Will my light enough?

IwagumiGuy99 · 07-11-2012, 12:23 PM

Hi, this is my first post in this forum.

I want to ask if my light enough for my aquarium.I have decided to plant a carpet of glossostigma some dwarf hairgrass and also some riccia. My lightning is a metal halide which is 70 watt.My tank is 2 feet tall,2 feet long and 1 feet wide.

WestHaven · 07-11-2012, 01:08 PM

2x2x1 = 4 cubic feet = about 30 gallons. 70 watts / 30 gallons = 2.33 watts/gallon. I think you'll be fine.

Rainer · 07-11-2012, 01:18 PM

Isn't the watts per gallon rule only for T8 and T12 fixtures?

specks · 07-11-2012, 01:18 PM

The WPG rule is useless. Refer to the sticky in the lighting section or wait for the experts to chime in.

flight50 · 07-11-2012, 05:01 PM

I am no expert but I can pitch in a little. Hoppy is the man when it comes to this.The wpg rule is out dated now. At one point that is all we knew for a go by but technology has changed and there are so many different types and variables of lighting now. The wpg was based on everyone using the same lighting fixture for pretty much the same tank which back then were fluorescent tubes, then came compacts, metal halide, led, and cfl and so forth. A fixture can have the same wpg as another on a particular tank but the light itself would react differently given it has different properties. Thus the best way to measure light now is the PAR value.

07-11-2012, 12:23 PM	#1
IwagumiGuy99 Newbie (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Malaysia Posts: 1	Will my light enough? Hi, this is my first post in this forum. I want to ask if my light enough for my aquarium.I have decided to plant a carpet of glossostigma some dwarf hairgrass and also some riccia. My lightning is a metal halide which is 70 watt.My tank is 2 feet tall,2 feet long and 1 feet wide.

07-11-2012, 01:18 PM	#3
Rainer Wannabe Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (17/100%) Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: TN Posts: 1,527	Isn't the watts per gallon rule only for T8 and T12 fixtures? __________________ 29g high tech, 10g low tech halfmoon, and please see my 5g crescent journal.

07-11-2012, 01:18 PM	#4
specks Planted Member (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Philippines Posts: 166	The WPG rule is useless. Refer to the sticky in the lighting section or wait for the experts to chime in. __________________ 18 gallon low-tech planted community

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07-11-2012, 01:08 PM	#2
WestHaven Planted Tank Obsessed (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Gaylord, MI (formerly in West Haven, CT) Posts: 340	2x2x1 = 4 cubic feet = about 30 gallons. 70 watts / 30 gallons = 2.33 watts/gallon. I think you'll be fine.

07-11-2012, 05:01 PM	#5
flight50 Planted Tank Obsessed (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: dfw Posts: 450	I am no expert but I can pitch in a little. Hoppy is the man when it comes to this.The wpg rule is out dated now. At one point that is all we knew for a go by but technology has changed and there are so many different types and variables of lighting now. The wpg was based on everyone using the same lighting fixture for pretty much the same tank which back then were fluorescent tubes, then came compacts, metal halide, led, and cfl and so forth. A fixture can have the same wpg as another on a particular tank but the light itself would react differently given it has different properties. Thus the best way to measure light now is the PAR value.