I'm trying to determine how much lighting to install over my upcoming tank.
It's a 37G tank (50G of water volume because it's hooked up to a sump). I'm
hoping to plant it heavily with plants in the "easy to grow" category (ie:
vals, java fern, etc.). My substrate will be flourite and I'm gonna install
undergravel heating cables. I'm hoping to stay away from CO2, but I'll
probably use Flourish Excel on a basis for the carbon and Flourish
for other nutrients. The only thing I still have to figure out is
how much wat of flourescent lighting to install.

I'm gonna use 2 foot bulbs which would be 20Watts each. How many should I
go with? Do I use the size of the tank (37G) or the total water volume
(tank+sump=50G) to figure out the light ratio? I'm guessing just the tank
size, so 37G. If I go with 2 bulbs I would have 40W, which would give me
1.08 wpg. I'm guessing that's too limiting? If I go with three bulbs I
would have 60W or 1.62 wpg. Is that too much for a non CO2 tank? With four
bulbs, I'd be at 2.16 wpg, which I'm thinking is definately too much for no
CO2. However, I might very easily be wrong on my assumptions on how much
light should go into a tank like mine, so if anyone could give me some
feedback on what options to go with that would be great.

Thanks,
Harry




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On Fri, 11 Apr 2003 12:49:22 -0400, "Harry Muscle"
wrote:

I'm trying to determine how much lighting to install over my upcoming tank.
It's a 37G tank (50G of water volume because it's hooked up to a sump). I'm
hoping to plant it heavily with plants in the "easy to grow" category (ie:
vals, java fern, etc.). My substrate will be flourite and I'm gonna install
undergravel heating cables. I'm hoping to stay away from CO2, but I'll
probably use Flourish Excel on a basis for the carbon and Flourish
for other nutrients. The only thing I still have to figure out is
how much wat of flourescent lighting to install.

I'm gonna use 2 foot bulbs which would be 20Watts each. How many should I
go with? Do I use the size of the tank (37G) or the total water volume
(tank+sump=50G) to figure out the light ratio? I'm guessing just the tank
size, so 37G. If I go with 2 bulbs I would have 40W, which would give me
1.08 wpg. I'm guessing that's too limiting? If I go with three bulbs I
would have 60W or 1.62 wpg. Is that too much for a non CO2 tank? With four
bulbs, I'd be at 2.16 wpg, which I'm thinking is definately too much for no
CO2. However, I might very easily be wrong on my assumptions on how much
light should go into a tank like mine, so if anyone could give me some
feedback on what options to go with that would be great.

Thanks,
Harry


Well I would use the money you are spending on the substrate heater
and get a CO2 system, or go with compact florescent lights. I would
go with no less than 2 wpg as that's a good number, and what I
consider the bare minimum for good plant growth. You just use the
size of the tank. Unless you want to put lights on the sump also.
Why do you want to stay away from CO2? My CO2 system was the second
best thing I did for my tank. First was the upgrade to AH Supply
kits.


Semper Fi!

Visit the forums at Aqua Botanic!
http://aquabotanicwetthumb.infopop.cc/#1

Need Nitrate or Potassium for your tank? Go to www.litemanu.com
(Just a happy customer of the above!)

My substrate will be flourite and I'm gonna install
undergravel heating cables. I'm hoping to stay away from CO2, but I'll
probably use Flourish Excel on a basis for the carbon and Flourish
for other nutrients.

Don't bother with undergravel heating cables. You'd be much better off putting
that money toward a CO2 system and/or more lighting. Undergravel heating is of
very limited value. Not worth the trouble, IMO.

If I go with three bulbs I
would have 60W or 1.62 wpg. Is that too much for a non CO2 tank?

No. That would be a very low light tank, especially given the almost 2' depth.

With four
bulbs, I'd be at 2.16 wpg, which I'm thinking is definately too much for no
CO2.

