What to buy

I can afford a nice new twin T5 light rig or
a proper CO2 system. I can't get both.
What should I spend my hard earned on?

--
Graham Ramsay
You might be a Bright:
www.the-brights.net

What do you have for lighting now? What size of tank?

Ron

"Graham Ramsay" wrote in message
...
I can afford a nice new twin T5 light rig or
a proper CO2 system. I can't get both.
What should I spend my hard earned on?

--
Graham Ramsay
You might be a Bright:
www.the-brights.net

"Ron Nelson" wrote
What do you have for lighting now? What size of tank?

Ron

4 foot tank with 2 x 40w T8s.
DIY CO2.

--
Graham Ramsay
You might be a Bright:
www.the-brights.net

On Tue, 16 Sep 2003 22:41:26 +0100, "Graham Ramsay"
wrote:

"Ron Nelson" wrote
What do you have for lighting now? What size of tank?

Ron

4 foot tank with 2 x 40w T8s.
DIY CO2.

Get the co2 system and add a couple of 40 watt flourescents.
You can buy generic balasts,buy water proof end caps and
mount the ballasts remotely for pretty cheap. Put a reflector on top
of it and you should get plenty of light to get you by till later.
I used a set up like that till I got my MH pendants. 2 40 watt bulbs
and 2 HO bulbs-I put them on timers and staggered the start times
to simulate morning-full daylight-evening.

I would suggest light priority, then Co2, you can always DIY CO2.

I first get a 2 x 30w FL tube and convert it to a 4 x 36w PL with eBallast.

After sometime, 1 bought a 3L CO2 pressurized tank with solenoid and CO2
reactor.

After that, I changed a new tank (coz the old tank is pretty old) as well as
acquiring a new set of 2x30 w FL light (comes with the tank)

In between, I fixed up AC fans and thermoters and bought test kits.....

Well, who says planted tank is not a expensive hobby....

Cheers


"Blarneytoad" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 16 Sep 2003 22:41:26 +0100, "Graham Ramsay"
wrote:

"Ron Nelson" wrote
What do you have for lighting now? What size of tank?

Ron

4 foot tank with 2 x 40w T8s.
DIY CO2.

Get the co2 system and add a couple of 40 watt flourescents.
You can buy generic balasts,buy water proof end caps and
mount the ballasts remotely for pretty cheap. Put a reflector on top
of it and you should get plenty of light to get you by till later.
I used a set up like that till I got my MH pendants. 2 40 watt bulbs
and 2 HO bulbs-I put them on timers and staggered the start times
to simulate morning-full daylight-evening.

On Thu, 18 Sep 2003 09:06:49 +0800, "news.so-net.com.hk"
vincent0@signentdotcomdotsg wrote:

I would suggest light priority, then Co2, you can always DIY CO2.

I first get a 2 x 30w FL tube and convert it to a 4 x 36w PL with eBallast.

After sometime, 1 bought a 3L CO2 pressurized tank with solenoid and CO2
reactor.

After that, I changed a new tank (coz the old tank is pretty old) as well as
acquiring a new set of 2x30 w FL light (comes with the tank)

In between, I fixed up AC fans and thermoters and bought test kits.....

Well, who says planted tank is not a expensive hobby....

Cheers



I would have to disagree. Adding more lights without a CO2 system is
just asking for trouble.It will cause ph swings and algae blooms. A CO
2 system can help stabilize the ph and will increase plant growth with
just the existing light he already has.

"Graham Ramsay" wrote in message ...
"Ron Nelson" wrote
What do you have for lighting now? What size of tank?

Ron

4 foot tank with 2 x 40w T8s.
DIY CO2.


The lighting you have is very low for that size tank. Upgrade the
lighting first, or C02 won't matter much. T5s are very expensive. For
the cost of T5s, you should be able to get both a complete power
compact lighting system and a C02 system.

If you keep your lighting you will barely be able to grow moss. Even
four 40 watt tubes on a four foot tank isn't much.

Robert Hudson
www.aquabotanic.com

"Robert H" wrote
If you keep your lighting you will barely be able to grow moss.

Beg to differ.

www.ibrox.freeserve.co.uk/images/trim.jpg

--
Graham Ramsay

"Graham Ramsay" wrote in message ...
"Robert H" wrote
If you keep your lighting you will barely be able to grow moss.

Beg to differ.

www.ibrox.freeserve.co.uk/images/trim.jpg

OK...then if its doing so well why are you even thinking of upgrading
your light? 2 to 3 watts of light per gallon of water is the most
desired target range. Is this a 55 gallon or a 75 gallon? You could
easily put two 55 or 65 watt power compact bulbs on the tank which
would surfice for a 55 gallon, and it costs a lot less than T5s, are
you in the USA or the UK? In the US T5s are still very new, and
extremely expensive. It also depends on the height of your tank. If it
has to be one or the other, I would always address lighting before
C02.

Robert

If you're at a point to upgrade, I'd upgrade... Since you don't have CO2, so
far, you won't NEED CO2....

And if you upgrade, lets say, a 2 T8 strip to a 4 T5 strip, and learn later
that you NEED CO2, you can always turn off 2 T5 lights until you GET your
CO2, so you don't encourage too much algae growth with your new lights...

just a thought....


"Graham Ramsay" wrote in message
...
I can afford a nice new twin T5 light rig or
a proper CO2 system. I can't get both.
What should I spend my hard earned on?

--
Graham Ramsay
You might be a Bright:
www.the-brights.net