Lighting at 25-30" depth

[Rokuzachi]

It's me again!

I'll make this as short as possible so no one burns their eyes out reading my walls of text. Finally closing in on getting this thing together!

To get medium light on the bottom of a tank that is 19 to 24" deep (25-30" after accounting for substrate height + hanging distance), would a 70w or 150w MH pendant be more appropriate? (I"m not entirely opposed to T5HO here, but the fixture would have to be 5 or 6 feet)

I'm going to experiment with different levels of lighting in different spots in the same tank (a 5 to 6 footer). In a such a tank, do you think pressurized co2 would be necessary, recommended, or optional? The substrate is a mix of eco/fluorite/fluorite sand (long, annoying story) and I plan on giving Rootmedic a go for my ferts initially.

Thanks!

 

[aqua_chem]

How long is this tank?

 

[Rokuzachi]

60" or 72" (100g or 125g) depending which is on sale next week.

I've been reading all day (instead of working ) and correct me if I'm wrong, but if I were to get a single tube T5HO from say, Catalina, that it would be capable of providing me with medium light fairly uniformly across the 18" width of the aquarium, assuming that it was ~20 inches from the substrate? That's what I've gathered from the various charts and graphs regarding T5HO par and distance to the substrate.

Unfortunately I've had a really hard time finding that same data for 70 and 150w MH. If it turns out either size were unnecessarily intense, I'd just go with tubes despite loving the look of the MH.

 

[aqua_chem]

Depends on who you talk to. It also depends on reflectors of the fixture, the ballast used, the bulbs, etc..... and even what one thinks is "medium" vs "high" light. I will say that the guy on PT.net, Hoppy, that made many of those graphs has a much lower threshold for medium-high-too much light than some people.

 

[mohican]

I just ran 4 t5ho on my 150 (currently have 125) and it did great! Use Nova's. I feel T5HO is the way to go here, IMO.

 

[Rokuzachi]

I'm thinking for simplicity's sake that I'm going to go with a T5HO. Probably a Catalina. Although there is this place locally, Build My LED Custom LED Lights for DIY Horticulture Aquarium Hobby Lighting...

Eventually for my experiment, I plan on adding a few good quality LEDs here and there to give myself more light in specific areas if I go with a T5. Now I just need to decide between a single, double, or two single fixtures. If I've read all those graphics right I should be able to get (some people's definition of) medium light under a single tube, or at most a double at my longer possible distances.

 

[mohican]

I would run 36in lighting fixtures. That way u don't have to take the entire light off to service it. I had a 72" fixture before my upgrade to 4-36in fixtures, much easier.