Enough light for this tank?

[rapdor]

Greetings wise ones,

I am planning on buying a Jebo aquarium, which includes filtration and
lighting all in one unit in the tank cover. It is 4' x 18" x 22", and comes
with 3x30 watt 4' tubes.

I hope to have a heavily planted tank. Is this enough lighting? I have
read that a tank needs about 5 watts per gallon for successful plants. So
my question is: can I simply change the 30 watt tubes for higher wattage,
or is there some reason why the light fixture itself will only take 30 watt
tubes?

[Dan Norgard]

T12 Flourescent tube wattage is roughly 5/6 of it's length: 24" = 20 Watts,
36" = 30w, etc.
Dan
"rapdor" > wrote in message
...
Greetings wise ones,

I am planning on buying a Jebo aquarium, which includes filtration and
lighting all in one unit in the tank cover. It is 4' x 18" x 22", and comes
with 3x30 watt 4' tubes.

I hope to have a heavily planted tank. Is this enough lighting? I have
read that a tank needs about 5 watts per gallon for successful plants. So
my question is: can I simply change the 30 watt tubes for higher wattage,
or is there some reason why the light fixture itself will only take 30 watt
tubes?

[Victor M. Martinez]

rapdor > wrote:
>I hope to have a heavily planted tank. Is this enough lighting? I have
>read that a tank needs about 5 watts per gallon for successful plants. So

Toss out whatever book or magazine gave you that figure, it's just plain wrong.

--
Victor M. Martinez

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

[Eric Schreiber]

"rapdor" > wrote:

>I have read that a tank needs about 5 watts per gallon for successful plants.

It depends on a number of things. The deeper a tank is, the brighter
light you will need to adequately reach the bottom. Some plants
require very little light, some need a great deal.

In general, 3 or 4 watts per gallon is a good range to shoot for
unless you have an unusually deep tank or are growing very light
demanding plants. I've got 56 watts on my 20 gallon tank, just under 3
watts per gallon, and my plants grow like crazy.

--
www.ericschreiber.com

[rapdor]

> It may be enough for low and some types of medium light plants. It is
> certainly enough to grow algae if you do not plant the tank heavily with
> fast growing plants.. I am not familiar with a 30 watt 4' bulb. I see
> 32 and 40 watts a lot...here in the US..
> Is that a 80 gallon tank? Its unfortunate you will have no options for
> the enhancement of the lighting, should you want to later. Would it be
> possible to not use the hood and use a glass top, thinking about
> later....
>
>
OK, went back to the shop and asked the salesman--4' tanks come with 3 x 4'
x 40 watt tubes, but the wattage can be increased safely if that is what I
want to pay for. He reckons in Australia the 3 x 40 will be fine, since we
have lots of natural light (sunny days) and the tank is to be in a well-lit
room (but not in direct sinlught). So all is well. Thanks folks.