Home |
Search |
Today's Posts |
#1
|
|||
|
|||
planted tank lighting
I have a 20 gallon tank with a few live plants in it now that are growing
slowly since I only have 15watts of lighting on the tank.. How much would i need to get my plants to grow at a reasonable rate? Also, is it worth building a DIY light system or is it just best to buy a new hood and duel light stripe? Phil.. |
#2
|
|||
|
|||
planted tank lighting
you could always make one cheap enough if your inclined enough to do so, but
wouldn't jump to more than another 15watts or so.. keeping your watts per gallon near 2WPG is good in your case, 30watts in a 20gallon is 1.5WPG you might be able to swap your 15watter to an 18 and make a 2x18 hood, giving you 36watts, or 1.8WPG, which is good.... "Phil Williamson" wrote in message ... I have a 20 gallon tank with a few live plants in it now that are growing slowly since I only have 15watts of lighting on the tank.. How much would i need to get my plants to grow at a reasonable rate? Also, is it worth building a DIY light system or is it just best to buy a new hood and duel light stripe? Phil.. |
#3
|
|||
|
|||
planted tank lighting
On Tue, 10 Dec 2002 10:17:29 -0500, "Phil Williamson"
wrote: I have a 20 gallon tank with a few live plants in it now that are growing slowly since I only have 15watts of lighting on the tank.. How much would i need to get my plants to grow at a reasonable rate? Also, is it worth building a DIY light system or is it just best to buy a new hood and duel light stripe? Phil.. First off is your tank a 20 long or a 20 high? Once you figure that out head on over to www.ahsupply.com and get a upgrade kit. I would look at a 55 watt kit for either tank. You will be very happy with the amount of light you get. Be prepared to add fertilizers every couple of day and do a lot of trimming though. |
#4
|
|||
|
|||
planted tank lighting
Xref: 127.0.0.1 rec.aquaria.freshwater.plants:66839
The tank is a long one.. are the prices on ahsupply.com in US funds? Phil.. "Cannibul" wrote in message ... On Tue, 10 Dec 2002 10:17:29 -0500, "Phil Williamson" wrote: I have a 20 gallon tank with a few live plants in it now that are growing slowly since I only have 15watts of lighting on the tank.. How much would i need to get my plants to grow at a reasonable rate? Also, is it worth building a DIY light system or is it just best to buy a new hood and duel light stripe? Phil.. First off is your tank a 20 long or a 20 high? Once you figure that out head on over to www.ahsupply.com and get a upgrade kit. I would look at a 55 watt kit for either tank. You will be very happy with the amount of light you get. Be prepared to add fertilizers every couple of day and do a lot of trimming though. |
#5
|
|||
|
|||
planted tank lighting
On Tue, 10 Dec 2002 21:11:26 -0500, "Phil Williamson"
wrote: The tank is a long one.. are the prices on ahsupply.com in US funds? Phil.. "Cannibul" wrote in message .. . Yes. |
#6
|
|||
|
|||
planted tank lighting
how much room do you have in your existing canopy? I assume it's a
marineland 20G kit right? You could probably get ballast, bulb and clip for a 40W compact from a local electrical supplier for less than $50 cdn, and replace the existing bulb parts with the new CF ones. "Cannibul" wrote in message ... On Tue, 10 Dec 2002 21:11:26 -0500, "Phil Williamson" wrote: The tank is a long one.. are the prices on ahsupply.com in US funds? Phil.. "Cannibul" wrote in message .. . Yes. |
#7
|
|||
|
|||
planted tank lighting
Yep, that's the canopy I have.. Would it be hard to change the ballast in
the existing light? I've never done anything like this before.. Thx, Phil... "Haywire" wrote in message able.rogers.com... how much room do you have in your existing canopy? I assume it's a marineland 20G kit right? You could probably get ballast, bulb and clip for a 40W compact from a local electrical supplier for less than $50 cdn, and replace the existing bulb parts with the new CF ones. "Cannibul" wrote in message ... On Tue, 10 Dec 2002 21:11:26 -0500, "Phil Williamson" wrote: The tank is a long one.. are the prices on ahsupply.com in US funds? Phil.. "Cannibul" wrote in message .. . Yes. |
#8
|
|||
|
|||
planted tank lighting
I did it for the 1st time when I set my 27G up after I had the 20G stable, I
planned on doing the 20G to at least 40W, but the dammed fish in the tank laid eggs and started raising fry and are about to do it again. one thing I found out was that the ballast for the CF is quite small I recall it's about 7 1/2" x 1" x 3/4" , I assume that the rapid start ballast in the marineland tank is similar in size. The CF bulb is wider than the 18W you have, but is about the same height. As far as the wiring and stuff goes it's quite simple. hey, I just noticed cogeco, what part of Canada? "Phil Williamson" wrote in message ... Yep, that's the canopy I have.. Would it be hard to change the ballast in the existing light? I've never done anything like this before.. Thx, Phil... "Haywire" wrote in message able.rogers.com... how much room do you have in your existing canopy? I assume it's a marineland 20G kit right? You could probably get ballast, bulb and clip for a 40W compact from a local electrical supplier for less than $50 cdn, and replace the existing bulb parts with the new CF ones. "Cannibul" wrote in message ... On Tue, 10 Dec 2002 21:11:26 -0500, "Phil Williamson" wrote: The tank is a long one.. are the prices on ahsupply.com in US funds? Phil.. "Cannibul" wrote in message .. . Yes. |