I think that would be just right. Around two watts per gallon is good for a
non-injected tank. As long as you stay under 3 wpg, you should be okay. (I
have 2.25 wpg of PCF light over my low-tech tank.)


Leigh

http://www.fortunecity.com/lavender/halloween/881/

a 37g tank is 24" high? if its 18" deep wouldn't that make it 20" wide?

"LeighMo" wrote in message
...
My substrate will be flourite and I'm gonna install
undergravel heating cables. I'm hoping to stay away from CO2, but I'll
probably use Flourish Excel on a basis for the carbon and Flourish
for other nutrients.

Don't bother with undergravel heating cables. You'd be much better off
putting
that money toward a CO2 system and/or more lighting. Undergravel heating
is of
very limited value. Not worth the trouble, IMO.

If I go with three bulbs I
would have 60W or 1.62 wpg. Is that too much for a non CO2 tank?

No. That would be a very low light tank, especially given the almost 2'
depth.

With four
bulbs, I'd be at 2.16 wpg, which I'm thinking is definately too much for
no
CO2.

I think that would be just right. Around two watts per gallon is good for
a
non-injected tank. As long as you stay under 3 wpg, you should be okay.
(I
have 2.25 wpg of PCF light over my low-tech tank.)


Leigh

http://www.fortunecity.com/lavender/halloween/881/

a 37g tank is 24" high? if its 18" deep wouldn't that make it 20" wide?

According to All-Glass:

http://www.all-glass.com/services/techinfo.html

a 37 gallon tank is 30-1/4 x 12-1/2 x 22-3/4 (LxWxH).


Leigh

http://www.fortunecity.com/lavender/halloween/881/

"Rex Grigg" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 11 Apr 2003 12:49:22 -0400, "Harry Muscle"
wrote:

I'm trying to determine how much lighting to install over my upcoming
tank.
It's a 37G tank (50G of water volume because it's hooked up to a sump).
I'm
hoping to plant it heavily with plants in the "easy to grow" category
(ie:
vals, java fern, etc.). My substrate will be flourite and I'm gonna
install
undergravel heating cables. I'm hoping to stay away from CO2, but I'll
probably use Flourish Excel on a basis for the carbon and Flourish
for other nutrients. The only thing I still have to figure out is
how much wat of flourescent lighting to install.

I'm gonna use 2 foot bulbs which would be 20Watts each. How many should
I
go with? Do I use the size of the tank (37G) or the total water volume
(tank+sump=50G) to figure out the light ratio? I'm guessing just the
tank
size, so 37G. If I go with 2 bulbs I would have 40W, which would give me
1.08 wpg. I'm guessing that's too limiting? If I go with three bulbs I
would have 60W or 1.62 wpg. Is that too much for a non CO2 tank? With
four
bulbs, I'd be at 2.16 wpg, which I'm thinking is definately too much for
no
CO2. However, I might very easily be wrong on my assumptions on how much
light should go into a tank like mine, so if anyone could give me some
feedback on what options to go with that would be great.

Thanks,
Harry


Well I would use the money you are spending on the substrate heater
and get a CO2 system, or go with compact florescent lights. I would
go with no less than 2 wpg as that's a good number, and what I
consider the bare minimum for good plant growth. You just use the
size of the tank. Unless you want to put lights on the sump also.
Why do you want to stay away from CO2? My CO2 system was the second
best thing I did for my tank. First was the upgrade to AH Supply
kits.


Semper Fi!

Visit the forums at Aqua Botanic!
http://aquabotanicwetthumb.infopop.cc/#1

Need Nitrate or Potassium for your tank? Go to www.litemanu.com
(Just a happy customer of the above!)

If I could, I would definately add the CO2, but it's not completely my
decision. I'm not too thrilled about DIY Co2, and I think I would probably
just rather spend the money on Flourish Excel.

Thanks for the input, looks like I'll be going witht he four bulbs at 2.16
wpg.

Harry




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