Enough light for this tank?

[rapdor]

Greetings wise ones,

I am planning on buying a Jebo aquarium, which includes filtration and
lighting all in one unit in the tank cover. It is 4' x 18" x 22", and comes
with 3x30 watt 4' tubes.

I hope to have a heavily planted tank. Is this enough lighting? I have
read that a tank needs about 5 watts per gallon for successful plants. So
my question is: can I simply change the 30 watt tubes for higher wattage,
or is there some reason why the light fixture itself will only take 30 watt
tubes?

[Dan Norgard]

T12 Flourescent tube wattage is roughly 5/6 of it's length: 24" = 20 Watts,
36" = 30w, etc.
Dan
"rapdor" > wrote in message
...
Greetings wise ones,

I am planning on buying a Jebo aquarium, which includes filtration and
lighting all in one unit in the tank cover. It is 4' x 18" x 22", and comes
with 3x30 watt 4' tubes.

I hope to have a heavily planted tank. Is this enough lighting? I have
read that a tank needs about 5 watts per gallon for successful plants. So
my question is: can I simply change the 30 watt tubes for higher wattage,
or is there some reason why the light fixture itself will only take 30 watt
tubes?

[Victor M. Martinez]

rapdor > wrote:
>I hope to have a heavily planted tank. Is this enough lighting? I have
>read that a tank needs about 5 watts per gallon for successful plants. So

Toss out whatever book or magazine gave you that figure, it's just plain wrong.

--
Victor M. Martinez

http://www.che.utexas.edu/~martiv

[Racf]

"rapdor" > wrote in message
...
> Greetings wise ones,
>
> I am planning on buying a Jebo aquarium, which includes filtration and
> lighting all in one unit in the tank cover. It is 4' x 18" x 22", and
comes
> with 3x30 watt 4' tubes.
>
> I hope to have a heavily planted tank. Is this enough lighting? I
have
> read that a tank needs about 5 watts per gallon for successful plants.
So
> my question is: can I simply change the 30 watt tubes for higher
wattage,
> or is there some reason why the light fixture itself will only take 30
watt
> tubes?
>
>

It may be enough for low and some types of medium light plants. It is
certainly enough to grow algae if you do not plant the tank heavily with
fast growing plants.. I am not familiar with a 30 watt 4' bulb. I see
32 and 40 watts a lot...here in the US..
Is that a 80 gallon tank? Its unfortunate you will have no options for
the enhancement of the lighting, should you want to later. Would it be
possible to not use the hood and use a glass top, thinking about
later....

[Eric Schreiber]

"rapdor" > wrote:

>I have read that a tank needs about 5 watts per gallon for successful plants.

It depends on a number of things. The deeper a tank is, the brighter
light you will need to adequately reach the bottom. Some plants
require very little light, some need a great deal.

In general, 3 or 4 watts per gallon is a good range to shoot for
unless you have an unusually deep tank or are growing very light
demanding plants. I've got 56 watts on my 20 gallon tank, just under 3
watts per gallon, and my plants grow like crazy.

--
www.ericschreiber.com

[Eric Schreiber]

"rapdor" > wrote:

>I have read that a tank needs about 5 watts per gallon for successful plants.

It depends on a number of things. The deeper a tank is, the brighter
light you will need to adequately reach the bottom. Some plants
require very little light, some need a great deal.

In general, 3 or 4 watts per gallon is a good range to shoot for
unless you have an unusually deep tank or are growing very light
demanding plants. I've got 56 watts on my 20 gallon tank, just under 3
watts per gallon, and my plants grow like crazy.

--
www.ericschreiber.com

[rapdor]

> It may be enough for low and some types of medium light plants. It is
> certainly enough to grow algae if you do not plant the tank heavily with
> fast growing plants.. I am not familiar with a 30 watt 4' bulb. I see
> 32 and 40 watts a lot...here in the US..
> Is that a 80 gallon tank? Its unfortunate you will have no options for
> the enhancement of the lighting, should you want to later. Would it be
> possible to not use the hood and use a glass top, thinking about
> later....
>
>
OK, went back to the shop and asked the salesman--4' tanks come with 3 x 4'
x 40 watt tubes, but the wattage can be increased safely if that is what I
want to pay for. He reckons in Australia the 3 x 40 will be fine, since we
have lots of natural light (sunny days) and the tank is to be in a well-lit
room (but not in direct sinlught). So all is well. Thanks folks.