#9
|
|||
|
|||
planted tank lighting
for a relatively small tank like a 20-gallon, you need
7 watt/gallon for high light plants and 3 to 4 watt/gallon for medium light plants "Phil Williamson" wrote in message ... I have a 20 gallon tank with a few live plants in it now that are growing slowly since I only have 15watts of lighting on the tank.. How much would i need to get my plants to grow at a reasonable rate? Also, is it worth building a DIY light system or is it just best to buy a new hood and duel light stripe? Phil.. |
#10
|
|||
|
|||
planted tank lighting
WOW! I've got a 55-watt cf's on my twenty-longs and they look like the
inside of a super-nova. I can't even IMAGINE 7 watts! kush "You can't have everything - where would you put it?" alex crouvier wrote in message ... for a relatively small tank like a 20-gallon, you need 7 watt/gallon for high light plants and 3 to 4 watt/gallon for medium light plants "Phil Williamson" wrote in message ... I have a 20 gallon tank with a few live plants in it now that are growing slowly since I only have 15watts of lighting on the tank.. How much would i need to get my plants to grow at a reasonable rate? Also, is it worth building a DIY light system or is it just best to buy a new hood and duel light stripe? Phil.. |
#11
|
|||
|
|||
planted tank lighting
Ok, sounds possible with a little help for me to put the CF in. I'll have
to go to the local hardware store and see if they have what I need. I'm from windsor, Ontario. It's just on the boarder to Detroit. Where are you from? Phil.. "Haywire" wrote in message . cable.rogers.com... I did it for the 1st time when I set my 27G up after I had the 20G stable, I planned on doing the 20G to at least 40W, but the dammed fish in the tank laid eggs and started raising fry and are about to do it again. one thing I found out was that the ballast for the CF is quite small I recall it's about 7 1/2" x 1" x 3/4" , I assume that the rapid start ballast in the marineland tank is similar in size. The CF bulb is wider than the 18W you have, but is about the same height. As far as the wiring and stuff goes it's quite simple. hey, I just noticed cogeco, what part of Canada? |
#12
|
|||
|
|||
planted tank lighting
On Fri, 13 Dec 2002 23:24:17 +0800, "alex crouvier"
wrote: for a relatively small tank like a 20-gallon, you need 7 watt/gallon for high light plants and 3 to 4 watt/gallon for medium light plants I'm an advocate of high lighting, but that's wayyy to high. Unless maybe you are referring to incandescent lights. 20g is a fairly standard size, so the normal 2-3 watts per gallon would be medium, and 3+ is high lighting. Chuck Gadd http://www.csd.net/~cgadd/aqua |
#13
|
|||
|
|||
planted tank lighting
hehe Toronto area, spent a year working in Windsor supervising the wall
repairs to 660 Oultette, Call Tucker Electric, ask Tommy (or whoever answers) which electrical supplier in Windsor carries T5's and take it from there. "Phil Williamson" wrote in message ... Ok, sounds possible with a little help for me to put the CF in. I'll have to go to the local hardware store and see if they have what I need. I'm from windsor, Ontario. It's just on the boarder to Detroit. Where are you from? Phil.. "Haywire" wrote in message . cable.rogers.com... I did it for the 1st time when I set my 27G up after I had the 20G stable, I planned on doing the 20G to at least 40W, but the dammed fish in the tank laid eggs and started raising fry and are about to do it again. one thing I found out was that the ballast for the CF is quite small I recall it's about 7 1/2" x 1" x 3/4" , I assume that the rapid start ballast in the marineland tank is similar in size. The CF bulb is wider than the 18W you have, but is about the same height. As far as the wiring and stuff goes it's quite simple. hey, I just noticed cogeco, what part of Canada? |
#14
|
|||
|
|||
planted tank lighting
alex crouvier wrote:
for a relatively small tank like a 20-gallon, you need 7 watt/gallon for high light plants and 3 to 4 watt/gallon for medium light plants 140 watts over a 20 gallon seems the very definition of "overkill". 55 Watts from AHS illuminates a 20G pretty darn well. Do you actually have a 20 gallon tank with 140 watts over it? Can you describe your experience, or better yet, show us a photo? |
Reply |
Thread Tools | Search this Thread |
Display Modes | |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Forum | |||
Lighting for my new Planted Discus Tank | Freshwater Aquaria Plants | |||
Planted Tank Focus Group -- Custom made lighting hood | Freshwater Aquaria Plants | |||
Planted Tank Focus Group -- Metal halide lighting units | Freshwater Aquaria Plants | |||
RO for a planted tank: Shaky's tank | Freshwater Aquaria Plants | |||
150 planted tank..Need help with selecting hardware NOW LIGHTING | Freshwater Aquaria Plants |