Lighting a 90g

[blizowman1]

Still have not set the 90 up but I have a dual t5 30" coralife fixture running about 62w and my dad says he has a 48" single bulb t8 fixture I can use I have ozelot sword and some redder plants in my 29g that I'll be swapping into the 90 when I set it up with te combination of the t8 and the dual t5HO i have be enough to keep my plants growing or will I need to buy a fixture before I set it up and what kind fixture should I get I don't wanna have to dose ferts or use co2 it will be dirted. And another question is I have a aquaclear 70 from my 29g I'm gonna put on it should I just get another HOB filter to put on it till I get a canister or should I just wait for the canister or will I need a canister at all?

 

[fort384]

I would get a canister.

You can use your 30" coralife, but if it is a dual bulb it is only 48W, and the bulbs are only ~24" in a 30" t5ho fixture. The problem here is a 90gal tank is 48" wide, so you aren't going to get good coverage. The 48" t8 will help, but the PAR at depth in a 90 with a t8 is going to be abysmal, so it isn't going to give you a lot of options. I would recommend looking into a dual 48" T5HO fixture to get you just to low/medium low light on that depth of a tank. Something like this will work...

 

[blizowman1]

Well my coralife is a dual t5ho at 62w combined and I have aquaclear 70 already that I will transferring over and have found a website that sales new aquaclear110 for 45.00. Is there a reason why you would choose I canister over two hob filters. I just like the ease of access to hob filters and it's easier to clean them when maintenance is due.

 

[fort384]

I like canisters. Your plan is fine though. ACs are good filters. I just like the quietness and flexibility of a canister.

Is it a 4 bulb t5 NO fixture? That would be 62W. A dual 30" t5ho fixture is 48W and actually has 24" bulbs...

Edit: sorry my mistake. I forgot coralife has the odd sized 31w 30" t5hos. My bad.

I still think you will be lacking full coverage and a t8 lacks penetrating power. It might work out ok for lower light plants but I would want at least 1wpg of t5ho on that size tank. No harm in giving it a try with what you have though and seeing if it works out.

 

[blizowman1]

Would a quad t5ho be to much light

 

[fishfanatic]

Would a quad t5ho be to much light

I have a quad T5HO fixture on my 90 gallon. Without co2 and ferts I think there would be major algae problems. What are your plans as far as co2 and ferts?

Edit** just reread your first post... no co2 or ferts. My bad!

 

[fort384]

Agreed. Too much light without co2 and supplementation.

 

[blizowman1]

So how much light do I need to grow the plants I already have and will be transferring over.
Crypt Wendtii 'red'
Crypt Florida sunset 2x
Crypt parva
Micro swords 2x
Dwarf sag 8x
Anubius nana 2x
Java fern 1x-large 1x-little
Java fern windelov 2x-large 3x-little
ozelot sword 'red'
Grandifolious sword
Tiger lotus
Flame moss
Amazon frogbit
Stuarogyne Repens
banana plant
Pogostemon yatabeanus 3x stems

I'm planning on, I guess, 3" of miracle grow organic and cap it with either gravel or sand ??

 

[Peyton]

None of the plants you list need high light. A dual bulb t5ho fixture or even better, two single bulb fixtures for good front to back spread would work great.

 

[blizowman1]

Would a dual t5ho on the front and a dual t5ho on the back be to much. How much is that line between co2 and no co2 I don't want to run co2 maybe down the road when I can afford it but I'd like to gobasblong as I can without it and I'm hoping with the dirt I don't have to dose ferts for a long time too

 

[fishfanatic]

I would suggest getting a 4 bulb T5HO fixture BUT make sure it has switches to run the bulbs differently. If you ran two of the bulbs then that would be enough light. And then if you ever decide to get co2 then you could turn on the remaining bulbs. This way you won't need to buy a new fixture in the future. Just my opinion.

 

[fort384]

That's a good idea. You could always run a 4 bulb fixture but make 1 bulb actinic. 3 t5hos of 6500k-10000k and an actinic would be a good amount of light but not require co2. I think running 4 would push you over that line.

 

[blizowman1]

Maybe I could find a fixture that lets me turn on individual sides of the fixture or something maybe to where I run three bulbs at a time

 

[fort384]

Most are either all on, or two on at a time.

 

[blizowman1]

So most dual t5ho 48" fixtures are 108w with both bulbs on your saying this will be enough for the plants I have listed I figured I would need at least 2wpg

 

[fishfanatic]

My Catalina Aquarium fixture allows me to have ether 1, 2, 3, or 4 bulbs on. It was also fairly cheap and the company worked with me when they had forgotten to send me the slash guard.

 

[fort384]

I would be comfortable with those plants at about 1.5 wpg. 2 wpg of t5ho will probably require co2 for long term success.

 

[fort384]

My Catalina Aquarium fixture allows me to have ether 1, 2, 3, or 4 bulbs on. It was also fairly cheap and the company worked with me when they had forgotten to send me the slash guard.

Have heard good things about the company and their fixtures as well.

 

[blizowman1]

So that company actually has a 3 bulb t5ho for sale so that would be 162 watts would that require co2 eventually

 

[fishfanatic]

So that company actually has a 3 bulb t5ho for sale so that would be 162 watts would that require co2 eventually

I don't recall that they sell a 3 bulb fixture. I think they sell 2 bulb and 4 bulb. But with the 4 bulb fixture you can control each light individually, so it can be used like a 3 bulb fixture.