Proper planted tank wattage?

[DoublEntendre]

I was considering a DIY tank lighting setup. I have seen some pretty nice creations online. After researching all sorts of related things, it seems that the most difficult bit would be finding the right light bulbs. I want to use fluorescent lighting because it's low cost and easy to get a hold of. I figure I should use 10,000k bulbs since I have a planted tank. They have to be 24" long since my tank is 30" long. And HO would be nice, too. But I read somewhere that you should have 4+ watts of lighting per gallon of water for a planted tank. I can only find 24 watt bulbs with all the other specifications I listed and I would need five of those to reach the correct wattage per gallon. Is the wattage really that important given everything else?

 

[jetajockey]

I deleted the post you made in DIY since you have it here now.

WPG is a very outdated method of calculating light intensity, primarily because the newer fixtures like t5ho's are not comparable to the older t12/8's. People still like to throw it around though but I liken it to the 'inch per gallon' rule in accuracy.

The amount of light intensity varies a lot from fixture to fixture, so one t5ho may not be as powerful as another, it just depends alot on the quality.

PAR vs Distance, T5, T12, PC - New Chart

The chart on there is a better estimate of what certain fixtures put you in, light wise, but its still a rough estimate for the reasons mentioned above.

Is this a 29g? Are you planning on running pressurized co2? If not I would probably just go with a 2 bulb t5NO or a single t5ho at most. Another option is to get a 2 bulb T5ho from somewhere that has individual switches on it so you can control the lights. That'd give you the option of going high tech later on down the road if you choose to.

If you decide NOT to do pressurized co2 and regular fert dosing I suggest sticking with a setup that will keep you in the low to medium range. You can still grow most plants in this range, it's just not nearly as fast as it is with higher light setups. Plant growth is typically nicer with higher tech setups also as in the plants tend to be bushier and more colorful. That said, low light setups can look great as well, so it's your call.

 

[DoublEntendre]

Wow, that was extremely informative. I appreciate that very much.

Yes, the tank is a 29 gallon. Why would less light be appropriate without pressurized CO2, but more light would be appropriate with it. I mean, why couldn't you have low light and CO2 injection or high light and no extra CO2?

 

[jetajockey]

Well you can have low light + co2 injection, that's totally fine and many setups probably would benefit from it honestly because the co2 level in the aquarium is quite limiting.

The problem with high light and no supplemental co2 is that it causes a major imbalance. Algae are notoriously good at thriving in these situations moreso than the plants, so they take over.

To make it simple, the more light you put over plants, the more ferts and co2 they need. Give the plants want they need and they will thrive.

 

[DoublEntendre]

Ah, okay. I see that I have more to learn than I thought. But no one wants algae all over so I'll try to keep it balanced.

But the lighting information is so helpful. And I was considering doing the soda bottle/yeast CO2 injector for the time being. That's supposed to be effective, right?

 

[abbly]

Ah, okay. I see that I have more to learn than I thought. But no one wants algae all over so I'll try to keep it balanced.

But the lighting information is so helpful. And I was considering doing the soda bottle/yeast CO2 injector for the time being. That's supposed to be effective, right?

I've had my DIY co2 with 2 2 liter bottles set up for about 3 weeks and already noticing a difference in my mosses especially . I have a quad t5ho fixture .

 

[DoublEntendre]

Oh cool. And did you start one a couple weeks after the other? I don't know if two would be too much for my tank. But I'm excited at the prospect of faster plant growth. My only worry would be pH fluctuations.

 

[jetajockey]

You'll need to set up a drop checker to monitor the co2 level.

When I did DIY co2 I staggered them a week apart.

 

[abbly]

Oh cool. And did you start one a couple weeks after the other? I don't know if two would be too much for my tank. But I'm excited at the prospect of faster plant growth. My only worry would be pH fluctuations.

I started mine at the same time . I have 2 x 2 liter bottles going into a mason jar (bubbler counter ) I also have a drop checker using 4 dkh solution . I'm actually using a Hagen RC a130 mini underwater filter as my diffuser (and I love it !) also provides some flow which the fish love .
I've definitely noticed a drop in PH from about 7.6 to just above 6-6.5.
It scared me at first , but from my experience don't mess with ph altering chemicals . As long as it remains stable I've seen no negative effects from it .

 

[DoublEntendre]

I started mine at the same time . I have 2 x 2 liter bottles going into a mason jar (bubbler counter ) I also have a drop checker using 4 dkh solution . I'm actually using a Hagen RC a130 mini underwater filter as my diffuser (and I love it !) also provides some flow which the fish love .
I've definitely noticed a drop in PH from about 7.6 to just above 6-6.5.
It scared me at first , but from my experience don't mess with ph altering chemicals . As long as it remains stable I've seen no negative effects from it .

Wow, that's a huge drop in pH. I'm just going to start with one bottle and see how that goes. I'd like to do 2 x 1L but 1 liter bottles are hard to come by.

Anyway, thanks for the info!