wattage lighting for BIG tanks
 

I'm wondering, I often read on the posts that people have 3W per gallon of
lighting on their tanks. These people use it with CO2 to make enormous
plants, but still recommend more than 1W per gallon without CO2. I'm
wondering does this wattage change the larger the tank gets? I have a 125g
with 120W over it and its moderately planted. The lights have a white
backing and the substrate is white with some little brown rocks. I cannot
imagine how I would be able to put 375W over the tank. When you people are
talking about 3W per gallon are you referring to like a 20g or bigger ones
too?

wattage lighting for BIG tanks
 

my tank is 24" deep

"Christopher" wrote in message
hlink.net...
I'm wondering, I often read on the posts that people have 3W per gallon of
lighting on their tanks. These people use it with CO2 to make enormous
plants, but still recommend more than 1W per gallon without CO2. I'm
wondering does this wattage change the larger the tank gets? I have a
125g
with 120W over it and its moderately planted. The lights have a white
backing and the substrate is white with some little brown rocks. I cannot
imagine how I would be able to put 375W over the tank. When you people
are
talking about 3W per gallon are you referring to like a 20g or bigger ones
too?

wattage lighting for BIG tanks
 

On Sun, 09 Feb 2003 19:01:52 GMT, "Christopher" wrote:

I'm wondering, I often read on the posts that people have 3W per gallon of
lighting on their tanks. These people use it with CO2 to make enormous
plants, but still recommend more than 1W per gallon without CO2. I'm
wondering does this wattage change the larger the tank gets? I have a 125g
with 120W over it and its moderately planted. The lights have a white
backing and the substrate is white with some little brown rocks. I cannot
imagine how I would be able to put 375W over the tank. When you people are
talking about 3W per gallon are you referring to like a 20g or bigger ones
too?



The watt per gallon rule of thumb doesn't work well on tanks under 20
gallons and those over about 90 gallons. If you can get your 125
gallon tank up to about 250 watts you will be fine. I run 220 watts
over my 55 gallon tank and am very happy with the plant growth.

wattage lighting for BIG tanks
 

Cannibul wrote:
gallons and those over about 90 gallons. If you can get your 125
gallon tank up to about 250 watts you will be fine. I run 220 watts
over my 55 gallon tank and am very happy with the plant growth.

I have exactly 1 watt per gallon in my 110 gallon tank and my plants grow
like weeds. If I had more growth I'd have to prune more than once a week,
and I just can't imagine anybody purposefully going through all that trouble!

--
Victor M. Martinez

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