buy a 5$ one. You can keep a lot of plants under a T8 bulb, watts/gallon is severely outdated.

 

[Tetra1990]

Ok, thanks for all the help everyone. Would it be smart to just buy a new bulb, same 20 watts, T8? I don't know how old the bulb/fixture was when I received it.

 

[blert]

Ok, thanks for all the help everyone. Would it be smart to just buy a new bulb, same 20 watts, T8? I don't know how old the bulb/fixture was when I received it.

From your pic... The fixture was manufactured in March of 2006 so the bulb could be six years old.
If you don't like the look of the light it puts out and you want a better bulb for your plants, yes buy a new bulb.