Lighting

[Joseph]

Currently on my tank I have the single strip aquarium light reflector
that came with the tank. I have a 40w bulb (common enough item), and
so I average about 1 watt / gal.

What's the cheapest way to increase my lighting levels? Do they make
120 watt florescent bulbs? Or do I need to change the fixture itself?

Can anybody point me to some good DIY sites on this? And while I'm at
it, how bright should I go so that I can grow most hight light level
plants?

Thanks

Joseph

[Charles]

On Wed, 17 Dec 2003 20:03:27 GMT, Joseph
> wrote:

>Currently on my tank I have the single strip aquarium light reflector
>that came with the tank. I have a 40w bulb (common enough item), and
>so I average about 1 watt / gal.
>
>What's the cheapest way to increase my lighting levels? Do they make
>120 watt florescent bulbs? Or do I need to change the fixture itself?
>
>Can anybody point me to some good DIY sites on this? And while I'm at
>it, how bright should I go so that I can grow most hight light level
>plants?
>
>Thanks
>
>Joseph


www.ahsupply.com has a lot of information of this sort

--

- Charles
-
-does not play well with others

[Greg G.]

Joseph wandered in from the void and babbled something like:

>Currently on my tank I have the single strip aquarium light reflector
>that came with the tank. I have a 40w bulb (common enough item), and
>so I average about 1 watt / gal.

I hope it is flourescent. Incandescent bulbs are worse than useless.
If it is FL, You might get some very low light plants to grow under
this lighting. As a plus, algae will have less of a tendancy to
proliferate under thses conditions. Crypts come to mind...

>What's the cheapest way to increase my lighting levels? Do they make
>120 watt florescent bulbs? Or do I need to change the fixture itself?

If it is FL, the bulb and ballast are a matched set. You cannot just
change the bulb to a '120watt' bulb.

>Can anybody point me to some good DIY sites on this? And while I'm at
>it, how bright should I go so that I can grow most hight light level
>plants?

Sure:
http://www.thekrib.com/Lights/index.html

You have given no information as to tank size/depth, desired plant
species, etc. - so specific recommendations are impossible.

Greg

[Joseph]

Thanks Greg,

I didn't realize how much information I had omited.

I just assumed that florescent was the industry standard. Is this not
so? **oops** Thanks for cluing me in...

I currently have in my tank:

java fern (5)
Telanthea (3?)
mellon swords? (4)
american sword (1) -- this one is just barely holding on... I get a
rush of guilt when ever I look at it.
Balansae Plant (2)


Eventually I would like to have (the specific's as of yet):
- Madagascan Lace,
- Wistera
- Microsword

I have a 40g.Long tank, and a 20 gal tank that I plan on using for
propagating some java moss (for occasional spawning) and duckweed (to
feed the fish when I go on a short vacation)

Thanks, I hadn't thought about the Krib... I'm going their now (in a
cyber sense).

Joseph

On Thu, 18 Dec 2003 00:42:34 -0500, Greg
> wrote:

>Joseph wandered in from the void and babbled something like:
>
>>Currently on my tank I have the single strip aquarium light reflector
>>that came with the tank. I have a 40w bulb (common enough item), and
>>so I average about 1 watt / gal.
>
>I hope it is flourescent. Incandescent bulbs are worse than useless.
>If it is FL, You might get some very low light plants to grow under
>this lighting. As a plus, algae will have less of a tendancy to
>proliferate under thses conditions. Crypts come to mind...
>
>>What's the cheapest way to increase my lighting levels? Do they make
>>120 watt florescent bulbs? Or do I need to change the fixture itself?
>
>If it is FL, the bulb and ballast are a matched set. You cannot just
>change the bulb to a '120watt' bulb.
>
>>Can anybody point me to some good DIY sites on this? And while I'm at
>>it, how bright should I go so that I can grow most hight light level
>>plants?
>
>Sure:
>http://www.thekrib.com/Lights/index.html
>
>You have given no information as to tank size/depth, desired plant
>species, etc. - so specific recommendations are impossible.
>
>Greg

[Jimmy]

I found some lighting info in the forums in www.gardenweb.com from the info
there I went to Home Depot and purchased 2 light fixtures @ $7 and made a
128 watt 2 lamp system with T8 bulbs... can't beat that price.

I have a Madagascar Lace in my 45 tall tank with 2 55watt CP FL lamps the
surface is covered with duck weed and watersprite.... I just let the lace
float and so far it is doing well.... I wish I knew someone that grew lots
of them.... I know my luck will run out. They are supposed to be hard to
grow. I read on Marcus' site that they like defused light. I guess that Damn
duck weed is good for something.

Jim



"Joseph" > wrote in message
...
> Thanks Greg,
>
> I didn't realize how much information I had omited.
>
> I just assumed that florescent was the industry standard. Is this not
> so? **oops** Thanks for cluing me in...
>
> I currently have in my tank:
>
> java fern (5)
> Telanthea (3?)
> mellon swords? (4)
> american sword (1) -- this one is just barely holding on... I get a
> rush of guilt when ever I look at it.
> Balansae Plant (2)
>
>
> Eventually I would like to have (the specific's as of yet):
> - Madagascan Lace,
> - Wistera
> - Microsword
>
> I have a 40g.Long tank, and a 20 gal tank that I plan on using for
> propagating some java moss (for occasional spawning) and duckweed (to
> feed the fish when I go on a short vacation)
>
> Thanks, I hadn't thought about the Krib... I'm going their now (in a
> cyber sense).
>
> Joseph
>
> On Thu, 18 Dec 2003 00:42:34 -0500, Greg
> > wrote:
>
> >Joseph wandered in from the void and babbled something like:
> >
> >>Currently on my tank I have the single strip aquarium light reflector
> >>that came with the tank. I have a 40w bulb (common enough item), and
> >>so I average about 1 watt / gal.
> >
> >I hope it is flourescent. Incandescent bulbs are worse than useless.
> >If it is FL, You might get some very low light plants to grow under
> >this lighting. As a plus, algae will have less of a tendancy to
> >proliferate under thses conditions. Crypts come to mind...
> >
> >>What's the cheapest way to increase my lighting levels? Do they make
> >>120 watt florescent bulbs? Or do I need to change the fixture itself?
> >
> >If it is FL, the bulb and ballast are a matched set. You cannot just
> >change the bulb to a '120watt' bulb.
> >
> >>Can anybody point me to some good DIY sites on this? And while I'm at
> >>it, how bright should I go so that I can grow most hight light level
> >>plants?
> >
> >Sure:
> >http://www.thekrib.com/Lights/index.html
> >
> >You have given no information as to tank size/depth, desired plant
> >species, etc. - so specific recommendations are impossible.
> >
> >Greg
>