Fish room lights.

[ronv]

Planning to use one 4" "shoplight "over each 55 gal. tank. I know 2 watts/gal. is recommended for a planted tank and mine would be a little less that 1.5 w/ gal. sooooo, if I use only floating plants like cabomba, anacharus, hornwort, water sprite. Would they do well? I'm hoping the plants will help stablize my water so I want them to do really well. Would 6500k lights from Home Depot work. Thanks.

 

[depthc]

You can definately try to grow some and see what happens. I recommend you try water sprite, java moss and maybe even java fern in the tank. And then any floating plants should do alright. Its not for sure if they will thrive in the lighting but its well worth the try.

Andrew

 

[aspen]

you would do better if you can get those shoplights with electronic ballasts and t-8 lamps. they are more energy efficient with higher lumen outputs, the lamps last a LOT longer, and you can get very good lamps for less money than their specialty t-12 equivelants. i don't think the fixture will cost too much more than the t-12 versions. i like the phillips 850 lamp.


rick

 

[ronv]

Depthc, do you think the light level is too low??? I'm hoping the plants will do really-really well. Am I dreaming???

 

[fishboy20]

If you are trying to keep species like Anubias sps, Java Fern, Java Moss, Crypts and such, then those light levels will be fine. They really require very little light to survive. I am keeping Cabomba, Rubin and Amazon Swords, Red Tiger Lotus and Rotala indica with 2 watts per gallon and they are growing well. Certainly bunched plants should be kept with 2-3 watts per gallon in my experience. Hope that helps.

~Jeremy

 

[ronv]

Jeremy, I think I am being misunderstood. Everyone keeps talking about low light levels. I'm trying to convince myself that what I am describing is not a low light situation. Remember all the plants are floating and will be 2-3" from the lights. Am I missing something? Or am I wrong? I want those plants to do great, not just survive. I can add another shop light over each tank if necessary.

 

[rsa1]

light levels

I successfully grew java moss, java fern, bolbitis, willisi crypts and anubias in a 55 gal with two T12 40W lights and no CO2. I tried spiralis crypts, but they did not do so well. NOTE: It took a long time for this setup to settle down. I had big trouble with BGA for about six months. I kept the tank clean, kept a fairly large fish load well fed (I had been told that this was the proper way to provide nutrients to a low tech tank), but it was a frustrating experience. IMO, higher light, CO2 supplimented tanks are MUCH easier to control.

 

[rsa1]

Would 6500k lights from Home Depot work?

PS I used 6500K and 5000K lights from home depot. They worked fine and were reasonably priced. I replaced them every six months as I had been told they lose their light intensity rather quickly.

 

[depthc]

ronv,

no your not missing much, with this setup you will definately be able to grow something its just that with the light level you may not be able to grow high light plants. You may be able to keep them if you leave them floating closer to the light. Even so im not sure if they will thrive, i suppose its a trial and error thing to figure out. I suggest you go with what you've planned and try different plants and see what works. Its then when you 'know for sure' if you have ample light or not for what you may be trying to achieve.

Andrew

 

[ronv]

I have some 55 gal tanks ( 4' long ). I also have some 33 gal tanks ( 4' long )....80w divided by 55 gal = 1.45 watts per gal. ( too low, right?).............80w divided by 33 gal = 2.42watts per gal ( great ). In both cases the plants are all 2" from the light ( floating ), but from what I'm hearing, the plants in my 55's won't do so well but the ones in my 33's will do great. I still must be missing something?????

 

[depthc]

The lighting issue has to do with the water mass more or less. With the increased water mass and depth in which the light needs to penetrate to reach the plant you will need increased lighting output. This holds true when you are actually planting in your substrate, with them floating they are much closer to the light. Simple concepts of lighting ... let us know how it goes :wink: .

Andrew

 

[ronv]

Plants are due in today. Lights are installed. We will see and I will keep you posted. Thanks to all!!!

 

[scott]

I have some 55 gal tanks ( 4' long ). I also have some 33 gal tanks ( 4' long )....80w divided by 55 gal = 1.45 watts per gal. ( too low, right?).............80w divided by 33 gal = 2.42watts per gal ( great ). In both cases the plants are all 2" from the light ( floating ), but from what I'm hearing, the plants in my 55's won't do so well but the ones in my 33's will do great. I still must be missing something?????

if they are floating plants the same distance from the light logic says that 55 or 33 gal should make no difference. it's not is if the light dissolves into the water and has to be absorbed by the plants as is the case with suppliments or fertilizers. i don't think you are missing Anything.

 

[justincgdick]

You are right. The floating plants will do just as well as each other. Even if you had a 20 gallon that was 15" deep, and a 40 gallon that was 15" deep, plants at the bottom wouldn't know the difference. If the 20 was 20" deep and the 40 still 15", the 20 would need more light. Except for the fact that you may have more of a footprint to adequately cover.

The deeper the tank, the more light you should have, in order to penetrate, but since you are just floating the plants, 40 watts would probably due. Try it and watch the plants to see if they are living well.

 

[ronv]

So the rule of thumb ( watts/ gal. ), everyone seems to want to use, should probably be changed into some watts/ depth formula. Let's start a REVOLUTION!!! LOL. BTW, I have lights up and surface plants in eight of my 22 tanks so far. Plan to do more this weekend.