# New light arrived!



## Niki7 (Aug 16, 2010)

Yay! My new light got here at 7:30 pm. I got the Nova Extreme 48 watt T5HO and it's sitting on my 20 gal tall tank. All I can say is WOW. Within 20 minutes, all my fish had changed colors from bland to bright. I couldn't believe it. I did have a measly 18 watt hood on the tank which was pretty dim so I guess they never got up to their full color before, kind of like when you first turn on the lights in the morning and they are so pale. I'm from Mass so I can say this - it's wicked cool *w3

I will get a pic up after this weekend. Santa sent me some plants (that vesuvius rocks! btw) and about half of them have been floating so I will be doing some creative rearranging to get them into the substrate...

Question. The bulbs that were supposed to come with it were a 10,000K 24 watt white bulb and a 24 watt "freshwater" bulb (whatever that is? its pink). Well it came with a 12,000k and the pink bulb. Do you think that will give me an algae problem? In other words, does that spectrum change anything or should it be pretty much the same as the 10K?


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## majerah1 (Oct 29, 2010)

Wow,congrats!Ive been thinking of upgrading as soon as I get money(our cars are both down for the count,so,no time soon).As I run the cheapies,I cant help with the bulbs,but I am sure you can get different bulbs at a petstore.

I want pics now,dangit!(kidding,I can wait............)


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

Glad you got your light. I just ordered new ones for one of my tanks today. Isn't the pink bulb a 10000k? n Not sure on the 12000k bulb, never heard of them.

Sounds like the java moss is gonna love those new lights, as well as the wisteria. 

Oh, tell the fat guy to come my way when you get a chance.


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## Niki7 (Aug 16, 2010)

majerah1 said:


> Wow,congrats!Ive been thinking of upgrading as soon as I get money(our cars are both down for the count,so,no time soon).As I run the cheapies,I cant help with the bulbs,but I am sure you can get different bulbs at a petstore.
> 
> I want pics now,dangit!(kidding,I can wait............)


LOL!!! for you Bev, anything....here's your pic!


I know about having to wait on cash...I had to wait for my tax refund to get this light. Keep watching Craigslist and maybe one will come up cheap for you!


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## Niki7 (Aug 16, 2010)

jrman83 said:


> Glad you got your light. I just ordered new ones for one of my tanks today. Isn't the pink bulb a 10000k? n Not sure on the 12000k bulb, never heard of them.
> 
> Sounds like the java moss is gonna love those new lights, as well as the wisteria.
> 
> Oh, tell the fat guy to come my way when you get a chance.


hohoho! *r2

They are all doing really well already, even with that ridiculously low light. Healthy plants!!

What did you order for lights?


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

Niki7 said:


> What did you order for lights?


2-36" custom Catalina Aquarium T5HO fixtures. 3-bulbs in each, spread evenly in what is normally an 8-bulb fixture. Trying to have equal light front to back. Going on my 125.

If you need more Vesuvious, let me know. Have about 18 5-6" new ones.


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## Niki7 (Aug 16, 2010)

jrman83 said:


> 2-36" custom Catalina Aquarium T5HO fixtures. 3-bulbs in each, spread evenly in what is normally an 8-bulb fixture. Trying to have equal light front to back. Going on my 125.
> 
> If you need more Vesuvious, let me know. Have about 18 5-6" new ones.


Nice!! Post a pic or two when they come in. I am starting to realize that I seriously miss a big tank. Even though the 45H was awkward to clean, I think a 55 might be reeeaaalllyyy nice!! I see them on CL all the time and every time I read an ad, I seriously consider getting a bigger tank again. 

Thanks for the offer on the vesuvius...I'll keep it in mind although I think I'll be ok...the one you sent is already putting out runners! That plant is a big hit with my son, an 11 yr old geologist who loves the fact that it's named after a famous volcano


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## automatic-hydromatic (Oct 18, 2010)

NICE!

a good light makes all the difference in the world 

you think the change in your fish was cool, give it a week and watch your plants!


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## Niki7 (Aug 16, 2010)

HI everyone...have a question about my new light, actually about my pH. 

Since the light has been up a few days, I checked the pH. Well the plants must be putting out a lot more O2, because my pH went from abt 7.6 Sunday to 8.2 yesterday and I haven't done anything with the tank except top it off with filtered tap water (pH 7). I checked it this morning before the light was turned on and it was abt 7.8. Will this type of daily swing be problematic? I am concerned but not sure I should be.

