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Lighting overload

2K views 15 replies 4 participants last post by  ArchimedesTheDog 
#1 · (Edited)
In June I will be getting a 29-gallon tank, 30-inches long, 18 high, etc. Standard profile. We’re turning the back bedroom into an office and I have about 32 inches available. I don’t really have the ability to suspend lighting over the tank, so I’m looking at something sitting right on the tank. My goal is to have a good environment for the fish first, and to grow plants second. The plants are there to provide the good environment, if you follow me.

That said, I want to have sufficient lighting to give the plants good growth. I have read the epic thread on fluorescent lighting and the less epic but no less impressive thread on LED lighting. I spent a fair portion of this past weekend researching the lighting fixtures available. And I am completely overwhelmed. I've managed to thoroughly confuse myself with too much information, too little context.

CO2 seems to be out of the budget at first, I’ll likely be adding it later, I guess I’ll use Excel for a while. I like the idea of learning the chemistry and having the really beautiful plants I see with CO2, though. If I have high lighting I fear I will fight Algae. If I don’t have high lighting, will I not be able to add CO2 later? I think probably medium lighting will put me in a situation where I get what I want and can add CO2 later. Is that correct?

My main question is, how do I get off-the-shelf lighting for this tank that will grow plants? T5NO fixtures might be a good option, but they are no longer available except for a lone Aqueon fixture with a bad reflector they sell at PetSMart, and I feel the bulbs will soon not be available judging from the state of T5NO fixtures. T5HO will be too strong with dual lights, and still pretty strong with a single light. Marineland makes an LED hood for this size tank, but the hood is their single-strength LED and isn’t enough for plants per the LED thread. I can’t really identify a dual or triple T8 fixture at all, maybe I’m just dim (har!). The PC fixtures are all over the map in price and features but don’t seem to come in the right size; I’ve read Hoppy’s advice that a 24” light can be used with a 30” tank, but that it isn’t as effective as a full-width solution, maybe I am misunderstanding.

I am not a DIY kind of guy, I’m definitely not going to be good at building a hood or a reflector or anything, and am likely going to have trouble modifying a hood, like using the AH kits (or even deciphering their website).

Put straightforwardly, can someone recommend a good off-the-shelf flexible fixture to use with a 30” 29-gallon tank for growing plants with my parameters?
 
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#2 ·
My tank is a 29 and I don't think it's overloaded. It grows very well. I'm just using a t5 dual setup and it cost me less than 100. It sits about four inches over my tank. I found mine at Petco and if your store carried it before, they should be able to order it again. I also found a CoraLife that the bulbs can be swapped out on and exchanged for plant as opposed to the saltwater bulbs it comes with.
 
#3 ·
T5 NO or HO, out of curiosity? As near as I can tell, the T5 NO fixtures are not being manufactured by most people any more. And the Coralife T5-HO fixtures are failing for a lot of people below the 36" size if the consistent reviews here and elsewhere are to be believed.

I see Hoppy recommending Catalina Aquarium in another thread, I hadn't actually found them previously. Hoppy, could I impose on you to be so kind as to recommend something based on my parameters above?

I always like to keep my money at least semi-locally, too, so Catalina Aquarium seems a good choice.
 
#5 ·
http://www.fishneedit.com/t5ho-24quot-2-lamp-aquarium-l.html with two white bulbs, perhaps one 6500K and one 10,000K, should give you around 40 micromols of PAR if you have 2 inches of substrate, with the light sitting on top of the tank. It isn't a great light fixture, but a great one would give you too much light to do without CO2, and this one is cheap.
Thank you! Interesting. I thought you were going to recommend http://www.catalinaaquarium.com/store/product_info.php?cPath=71_74&products_id=1168 with different bulbs. Goes to show I really don't know how this works!

A dual T5HO was not what I was expecting, is this one with poor reflectors or something? I ask to learn, you see.
 
#6 ·
It's an HO. I don't really know what the difference is and haven't looked it up yet. I've been working a lot lately and that has been my excuse for everything this week.
 
#11 ·
Same boat. looking for more light for a 29. i have pressurized CO2. and would like to up the lighting from t5 no to ho but am wondering if since i have do have CO2 that the t5 ho dual will be ok. i intend to restock my plants once i get all my ducks in row. But my real question here is on the comment of glass versa tops. Glass is ok for a top but what about a plexi top ? does plexi allow light to pass through or am i shooting myself in the foot ? the black seam/hinge was a bother and i wanted to seal the tank tightly (jumpers) so i went plexi.
 
#13 · (Edited)
Okay, with the club's PAR meter, I am only getting 12-16 PAR at the substrate with the FishNeedIt light on the legs it came with. If I take it off the legs, I get 25-30, but I am concerned about heat with the light off the legs resting on the glass top. I think I need to look at other lights. I am now considering http://www.catalinaaquarium.com/store/product_info.php?cPath=71_198_200&products_id=1835 Do you think that would be better, Hoppy?
 
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