MartinBlank
Aquarium Advice Freak
So I had been asking about lighting a my 75 gallon tank in the past and was going to start that topic up again, but alas it was to old.
Currently have a single strip T8 on my 75 gallon. Not going to cut it. Also I have been noticing some brown gunk on the sides of the aquarium. I always assumed it was me overfeeding the fish. But in reading perhaps this is brown algae from not enough light in the tank? Is that true? The bulb in there is at least a year old, and I suspect older to be honest (its the same one that was in there when I bought the setup off craigslist a year ago).
Anyway, back on the topic at hand. I had asked before, and it was recommended to get a 2 bulb shoplight for the cheap. I have a canopy, which causes conflicts in that if the shoplight has anything coming out of the "end" of the light (power cord, pull string, whatever) it won't fit under the canopy. But that isn't the main reason I am here.
I have been feeling ambitious enough to add some low light plants. I want to stay low tech for sure. But with a 2 strip T8 fixture with a pair of 32w bulbs... is that going to be enough light for even a low-tech / low-watt 75 gallon? 64 watts feels like it shouldn't be enough. Or am I reading to much into the "1 watt per gallon for low light" thing....
So, will a 2 strip shoplight be enough (with some 6000+ type bulbs in it)? Or should I be looking for something more?
Currently have a single strip T8 on my 75 gallon. Not going to cut it. Also I have been noticing some brown gunk on the sides of the aquarium. I always assumed it was me overfeeding the fish. But in reading perhaps this is brown algae from not enough light in the tank? Is that true? The bulb in there is at least a year old, and I suspect older to be honest (its the same one that was in there when I bought the setup off craigslist a year ago).
Anyway, back on the topic at hand. I had asked before, and it was recommended to get a 2 bulb shoplight for the cheap. I have a canopy, which causes conflicts in that if the shoplight has anything coming out of the "end" of the light (power cord, pull string, whatever) it won't fit under the canopy. But that isn't the main reason I am here.
I have been feeling ambitious enough to add some low light plants. I want to stay low tech for sure. But with a 2 strip T8 fixture with a pair of 32w bulbs... is that going to be enough light for even a low-tech / low-watt 75 gallon? 64 watts feels like it shouldn't be enough. Or am I reading to much into the "1 watt per gallon for low light" thing....
So, will a 2 strip shoplight be enough (with some 6000+ type bulbs in it)? Or should I be looking for something more?