Lighting changes - Aquarium Advice

Codefox · 08-18-2005, 09:22 AM

Alright, I'm gonna do my first planted tank so I have a few questions I'm sure have been asked a million times before

First I'll just ask about lighting. Is 2 [acronym:390abe018a="Watts Per Gallon"]WPG[/acronym:390abe018a] enough? How do you decide when you need more? I currently have a 55 [acronym:390abe018a="Gallon"]gal[/acronym:390abe018a] with a pair of AGA hoods on it. Could I simply remove the light fixtures and put a 48" in it's place?

It has glass inserts where the two fixtures sit now, so would it be better to get 2 24" fixtures instead to fit over those areas? And at 2 [acronym:390abe018a="Watts Per Gallon"]WPG[/acronym:390abe018a] am I going to need to worry about [acronym:390abe018a="Carbon dioxide"]CO2[/acronym:390abe018a]? Thanks!

greenmaji · 08-18-2005, 10:24 AM

2wpg is fine for low to medium light requirement plants.. and a 48" fixture is cheaper then 2-24" fixtures.. but a glass hood would be better then the inserts that I think your talking about, is it a plastic hood?

Codefox · 08-18-2005, 10:34 AM

http://www.all-glass.com/products/hoods/index.html is the hood. I believe the window on it is glass. The rest of the hood is plastic, yes.

As to how much light the plants require...I have no idea how I'll know that.

greenmaji · 08-18-2005, 10:40 AM

1-1.5wpg is a good starting point for low light..

Codefox · 08-18-2005, 10:45 AM

Well, the supplied hoods are 19W each so do I add them up for 38 W total? I'm just gonna assume that' not enough for a 55 [acronym:f8452ccb4e="Gallon"]gal[/acronym:f8452ccb4e] regardless

The plants I want are all Amazon river plants...would you know if those are generally low/med/high light?

Jchillin · 08-18-2005, 11:08 AM

38 watts isn't enough for low light...you need at least 55 watts, though a bit more won't hurt.

The amazon river plant varieties are limited, so I would suggest adding plants from other regions as well.

Check here under the low light plant menu for some ideas.

Codefox · 08-18-2005, 11:15 AM

Yeah, I've come to accept the fact I'll have to 'cheat' on the plants most likely.

Since it's low light and I won't need [acronym:aa5a701342="Carbon dioxide"]CO2[/acronym:aa5a701342], am I correct in assuming that it's a good thing to have surface agitation to bring in [acronym:aa5a701342="Carbon dioxide"]CO2[/acronym:aa5a701342] from the atmosphere? (ie - My biowheel)

malkore · 08-18-2005, 11:40 AM

If you're not injecting [acronym:4a3cfe82f8="Carbon dioxide"]CO2[/acronym:4a3cfe82f8], you'll basically always have the 3-4ppm of atmospheric [acronym:4a3cfe82f8="Carbon dioxide"]CO2[/acronym:4a3cfe82f8] in the tank as long as their is some surface agitation. Low light means the plants just won't need as much [acronym:4a3cfe82f8="Carbon dioxide"]CO2[/acronym:4a3cfe82f8].
So the biowheel is fine.

greenmaji · 08-18-2005, 03:12 PM

you can use plants that grow everywere and still technicly be correct.. like Java fern..

Codefox · 08-18-2005, 06:46 PM

Yeah, after thinking it over...given my inexperience with plants, I think it'll be best to not try and do somethign really complicated right. I'll sacrifice some 'realism' for a tank that looks presentable

08-18-2005, 09:22 AM	#1
Codefox Aquarium Advice Freak Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Tampa, FL Posts: 432 Images: 1	Lighting changes Alright, I'm gonna do my first planted tank so I have a few questions I'm sure have been asked a million times before First I'll just ask about lighting. Is 2 [acronym:390abe018a="Watts Per Gallon"]WPG[/acronym:390abe018a] enough? How do you decide when you need more? I currently have a 55 [acronym:390abe018a="Gallon"]gal[/acronym:390abe018a] with a pair of AGA hoods on it. Could I simply remove the light fixtures and put a 48" in it's place? It has glass inserts where the two fixtures sit now, so would it be better to get 2 24" fixtures instead to fit over those areas? And at 2 [acronym:390abe018a="Watts Per Gallon"]WPG[/acronym:390abe018a] am I going to need to worry about [acronym:390abe018a="Carbon dioxide"]CO2[/acronym:390abe018a]? Thanks!

