Lighting requirements...

[Marcus Fox]

I have a 2 cu ft aquarium (15G), with some java moss and bacopa monieri
which I bought online and some plant I got from the LFS which isn't doing
well. Other plants are doing OK. Current lighting is provided by a 15W 18"
tropical tube and Arcadia controller. I was unable to affix the tube inside
the hood (as in couldn't be bothered to get the clips and still haven't
gotten round to it), and so it rests on the condensation tray. After reading
many of the posts here, it is clear I need more lighting. Could I just add
another 15W tube and Arcadia controller? I was planning to affix the current
tube to the inside of the hood at some point, but with two tubes, there will
be no room to affix both in the designated place, so will have to be affixed
inside in another way - will it matter if they're too close? Best and
cheapest way to increase the lighting? Suggestions please.

Marcus

[WidowMaker]

you could get away with just laying another fixture across the tank, but
maybe decrease the length of time they are on because you are doubling your
WPG immediately, and if you don't watch it, algae will wake up....

"Marcus Fox" > wrote in
message ...
> I have a 2 cu ft aquarium (15G), with some java moss and bacopa monieri
> which I bought online and some plant I got from the LFS which isn't doing
> well. Other plants are doing OK. Current lighting is provided by a 15W 18"
> tropical tube and Arcadia controller. I was unable to affix the tube
inside
> the hood (as in couldn't be bothered to get the clips and still haven't
> gotten round to it), and so it rests on the condensation tray. After
reading
> many of the posts here, it is clear I need more lighting. Could I just add
> another 15W tube and Arcadia controller? I was planning to affix the
current
> tube to the inside of the hood at some point, but with two tubes, there
will
> be no room to affix both in the designated place, so will have to be
affixed
> inside in another way - will it matter if they're too close? Best and
> cheapest way to increase the lighting? Suggestions please.
>
> Marcus
>
>

[Giancarlo Podio]

Marcus, when we're talking about these small fixtures, perhaps another
15W light fixture is the easiest way get more light. I use normal
glass lids and two 15W light fixtures over a 10 gallon tank. If you
are pressed for space and don't want to change the hood, you can
consider retrofitting a CF into the existing light fixture or
upgrading the ballast to something a little more powerful. The only
problem, at least with the 15W fixtures I have, is that they use a
plastic reflector that would probably deform if you tried to run the
bulb any brighter/hotter. I have since replaced the plastic reflectors
with metal ones prior to overdriving the bulbs. Using two bulbs will
give you better spread of light too, one in the front half and one in
the back.

If you want more info on overdriving fluorescent fixtures:
http://www.gpodio.com/overdrive_twin_strip.htm

Hope that helps
Giancarlo Podio


"Marcus Fox" > wrote in message >...
> I have a 2 cu ft aquarium (15G), with some java moss and bacopa monieri
> which I bought online and some plant I got from the LFS which isn't doing
> well. Other plants are doing OK. Current lighting is provided by a 15W 18"
> tropical tube and Arcadia controller. I was unable to affix the tube inside
> the hood (as in couldn't be bothered to get the clips and still haven't
> gotten round to it), and so it rests on the condensation tray. After reading
> many of the posts here, it is clear I need more lighting. Could I just add
> another 15W tube and Arcadia controller? I was planning to affix the current
> tube to the inside of the hood at some point, but with two tubes, there will
> be no room to affix both in the designated place, so will have to be affixed
> inside in another way - will it matter if they're too close? Best and
> cheapest way to increase the lighting? Suggestions please.
>
> Marcus

[Marcus Fox]

"Marcus Fox" > wrote in
message ...
> I have a 2 cu ft aquarium (15G), with some java moss and bacopa monieri
> which I bought online and some plant I got from the LFS which isn't doing
> well. Other plants are doing OK. Current lighting is provided by a 15W 18"
> tropical tube and Arcadia controller. I was unable to affix the tube
inside
> the hood (as in couldn't be bothered to get the clips and still haven't
> gotten round to it), and so it rests on the condensation tray. After
reading
> many of the posts here, it is clear I need more lighting. Could I just add
> another 15W tube and Arcadia controller? I was planning to affix the
current
> tube to the inside of the hood at some point, but with two tubes, there
will
> be no room to affix both in the designated place, so will have to be
affixed
> inside in another way - will it matter if they're too close? Best and
> cheapest way to increase the lighting? Suggestions please.
>

I have ordered another Arcadia 15W controller and tube for approx £23 to
squeeze into my existing (metal) hood ($33) This will increase the light in
the tank to 2 W/G. I don't really need reflectors as the inside of the hood
is painted white. Normally I would have just bought one higher wattage
controller and tube, but unless I go the way of compact T8's (which are more
expensive and the fixings are the wrong shape and size for my hood), a 15W
T5 tube is the longest I can fit, at 18" long, next increase in power is 24"
long and I have <24" space inside the hood.

Marcus

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