who has their 20g long lit with cfl

[smooth_cannibal]

for my 10g that I am moving into a 20L I have laying around I was originally going with a single 24" t5ho. now I am looking at a couple clamp lights with cfl.

I had come across an article with showing them vertical vs horizontal and another long thread on another forum that just about using clamp lights and cfls.

there were a couple people asking about a 20L and no one really got an answer or really the one I was looking for. my 10g now has 2 13w horizontal cfl but in an old incandescent hood with reflector I get pretty good growth. I have wisteria, hornwort, anacharis, java fern, anubias, and duckweed.


i'm wondering the wattage. sounds like I could do either 2 15w or maybe 2 19w and keep it in the mid range.

 

[RachelG]

I am also interested in knowing if this works. If it does, i might just get some of these instead of expensive aquarium lights.
I have a 9 watt cfl bulb in a clamp lamp above my 2.5 gallon tank, and the java moss is thriving in there. Incidentally, I just noticed that some flame moss, which I had in my other tank, miraculously sprang up in this tank! It all died in my other tank, presumably because the lighting was not strong enough.

 

[andresdeo]

I used to have a 29 gal setup with CFL bulbs low-med light intensity. Used to work fine and plants grew well. It all depends on budget and available materials.

If you have those articles you mentioned it would be interesting to read. Thanks.

 

[Jkeating8]

CFLs definitely work. I've carpeted HC using them. You can start with 19 watt, you may need to go to 26 watt. It WILL work, though.

 

[Wy Renegade]

People been using them to grow algae in saltwater refugiums for years, no reason they won't work in freshwater. I'd look at the 10,000K sunlight bulb myself, that is what I use on my fuge, and it grows lots of algae.

 

[smooth_cannibal]

since they were requested here's some of what I came across. it is interesting to see how much of a difference is made setting them up vertically vs horizontally. it makes sense but some of the numbers are crazy.


this is one of the threads I came across from planted tank. long thread about lighting with clamp on and cfl

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showthread.php?t=153195



this one that shows horizontal vs vertical orientation. it is helpful but the numbers are only for going through about 7 inches of water.

http://www.prirodni-akvarium.cz/en/index.php?id=en_squires



this one has a cfl chart of par vs distance for various types of lighting including led. it shows a 15 watt cfl vertically giving almost 200 par 12 inches above the substrate. this is where I started to get confused on the wattage as some things I have come across has people using higher wattage then what this chart would dictate.

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showthread.php?t=184368


i'm probably just going to go with my gut and try 13 watt or 15 watt as I use cfl over my 10g but they are horizontal with a reflector. then up the wattage from there. I feel as I have confused myself more than give myself any answers and I would rather ask than start an algae farm.

andresdeo - what wattages are you using and are you using the clamp ons.

 

[jwh0818]

Yes, I have been using 2-6500k cfls in my planted tanks for a long time. My most recent was a 20g Long that I just took town a week or so ago. They work very very well but watch how long you leave them on. Algae can pop up very fast.

 

[smooth_cannibal]

jwh0818- what wattage were you using? also what was your photoperiod and did you have them vertical?

 

[jwh0818]

I use the small cfls that are 13w replacements and I have them hanging over the tank in the clip on lights

 

[Jev12]

I'm going to be using some clip on cfl lights on my twenty gallon long that I just setup

 

[smooth_cannibal]

jev- i'm still a bit away from doing mine so definitely post your results and what bulbs your using.

 

[Jev12]

I actually found a nice led work light that I got instead...it is a bit bulky and unsightly but it gives off an excellent amount I light now I just need to find a way to suspend it above the tank

 

[smooth_cannibal]

where did you get it and what was the cost if I might ask.

 

[Jev12]

I got it at costco for $40...and it is a 36 watt 6500k led work light

 

[smooth_cannibal]

I might check something like that out because two clamp lights at 9 bucks a piece plus the bulbs makes that fairly attractive

 

[Jkeating8]

Wow...please post pics. That sounds interesting.

 

[liberator123]

i always find vertical position for cfl bulbs to be more efficient in producing light with a reflector. In my 20 gallon planted long, i built my own canopy that consists of 2 9 watt cfl on the sides, 1 t5ho 24 inch in the center and a set of LED lights. IF i was going to make the canopy with JUST using cfl, i would use 3 23 watts bulbs vertically, or 4 14 watts bulbs vertically. But that's because I like high light.

 

[Jev12]

Here are some pictures of the light I'm still trying to find a way to suspend it over the tank so the ends of the tank are still a little dark but once I do get it suspended it should be a pretty good light

 

[smooth_cannibal]

that's cool. i have no idea how to suspend that over your tank. seen some threads and diy stuff with conduit or pvc that might work for you.

 

[Jev12]

Yeah that's the thing I need to figure out lololol...I guess I should start looking for some dyi stuff to get ideas