What is Watts per gallon.
What is watts per gallon?
If I have 2 x 100 watt incandescent that is 200 watts. If I have 2 x 38 watt flourescent tubes that is 76 watts. The flourescent tubes output much more light in the correct spectrum. Shouldn't we be measuring the light level at the required wavelength rather than just measuring the input power required by the illumination source? Even forgetting the wavelength, surely we should be measuring foot-candles or lumens rather than watts? Graham. |
What is Watts per gallon.
On Sat, 28 Jun 2003 09:18:13 +1000, "Graham Broadbridge" graham at
peachy dot org wrote: When planted tank people talk watts per gallon we are referring to fluorescent watts. What is watts per gallon? If I have 2 x 100 watt incandescent that is 200 watts. If I have 2 x 38 watt flourescent tubes that is 76 watts. The flourescent tubes output much more light in the correct spectrum. Shouldn't we be measuring the light level at the required wavelength rather than just measuring the input power required by the illumination source? Even forgetting the wavelength, surely we should be measuring foot-candles or lumens rather than watts? Graham. 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!) |
What is Watts per gallon.
"Graham Broadbridge" graham at peachy dot org wrote in message . au...
What is watts per gallon? If I have 2 x 100 watt incandescent that is 200 watts. If I have 2 x 38 watt flourescent tubes that is 76 watts. The flourescent tubes output much more light in the correct spectrum. Shouldn't we be measuring the light level at the required wavelength rather than just measuring the input power required by the illumination source? Even forgetting the wavelength, surely we should be measuring foot-candles or lumens rather than watts? Graham. "Watts per gallon" is just a general rule of thumb for estimating the intensity of light needed to grow plants. It is based on the average lumen output per watt of flourescents. Flourescents put out something like 4 to 5 times as much light per watt as a incadescent. So you would need 4 or 5 times as many incadescent bulbs to equal the same amount of light as one flourescent...somewhere in that range. Professional hydroponic growers and even greenhouse growers use basically the same formula. Indoor hydroponics use Metal Halides mostly, or high pressure sodium, even for house plants. Greenhouses use Metal Halides on cloudy days or for areas that do not get enough sun. The only time incadescents, including flood lamps, are used is for sprouting seeds when the light is only inches above it. Robert aquabotanic.com |
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