(Homie) wrote in news:59266412.0401271034.2ab85444
@posting.google.com:

Comments in line:

I have been looking at the compact fluorescent lighting available
(e.g.,from all-glass: www.all-glass.com) to replace my current
standard fluorescent setup.

Now correct me if I am wrong, but it looks to me that if you have a
48" tank, for example, and you have two 55 Watt compact fluorescent
bulbs -- one on each side of the divider -- then the combined wattage
(110 wattage) is not really what the plants are getting. Instead, it
seems, that each side of the tank will receive approximately 55 watts
+ some small additional wattage indirectly from the other side of the
tank.
You have a total of 80 watts of fluor light on your entire tank.

This seems to be less than my current setup where I have two 48" 40
watt bulbs. Here both lights are on each side of the tank and, given
an even distribution of 40 watts eminating from the bulbs, each side
would receive a total of 80 watts; arguably higher than the compact
light alternative.
This would give you a total of 110 watts for the entire tank.
I run a 70 gal with four 55watt compact fluors on it. Two on each side
of the tank as it where. Two switches, so I can start with one lamp on
each side, then as the day progresses I turn on the other two lamps.
Three kinds of swords, three types of crypts, val, sag,hygro, java fern,
water sprite and not sure of what else right now. No CO2, but at least
once a week I have to trim plants down/out enough to fill a good sized
salad bowl!.m

Is this scenario incorrect in some way or does it make sense ?