08-18-2005, 11:08 AM	#6
Jchillin Aquarium Advice Addict Moderator Emeritus Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: New York, NY (The Big Apple) Posts: 12,937 Images: 47	38 watts isn't enough for low light...you need at least 55 watts, though a bit more won't hurt. The amazon river plant varieties are limited, so I would suggest adding plants from other regions as well. Check here under the low light plant menu for some ideas. __________________ _________________________________ My 75g Planted tank

08-18-2005, 11:40 AM	#8
malkore Aquarium Advice Addict Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Nebraska, USA Posts: 6,540	If you're not injecting [acronym:4a3cfe82f8="Carbon dioxide"]CO2[/acronym:4a3cfe82f8], you'll basically always have the 3-4ppm of atmospheric [acronym:4a3cfe82f8="Carbon dioxide"]CO2[/acronym:4a3cfe82f8] in the tank as long as their is some surface agitation. Low light means the plants just won't need as much [acronym:4a3cfe82f8="Carbon dioxide"]CO2[/acronym:4a3cfe82f8]. So the biowheel is fine. __________________ Visit my aquarium pages - see specs on my tanks, and photos of how they've evolved My other passion: TheNinja 500R - updated 9/18/05

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08-18-2005, 10:24 AM	#2
greenmaji Aquarium Advice Addict Join Date: May 2005 Location: Central Kentucky Posts: 5,937	2wpg is fine for low to medium light requirement plants.. and a 48" fixture is cheaper then 2-24" fixtures.. but a glass hood would be better then the inserts that I think your talking about, is it a plastic hood?

08-18-2005, 10:34 AM	#3
Codefox Aquarium Advice Freak Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Tampa, FL Posts: 432 Images: 1	http://www.all-glass.com/products/hoods/index.html is the hood. I believe the window on it is glass. The rest of the hood is plastic, yes. As to how much light the plants require...I have no idea how I'll know that.

08-18-2005, 10:40 AM	#4
greenmaji Aquarium Advice Addict Join Date: May 2005 Location: Central Kentucky Posts: 5,937	1-1.5wpg is a good starting point for low light..

08-18-2005, 10:45 AM	#5
Codefox Aquarium Advice Freak Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Tampa, FL Posts: 432 Images: 1	Well, the supplied hoods are 19W each so do I add them up for 38 W total? I'm just gonna assume that' not enough for a 55 [acronym:f8452ccb4e="Gallon"]gal[/acronym:f8452ccb4e] regardless The plants I want are all Amazon river plants...would you know if those are generally low/med/high light?

08-18-2005, 11:15 AM	#7
Codefox Aquarium Advice Freak Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Tampa, FL Posts: 432 Images: 1	Yeah, I've come to accept the fact I'll have to 'cheat' on the plants most likely. Since it's low light and I won't need [acronym:aa5a701342="Carbon dioxide"]CO2[/acronym:aa5a701342], am I correct in assuming that it's a good thing to have surface agitation to bring in [acronym:aa5a701342="Carbon dioxide"]CO2[/acronym:aa5a701342] from the atmosphere? (ie - My biowheel)

08-18-2005, 03:12 PM	#9
greenmaji Aquarium Advice Addict Join Date: May 2005 Location: Central Kentucky Posts: 5,937	you can use plants that grow everywere and still technicly be correct.. like Java fern..

08-18-2005, 06:46 PM	#10
Codefox Aquarium Advice Freak Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Tampa, FL Posts: 432 Images: 1	Yeah, after thinking it over...given my inexperience with plants, I think it'll be best to not try and do somethign really complicated right. I'll sacrifice some 'realism' for a tank that looks presentable