Quick lighting question

[Super_Blueberry]

Currently I have a 55g tank that's 18" tall with four 24 watt (96 total watts) t5ho bulbs. I'm hoping in the next couple weeks to finish getting everything I need to set up my 100g. I'm looking at lights right now, and I'm curious, compared to what I currently have, how will six 40 watt (240 total watts) t12No compare in a tank that is 24" tall??

 

[aqua_chem]

Let me make sure I understand you.


Your current setup is 4x24w, but 24w T5HO are 24", and a 55g is 4' tank, so you have two 24" fixtures end-to-end such that the entire tank is arranged as if there were two only two 54' 48" bulbs, correct? And the new setup would be 6 48" 40W T12NOs in parallel?

 

[Super_Blueberry]

Let me make sure I understand you. Your current setup is 4x24w, but 24w T5HO are 24", and a 55g is 4' tank, so you have two 24" fixtures end-to-end such that the entire tank is arranged as if there were two only two 54' 48" bulbs, correct? And the new setup would be 6 48" 40W T12NOs in parallel?

Correct. The new tank is 5' long, so there will be 6" on either end without direct overhead lighting, but I'm hoping that won't be an issue....

 

[Super_Blueberry]

Basically, I'm wondering if I will have more or less light at the bottom...

Will the higher watts per gallon overcome the added 6" of depth? Will it be less? Similar?

 

[aqua_chem]

It's a difficult question that I don't really have an answer to, unfortunately. If the T5HO had decent reflectors and the T12s have crappy ones, then I would go with the T5s. They would probably be roughly similar either way.

Sorry I don't have a better answer. I'm not that familiar with T12 outputs.

 

[Super_Blueberry]

Another thought I just had. If 240w turns out to be a bit too much, what could I expect the fish colors to do if I replaced one of the six 40w bulbs with a black light? Would I even notice it? Have any of you tried?

 

[flitabout]

I might be wrong on this one but I have heard that blacklights are very bad for your fishes' eyes

 

[aqua_chem]

It's basically just UVA light. I'm not sure that you would see any benefit or harm from, and if you had either, it would probably be such a small contribution that you would never be able to properly attribute it. It's very similar to what people use for Glofish.