OP
OP
Super_Blueberry
Aquarium Advice FINatic
So a t5ho fixture with good reflectors will help get the bottom better light without making the upper level an algae farm?
Need to upgrade?
- Thread starter Super_Blueberry
- 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.
Brian_Nano12g
Aquarium Advice Addict
Yeah.. but with more light you'll have to dial in the CO2, fert dosing, and light photoperiod to get a balance. Plus if you have high light and tall slow growing plants, algae can develop on those leaves easier than fast growing stem plants, for instance. Unless you plan on adding high light fast growing plants, it would probably be best to aim for moderate light (approx. 35 to 60 PAR).
Edit: from your picture it looks like you have slow growers like swords, vals, and dwarf sag I think? Might want to research how those will work out with more lighting because if those are the only type of plants you plan on growing, perhaps a smaller boost in light is all you'll need.
Edit: from your picture it looks like you have slow growers like swords, vals, and dwarf sag I think? Might want to research how those will work out with more lighting because if those are the only type of plants you plan on growing, perhaps a smaller boost in light is all you'll need.
Last edited:
OP
OP
Super_Blueberry
Aquarium Advice FINatic
So what if I don't "add" a ton of light? I know WPG is a loose guideline, but compared to my 240 watts I have now with a polished white reflector, I could go with 216 (4), 270 (5), or 324 (6 bulb) t5ho fixture with a good mirror-like reflector. 324 would probably be too much, I get that, but I could toss in an actinic or rosette bulb or two purely for the color-popping effect in the 4-5 bulb setup. If I went with the 216 watts t5ho, or added a good reflector to my existing 240 watt fixture, would my bottom level benefit?
Heat isn't a factor. Since my hood is really tight fitting, I added a couple circulation fans to bring in fresh O2, but they keep the heat buildup to a minimum as well. I think the split lighting periods helps too.
Heat isn't a factor. Since my hood is really tight fitting, I added a couple circulation fans to bring in fresh O2, but they keep the heat buildup to a minimum as well. I think the split lighting periods helps too.
Brian_Nano12g
Aquarium Advice Addict
I think the reflectors would help. There's folks in this forum who have more experience with fluorescent lighting than me. OldScales and Rivercats are some I can think of. Otherwise, making a best guesstimate off that link I linked to is all I can think of. Then experiment and see how the changes you make affect growth. But depending on plant species, changes you make may take longer to manifest (i.e. typical growth rate of a particular plant species) and be noticeable.
Last but not least, you can always buy a PAR meter. They can be expensive, but I believe Hoppy makes a decent DIY PAR meter he sells in the TPT classifieds for a fraction of the price.
Edit:
Link to Hoppy's DIY PAR meters:
http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showthread.php?t=623338&highlight=diy+par+meter
Last but not least, you can always buy a PAR meter. They can be expensive, but I believe Hoppy makes a decent DIY PAR meter he sells in the TPT classifieds for a fraction of the price.
Edit:
Link to Hoppy's DIY PAR meters:
http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showthread.php?t=623338&highlight=diy+par+meter
Last edited:
Similar threads
