# Lighting Question



## IslandRzrbk (Aug 14, 2011)

Here's the situation. 

I have a ~34 gallon aquarium that is 22 in tall. I realize that I need between 2-5 Watts of lighting for the aquarium, but does that still apply to an aquarium that is taller than usual?

Currently I have a hood that came with the tank, a single strip flourescent fixture that I have a 24" T8 Flora-Glo running approximately 12 hours of the day. I have posted pictures in my gallery. 

Also, right now the budget is SUPER tight and I need to try and find a solution as affordably as possible. Since at roughly $8 a plant it would be more affordable in the long run to keep them alive than having to keep replacing the plants. My plants (mostly swords and anubias) seem to be growing as I see some new leaves on them, but they are beginning to get some brown-y splotches which I'm assuming is the beginning of problems. I already have a phosphate filter in place and I've heard mixed things about including a CO2 pump that makes me hesistant to create one. In a previous 10 gal freshwater planted tank I didn't need one and I didn't have to fertilize to get thriving plants. 

In your opinion would fertilizing help keep the plants alive until I can get my lighting situation resolved? 

Thanks so much for any advice!!

IslandRzrbk :fish-in-bowl:


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## BBradbury (Apr 22, 2011)

Good morning Island...

It's a bit of a challenge to grow plants in tall tanks, but it can be done if you keep to low light plants. Anubias, most of the ferns, like Java, the mosses, like Singapore and varieties of Cryptocoryne are nice plants that require less than a watt of light per gallon of tank size.

I have a 45 G that's 24 inches tall and have quite a few of the above plants in it. They grow very well. 

Another option is to float plants. Water sprite is a good one and you can attach Java fern to floating pieces of driftwood too.

The lights that come with your tank provide just enough light for viewing the tank and don't help with the plants. If you stay with low light plants, then a 6500 K bulb is best and one with watts in the 30 range if possible. The local hardware stores may have what you need and are very inexpensive.

Also, low light plants need a good fertilizer. I use liquids because they're easy to dose and not very costly.

Let me know if you have more questions.

B


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## IslandRzrbk (Aug 14, 2011)

My bulb is 6700K but is only 17 watts, I only have a single strip light fixture right now but I'm going to go by the hardware store today to see if I find a double light fixture to use and then get a second bulb to use with it... I'll keep to posted. 

Thanks!


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## IslandRzrbk (Aug 14, 2011)

Ok, so I went to the hardware store and found that the problem is this:

Standard T5 florescent bulbs is only 5/8 of an inch in diameter, while specific for aquarium bulbs are something like 1 1/8 inch diameter. This poses a unique problem when looking for reasonably sized florescent lighting fixtures, most residential and therefore the size that would fit on my aquarium (~24") dual light fixtures require the standard T5 bulbs, but should I use that it would be difficult to find appropriate wattage florescent bulbs. While the fixtures that can accommodate the aquarium bulbs start at 4' long. 

However, I did finally find an under the cabinet florescent light fixture for indoor gardens with a single bulb. The single bulb said that it puts out 75 watts with a 17 watt usage at 7500K. My problem is, is this possible? Or is it just a gimmick? 

Thanks!

IslandRzrbk


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## BBradbury (Apr 22, 2011)

Hello again Island...

I see your point. If you have a strip that will accomodate two bulbs, then the best way to go is to use two T5s. The T5 will produce a more intense light over a relatively small area, but if you can use two, then your lighting will be fine.

The other light you described is a hydroponics bulb for growing indoor plants without soil. The wattage on this bulb is great, but the 7500 K isn't ideal for grow aquatic plants, it's the wrong color. The 6500 K bulb gives off a pale blue color that's recommended for aquatic plants.

Sorry if I led you on a "wild goose chase", but you apparently can still have good lighting with the T5s.

Please keep me posted.

B


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## IslandRzrbk (Aug 14, 2011)

Oh you haven't led me on a wild goose chase at all!!

Like I had been saying if I went with the standard T5's in order to use the the hardware store dual light fixture the T5's would only have been 5/8 of an inch in diameter and together would have only provided 25 watts of light. I don't think the actual bulb I ended up with was a T5 but that hydroponics bulb that puts out 75 watts of wrong spectrum light. 

I'm going out and buying a second single strip fixture and just replacing the hydroponics bulb it comes with, with a 17 watt Aqueon Flora-Glo 6700K that I already have. That way I will have a 75 watt 7500K bulb AND a 17 watt 6700K bulb. It seems like the highest T5 HO 6700K aquarium bulb at Petco/Petsmart is 25 watts. 

Let me know what you think about this current solution. 

Thanks, 

IslandRzrbk


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## BBradbury (Apr 22, 2011)

Hello again Island...

I have a suggestion. So you don't spend an eternity and all your aquarium money on gas, set up your lighting so you have have the most watts and we'll take it from there. Let me know how many watts you end up with and then we can brainstorm what plants will go with the lighting.

B


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## IslandRzrbk (Aug 14, 2011)

Hey B, 

Actually it took very little gas, just two trips to Home Depot and 2 trips to Wal-Mart (across the street from each other and 3 miles from my house ). And the result is two single T8 bulb fixtures side-by-side ($20 total). One bulb is a 7500K 75-watt hydroponic and the other is a 6500K 17-watt Flora-Glo aquarium plant bulb. 

I spent $3 on a piece of wood board that I'm in the middle of staining and sealing the pieces that I assembled to cover the new two light fixtures. 

If you look in my gallery you'll see what I already have in the tank. I replaced the tall "spiky" looking plant in the back of the aquarium with an actual aquatic plant (the original was a poorly advised purchase at the store). I have three sword plants in the tank right now. I THINK I have a Amazon, a Ruffled, and Melon, either red or green. I have a small anubias and a moss ball. There's also some random large leafed plant in my back left corner that seems to be flourishing (no brown and plenty of leaves), so I'm not too worried about that one. 

Let me know what you think, 
Island


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## BBradbury (Apr 22, 2011)

Hello again...

I like your tank, you've chosen an interesting assortment of plants. It will be interesting to see how they do under the lighting you've chosen. 

Don't forget to look into dosing some type of fertilizer, that's almost as important as the lighting you choose.

Keep me posted and we can talk about plants.

B


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## holly12 (Apr 21, 2011)

I've got a 36g bow front, that has a 20watt light. It's a Life Glo light, so it is for plants, but still... really low lighting.

I have the gravel mixed with Eco-complete, and I dose weekly with a liquid fertilizer. No C02, and the plants are doing fantastically! Elodea grows an inch every 2 days!


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