Lighting a 20 and 29 tall

[HeathB]

Ok, I've got my tax refund in the mail.

Now what I want to know are 2 things.

1. What brand do would you folks suggest?

2. How many bulbs should the fixture I get have to be high light. I've seen some that come with only 1 bulb, and some that fit 2 bulbs, and of course seen the ones where you can link multiple fixtures together.

Another thing I should mention is that I will also be picking up those flat glass/plastic tops that they sell, since using the tops I have, you only get light coming from the part the fixture actually sits on top of (I've got some jumpers, so I can't go open top with these)

 

[mgamer20o0]

1 what do you want to grow?
2 depends on what type of light you go with

t5 i like fishneedit.com and cf i like ahsupply.com

 

[HeathB]

1 what do you want to grow?
2 depends on what type of light you go with

t5 i like fishneedit.com and cf i like ahsupply.com

I wanted to try my hand at some carpeting type plants, and from what I've seen, even the medium light ones usually do better at high light levels.

Aside from those, I'd just like to be able to have more options with plants as far as lighting goes.

I was planning on some t5ho.

I see fishneedit has (will have?) 24" but I don't see any 30" fixtures for my 29 tall.

 

[mgamer20o0]

what carpet plants?

 

[meegosh]

t5 i like fishneedit.com and cf i like ahsupply.com

fishneedit.com hasn't been shipping for quite some time.

I would research the type of plants you want and look at their requirements. If you add too much light then you will need to start injecting CO2 and maybe even a fert regime. Depends on how much work you want to do, on two tanks.

 

[HeathB]

what carpet plants?

I was thinking of starting with something like marsilea hirsuta, but eventually I want to give hc and glosso a shot. I also wanted to do some rotala, bacopa, or cabomba in the background. From what I've read on the marsilea, it'll do decent in medium lighting, but that it really thrives in brighter light.

 

[HeathB]

fishneedit.com hasn't been shipping for quite some time.

I would research the type of plants you want and look at their requirements. If you add too much light then you will need to start injecting CO2 and maybe even a fert regime. Depends on how much work you want to do, on two tanks.

Already have ferts, diy co2 rigs, new eco complete substrate, and some flourish that should also be arriving today. I've also already got some swords and some nymphaea lotus green that I'd like to have doing a little better.

 

[meegosh]

I have a 96watt coralife compact fluorescent over my 3ft tank which puts me in the high light range (~3wpg). Any fluctuations in CO2 (which DIY is notorious for) can cause algae outbreaks. You may want to aim for medium light if you are looking for less maintenance.

 

[HeathB]

I have a 96watt coralife compact fluorescent over my 3ft tank which puts me in the high light range (~3wpg). Any fluctuations in CO2 (which DIY is notorious for) can cause algae outbreaks. You may want to aim for medium light if you are looking for less maintenance.

I might consider upgrading just one of the tanks to high light then, and one to medium. Would something along the lines of T5NO give me more of a medium range, or is there something different. I haven't really heard much about medium. I hear low light this, high light that.

I'd still like to try one of the tanks on high light though. Life is for learning, and all that, right. If I don't get my hand wet, haha.

Plus, I have loads of free time. Seems no one around here wants a guy with a BA in Japanese. XD

Interesting fact of the day for you guys. Dojo is just the Japanese word for loach, so calling it a dojo loach is a tad redundant. I got a chuckle out of that when I found out.

 

[HeathB]

Does anyone have any experience with the Hagen Glo T5HO fixtures? We have some at the petsmart I work at, so I'd be getting a 15% discount.

 

[mgamer20o0]

they are ok i dont think they have individual reflectors.... i think they stopped making them though not 100% sure.

 

[HeathB]

they are ok i dont think they have individual reflectors.... i think they stopped making them though not 100% sure.

That might explain the huge markdown I saw on them yesterday. I guess I'll stick with something a little more mainstream so I can be sure to be able to get bulbs for them.

 

[mgamer20o0]

i dont think they use their own bulbs i think you can use any t5 ho bulbs. i never owned one so i am not 100% sure.

 

[HeathB]

i dont think they use their own bulbs i think you can use any t5 ho bulbs. i never owned one so i am not 100% sure.

I think I read somewhere that they manufactured different sized bulbs for their units from the standard sizes, but I could be wrong.

Would you reccomend something like T5NO to achieve a medium lighting level in one of these tanks? Or maybe just one of those 1 strip t5ho fixtures?

 

[Crepe]

Does anyone have any experience with the Hagen Glo T5HO fixtures? We have some at the petsmart I work at, so I'd be getting a 15% discount.

I have that fixture. It's 2x24 Watts on a 12/12 timer. So essentially I have about medium high- high light in my 20gallon tall. (The lights give me approx the equivalent of 5 watts of regular fluorescent light per gallon) Any T5 HO bulbs work on them.

 

[HeathB]

Ha, old post, but I got bored of waiting last week and ordered some nova extreme t5ho fixtures for my 20 and 29. Should be here Tuesday.