The fish are showing no change in behavior except those 3 newest male guppies are still racing up and down the tank walls.


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## mk4gti (Jun 15, 2010)

Nice i just orderd a 4 strip, 48" t5 for my 90 gallon. cant wait should be here this weekend.


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## mec102778 (Feb 17, 2011)

I'll let someone else comment, sounds like you need to add some buffer to the water. 7.6 to 8.2 is a big swing. If I'm not mistaken 7.6 is the alkaline side of neutral, 8.2 is outright alkaline.

And yes I like to try answering questions so I can se if I'm right when someone that knows the answer corrects me.


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## Gizmo (Dec 6, 2010)

Niki7 said:


> Question. The bulbs that were supposed to come with it were a 10,000K 24 watt white bulb and a 24 watt "freshwater" bulb (whatever that is? its pink). Well it came with a 12,000k and the pink bulb. Do you think that will give me an algae problem? In other words, does that spectrum change anything or should it be pretty much the same as the 10K?


12000K is more of a blue light, and is great for showcasing red hues in plants and your fish's colors. It's bright, but I doubt it will cause algae any more than another bulb in the visible spectrum. Just my thoughts though, not an expert opinion.


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

Ph shifts are common if the tank is pretty well planted. Personally, I don't think it is a big swing. It is a natuaral swing and mine swings nearly a full point from the time the CO2 kicks on until the time it turns off. My fish have shown no ill-effects from it on the two tanks that swing that much (75g, 125g).


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## Gizmo (Dec 6, 2010)

mec102778 said:


> I'll let someone else comment, sounds like you need to add some buffer to the water. 7.6 to 8.2 is a big swing. If I'm not mistaken 7.6 is the alkaline side of neutral, 8.2 is outright alkaline.
> 
> And yes I like to try answering questions so I can se if I'm right when someone that knows the answer corrects me.


Don't buffer your pH - add CO2 instead. Phosphate pH buffers really don't fix anything, they just flood your tank with phosphates and can stress out your fish and plants.


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## majerah1 (Oct 29, 2010)

Wow that is beautiful!I found the light I want:Freshwater Aqualight T5 Series Double Linear Strip Light
But I need fifty bux,lolz.

I agree with the addition of the CO2,instead of buffers.The plants will be able to use it more with the lights now.


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## Gizmo (Dec 6, 2010)

By the way, Niki, having a full glass hood and a splash screen on the light are kind of redundant. You could remove the splash screen on the light and up the intensity you're pumping into your tank. I've done away with both full glass hood and splash screen and my light intensity measurements went up by 25%


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## mec102778 (Feb 17, 2011)

PH buffer doesn't need to be chemical it could be a piece of soaked driftwood or something else natural. But yeah unless your fish are freeking out no points changing anything.


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

[email protected] said:


> By the way, Niki, having a full glass hood and a splash screen on the light are kind of redundant. You could remove the splash screen on the light and up the intensity you're pumping into your tank. I've done away with both full glass hood and splash screen and my light intensity measurements went up by 25%


Watch it if your tank is full open and you don't have a splash guard at least. The condensation that you normally see on your glass cover ends up on your lights. I've left mine off overnight a few times after doing my weekly maintenance and walk into the room and see my light bulbs dripping. It can stain higly polished reflectors that come on T5HO setups and affect their output. Just something to think about. Maybe you don't have that problem.


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## saltydad (Jun 27, 2008)

majerah1 said:


> Wow that is beautiful!I found the light I want:Freshwater Aqualight T5 Series Double Linear Strip Light
> But I need fifty bux,lolz.
> 
> You may want to consider the HO, rather than the regular bulbs.


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## Gizmo (Dec 6, 2010)

jrman83 said:


> Watch it if your tank is full open and you don't have a splash guard at least. The condensation that you normally see on your glass cover ends up on your lights. I've left mine off overnight a few times after doing my weekly maintenance and walk into the room and see my light bulbs dripping. It can stain higly polished reflectors that come on T5HO setups and affect their output. Just something to think about. Maybe you don't have that problem.


+1

Hadn't thought of that.

But a splash screen AND a full hood might be overkill.


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## Niki7 (Aug 16, 2010)

[email protected] said:


> 12000K is more of a blue light, and is great for showcasing red hues in plants and your fish's colors. It's bright, but I doubt it will cause algae any more than another bulb in the visible spectrum. Just my thoughts though, not an expert opinion.


Thanks for the input!! great to know, I was wondering about that.


