Lighting Suggestions

[bergenm]

I have two 27G tanks (30"x12") that I would like to upgrade the lighting on.

Currently, one has a standard Hagen Canopy that provides .5 WPG and the other has a glass lid with two polo lights that provides 1 WPG.

I was wondering what people would recommend to increase the lighting up to 2 WPG? (I do not plan on having CO2 injection)

I was considering this unit, but I was looking for other suggestions as well...

http://www.bigalsonline.com/BigAlsUS/ctl3684/cp18360/si2949168/cl0/currentusanovaextreme302x24wt510000kfreshwater

[zima]

I would say it depends a lot on what you are planning to do with the tanks. Are you going to plant them? How densely planted would it be? What is the current bio-load?

With 2WPG you do not really need CO2, that's true; but it also depends on what is going on inside the tanks. So if you are not planning on planting them much, you might be asking for trouble in terms of algae.

[kennyman]

I have had great luck with a simple twin bulb shoplight and daylight T12's

I am talking stability over two or three years, not a few months.

your length is a bit short but the basic t12 is the cheepest solution to a low light planted tank.

[fischkopp]

A double T5 (the light you posted) will definitively require CO2 from my experience; you will grow a lot of green algae if there is no supply on nutrients. A single bulb solution will make you much less trouble. I find the WPG rule doesnt work so well anymore these days where you have many different light technologies (T12, T8, T5, T5HO, spirals, HQI ...) and special spectrum bulbs ...

A cheap and simple way these days are screw in spirals. Just look out for an used (double) incandesent fixture or buildt your own one. Many places carry daylight 6500K in different wattages now (you want to get the lowest), or you can go even cheaper if you dont mind the yellowish tint of the more common 2700K bulbs.

[bergenm]

Thanks for the info.

I use the T12 bulbs in the basement for over-wintering my koi and my pond plants.

I like the idea of the CFL, rather than the spirals I will probably go with the 10W 5100K tube CFL from Petsmart - they are a bit pricey at $16.99 a bulb, but cheaper than the canopy I was looking at. Big Al's carry some as well but the appear to give off a pink color which I would prefer to avoid.

As for the incandescent fixtures, I have a couple of them in the basement so that is not a problem.

Thanks again.

[fischkopp]

Isn't compact fluorescent and spirals the same? Anyway, check out Canadian Tire, they have a double pack of those (10W +-2 I dont remember exactly with 6500K) for $10. Its labeled day-light.

[SATELLITE]

depends on how you have the tanks set up i'd go with a dual ballast and get 2 150w mh bulbs. put one over each tank.. the cords are like 4-6 feet long...

[bergenm]

Isn't compact fluorescent and spirals the same?

Some of the CFL come in different shapes other than spiral. I tried some of the spirals I had at home in my canopies but they were touching the plastic reflector. Coral Life makes one that won't touch the reflector, it looks like this but for freshwater...

http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2753932

Thanks for getting me onto this type of lighting - I would have never considered it previously

[fischkopp]

I tried some of the spirals I had at home in my canopies but they were touching the plastic reflector.

Yeah, I know this problem - 26W versions and above don't even fit   

Smaller (-est) wattage was no problem though.