As stated, Watts and gallons are not the only required inputs. The WPG formula is worth just as much as the inch per gallon IMO. Nothing. There are no "types" of wattage. A watt is a known value. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Watt. Post a specific question if you would like one answered. Google and Wikipedia are good resources to start off with.
Question about the watts per gallon formula
- Thread starter InfernoST
- Start date
The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an interest in aquariums or fish keeping!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
mgamer20o0
Aquarium Advice Addict
answered on the first post. its fluorescent. maybe start a new thread explain what you have and what you want to do and they will be able to better explain it.
and this is 100% right there are so many factors in lighting and many other things.
Again, what do you want to keep? What type of tank?
FishEggs
Aquarium Advice Addict
it also requires what type of flora and fauna you will want to keep. Saltwater or freshwater? everything has different light requirements. will you want to keep corals? what types? Your original question was answered in the first response. but if you need more info we need more info to steer you in the right direction so you don't waste your time, money and effort.
This is for a 120 FOWLR I just started cycling, The initial question I asked about wattage per gallon needed an answer because everyone says 3 to 6 watts per gallon and don't always specify the type of lamp, even the article in these forums doesn't specify. The funny thing is Wattage is a measurement of power consumption not physical ouput, this another reason why i brought this question up. Then you have MH rated in wattage this is not based on fluorescent lamps but the power/wattage it consumes in one hour. Lumens is the measurement of light intensity not wattage. A 100 watt Flourescent lamps is going to be a **** of a lot brighter then a regukar 100 watt bulb. Wattage per gallon seems all wrong because if I follow the formula then i should be able to install 6 100 incandescent bulbs and call it a day.
If the article on this site was specific i would already have my answer and wouldn't have to post anything to get additional answers. I'm new to SW and am spending a pretty penny setting up my 120 and just want to make certain everything I do and spend is 110% correct. On the other hand if you are not sure maybe you shoudln't attempt to answer something you really know nothing about. I spent 5 years of college to get my electrical engineering degree and have been working in the electrical/electronic construction industry for 25 years now, so I know the difference and found the article inconclusive and incomplete regarding the lighting. I thought this forum was suppose to help people achieve a goal not to prove how smart anyone member is. I'm sick of this crap, I've posted so many times and it's far and few between that i get a direct answer to a question, and it seems most of the replies have nothing to do with the initial question.
mgamer20o0
Aquarium Advice Addict
you cant fault some who is writing up the article. also being rude sure isnt going to get you anywhere. you asked a simple question and it was answered but thats not really want you want to do. no one is getting paid to help you. the others are taking their own time to try and figure out what you want and help you out. like i said.... if you make a thread explaining what you are doing and how you want it people can explain it and why.
with all the time you spent in college on the electrical engineering degree i would think you should know by now its not always that simple as WPG.
with all the time you spent in college on the electrical engineering degree i would think you should know by now its not always that simple as WPG.
and for the 2nd time in this thread people dont use incandescent lighting for stuff like sw or planted fw. prob for the what 3-4th time the so called rule was based on fluorescent bulbs.
Joker741
Aquarium Advice FINatic
Since you seem to know so much, maybe you can teach us.
FishEggs
Aquarium Advice Addict
right. the wpg rule is pretty much out dated and was a general rule of thumb with the t10 normal output fluorescent bulb. todays technological advances in lighting renders the old wpg rule useless especially with saltwater. so if you are going FOWLR the light would be only for viewing the fish and not for growing corals or plants so i think (not sure. i'm a freshy so someone correct me if i'm wrong) you could get away with whatever lights it up enough for you to see them 2 36" 30watt fluorescent bulbs would be plenty.
Joker741
Aquarium Advice FINatic
Well, you want info, won't say what exactually you is looking for, then get mad because you aren't getting an answer about a questions you didn't ask to get the answer you are looking for. Then you have to interject that you are an electrical engineer with all this experience.
What exactually do you want to know? The original question has been answered.
EDIT: What I posted was kinda rude. What exactually are you looking for in an answer? The watts per gallon rule means as much as the inch per gallon rule. I would be more then happy to help, I just don't know exactually what you want to know.
What exactually do you want to know? The original question has been answered.
EDIT: What I posted was kinda rude. What exactually are you looking for in an answer? The watts per gallon rule means as much as the inch per gallon rule. I would be more then happy to help, I just don't know exactually what you want to know.
I'm sorry to not provide a direct answer. It's an impossible answer to give without more detail though. PM me and we can chat without needing to read over broken posts. It gets tough in forums because of timing. I'm not an EE, but I manage several so I should at least be able to communicate.
I agree 100%.
Inferno, if you really want answers (or at least an honest effort at answers) PM me and we can chat. I'm not too proud to say "I don't know" when I don't know. More specifics are definitely needed. We can keep posting here, but it seems as though you want to pick arguments without providing any info and I'm just not comfortable with that.
Down the road, yes.
I haven't read the entire thread, but will hopefully not repeat what others have already stated. Originally the rule was created to include all lighting varieties; however, the 'watts per gallon' rule no longer applies because it does not account for intensity, depth penetration, nor indicative of PAR. Majority of the saltwater habits veer towards reef-keeping and bulbs that emit a higher PAR (photosynthetically active radiation), which corals utilize for photosynthesis. Different manufactured bulbs have different specifications and numbers can vary depending on the depth penetration and other "natural" occurrences within our systems, but also vary between lighting fixtures (usually point source or spotlight affect vs. elongate) and very importantly the reflectors.
This is rather "dumbed" down and if you need any help in which to choose (yes, the choices are maddening!) feel free to ask away. Do you wish to keep corals in the future and if so, what are you leaning towards?
This is rather "dumbed" down and if you need any help in which to choose (yes, the choices are maddening!) feel free to ask away. Do you wish to keep corals in the future and if so, what are you leaning towards?
I'm not looking to make any problems or pick an argument. This thread exploded, by the time i answered it, this thing was 3 pages long and i was on page one. I'm starting off FOWLR 120 gal cycling 5th day with the hopes of getting to a point where i can keep anemones and some corals. I understand lighting extremely well but not for SW inhabitants. I figured if I could clarify the watts per gallon thingy the research on the temperature, lumens etc would be the easy Part. Once i get the correct hardware in place the rest in my opinion would be easier. Based on the tank size what should i do.
FishEggs
Aquarium Advice Addict
So in the future you will be going REEF? if you know what type of corals you are interested in you should post a question in the saltwater forum about what type of light and how much you will need for those corals. again be as detailed as you can as to the type of set up you are putting together including the types of fish, corals, inverts and equipment you will want. you will get better more direct answers with more info provided.
i would like to apologize for any miscommunication during this thread. it is easy to misread intent and not be able to communicate the point needed and we should not let that spiral in to unpleasantness.
i would like to apologize for any miscommunication during this thread. it is easy to misread intent and not be able to communicate the point needed and we should not let that spiral in to unpleasantness.
1st of The question was not answered, if WPG is no longer the rule of thumb then how does one determine what's needed? Not intending to be rude, but am getting extremely frustrated. I was told to read the article and it got me nowhere so hear i am. If this was an easy question I would not have asked it.
Joker741
Aquarium Advice FINatic
Problem is, there are many answers, but the answer that works for you depends on what you want to do.
Try comming into chat, maybe there are people in there that can help and we can all understand what you are looking to get answered.
Try comming into chat, maybe there are people in there that can help and we can all understand what you are looking to get answered.
Not for anything I replied to you earlier, It's just a comparison. And if it's based on fluorescent how do you explain MH lighting? Wattage is measurement in consumption not output, that one os measured in lumens.