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## Niki7 (Aug 16, 2010)

jrman83 said:


> Ph shifts are common if the tank is pretty well planted. Personally, I don't think it is a big swing. It is a natuaral swing and mine swings nearly a full point from the time the CO2 kicks on until the time it turns off. My fish have shown no ill-effects from it on the two tanks that swing that much (75g, 125g).


Thanks for the input. I wasn't sure if I should be concerned or not. Having spent my tax money on the light I can't afford CO2 right now, I mean I could do a DIY CO2 system but there is no automatic shutoff system that way, I would have to remember to take it out every night. I guess I could do that but I'm afraid I'd forget and wake up to dead fish! 

Come to think about it, I have been adding the Flourish every couple days. Not sure if that changes the pH? I would think if it's liquid carbon then wouldn't it lower the pH if anything? Unless maybe it has a lot of calcium in it. Hmm. Not home right now but will check the label when I get home.


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## Niki7 (Aug 16, 2010)

mk4gti said:


> Nice i just orderd a 4 strip, 48" t5 for my 90 gallon. cant wait should be here this weekend.


Nice!! Congrats on the new light!

I seriously miss a big tank!! Someday I'll be back to a big one


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## majerah1 (Oct 29, 2010)

Saltydad,I would just be happy getting the dual light fixture and then work on the bulbs.My CO2 is just DIY so I can deal for now.baby steps i suppose.Right now though,I am in the process of looking for food cultures........


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## Niki7 (Aug 16, 2010)

automatic-hydromatic said:


> NICE!
> 
> a good light makes all the difference in the world
> 
> you think the change in your fish was cool, give it a week and watch your plants!


I've already seen a big difference in just a few days. My water sprite is no longer dying...guess the light was the issue all along. And the wisteria is throwing roots like crazy...I can see that very soon the tank will be full of plants!


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

Wisteria is really cool when the branches come out long enough to run the bottom of the tank and then start another vertical shoot. Almost like a carpeting plant. If you wanted to do a DIY CO2 setup and worried about night time CO2, you could always use a bubbler that is on a timer that comes on when your light goes out. This will gas out the CO2. If you really wanted...


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## Niki7 (Aug 16, 2010)

jrman83 said:


> Wisteria is really cool when the branches come out long enough to run the bottom of the tank and then start another vertical shoot. Almost like a carpeting plant. If you wanted to do a DIY CO2 setup and worried about night time CO2, you could always use a bubbler that is on a timer that comes on when your light goes out. This will gas out the CO2. If you really wanted...


Maybe I will. I already have an unused timer and the DIY hosing etc. I'm on break from school next week so maybe I will work on that. Part of me says I should just get a bigger tank though if I'm going for CO2. Sounds like a good excuse, huh?


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

DIY CO2 is perfect for a 20g.


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## Niki7 (Aug 16, 2010)

jrman83 said:


> DIY CO2 is perfect for a 20g.


oh WAY to shoot me down!! j/k!! *r2
I'll get a bigger tank someday 

seriously, thanks for the input on the 20g DIY. I'll let you know what happens.


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## Niki7 (Aug 16, 2010)

Here are a couple pics of the newly lighted set up with new plants. The wisteria and water sprite are along the back and sides as I expect them to grow tall. The java is tied to the driftwood and slate/rocks with fishing line for now. Shorter plants in the front. It is hard to take a pic of the tank because the light is so bright that the plants look washed out but they aren't really. Just guppies in there right now and a few snails. Unfortunately I took a few floating plants out and put them in my other tanks, and with moving everything I think I am going into a minicycle as the water is slightly cloudy and I have a couple juvies at the top of the water again this afternoon, so I assume my ammonia is up again. Will check it shortly. If I am, hopefully it won't last too long.


This is the "before" pic


I've never had java moss before. Will it be ok where it is? I used a piece of fishing line to attach both the java fern and moss together on the slate.


Thanks for looking!


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

Looks much better. Java moss has got to be one of the most resilient plants out there...that and anubias (anubias has the nickname, rubber plant). JM can grow from just ambient light and not many out there can claim that. The parts you have exposed to direct light will take off soon and attach to anything in it's path. The part not exposed will not die, it will just grow slower. Your background was messing me up.


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## mec102778 (Feb 17, 2011)

Live plants, I really need to get them going in my tank(s). That loosk great!


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## Niki7 (Aug 16, 2010)

Thanks! I can't wait til it becomes a jungle!


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