Planted Tank - Lighting Question

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Adzatious

Aquarium Advice Apprentice
Joined
Aug 10, 2004
Messages
12
Location
Brisbane, Australia
Okay guys, new tank - 5x2x2 approx 140 gallons.
I want to do a planted tank, and I want my plants to be happy and healthy.
At the moment I have a double flourescent tube, 2x40W (came with the tank package) how much more lighting am I gonna need, and what kind would be best to purchase? I think MH is out because I have a fairly low hood. PC, VHO just lots of flouros? What do you guys think?
I am also looking at the possibility of setting up CO2 injection, but I know little about it so any help there would be great!
I figure I may aswell get more than enough lighting to start with rather than waste the money replacing plants that die from lack of light... as has happened in previous tanks of mine.
So please, ANY advice would be awesome. Thanks heaps in advance,
Adam
 
I think your best bet is PC or MH (hang the MH from the ceiling and just use a glass canopy over the tank. The PC lights will fit in a hood just like the Flourescents. You tank is pretty deep at 24" so you will need exceptionally bright light to penetrate down to the bottom of the tank. I don't think the Flourescents will penetrate as well as the other more powerful options and you would need lots and lots of them to get to the recommended 2-3 watts per gallon. Thats around 280-420 Watts of light on your tank. Thats 8-10 40W flourescent light bulbs! I have PC (260W on my 75 gallon tank) and my plants and I love it.

I would however cycle the tank and get some plants and fish in it before you step up to the big wattage lights (to avoid an algea problem as your tank stabilizes), then after you get everything situated i would start playing with CO2.
 
Okay cool, thanks for your advice.
I think PC is the best option for me, since I already have a nice hood that I would like not to remove. So if I go with PC, how many will I need? How many watts is each globe?
 
I think the general consensus is at least 2 watts per gallon for low to medium light plants.

Drs. Foster & Smith has their own brand of compact fluorescent fixtures that are WAY cheaper than anything I've looked at in the past. If I didn't already have lights for my planted tanks, I would be very tempted to try them.

You can find them here:

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/produ...&Ntk=All&Ntx=mode+matchallpartial&Np=1&N=2004
 
Wow those PCs do seem pretty cheap.
Although I don't think they have the length I am looking for.
Also... they seem to have lower Wattage ratings than other ones I have looked at. Perhaps that explains the price?
I was thinking I would try to find some 96 watt fixtures.
 
Gotta love someone who wants happy healthy plants!

A PC fixture with 4x96W would work well. That would give you just about 3WPG, and enable you to grow a very wide variety of plants.

On an aquarium the size of yours, pressurized CO2 just about becomes a necessity. Carbon substitutes (Flourish Excel) or DIY CO2 just isn't going to make an impact. If you should go with the lighting set up I have suggested, pressurized CO2 injection is an absolute.

Mike
 
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