High lights?

[newbieplanter]

What would be concidered high or very high lighting for a 20gal deep?
I have two 6500k bulbs on there now 20Watts ea 24" long.

[stevenjohn21]

Check Hoppy's light chart, it wiill depend on how good the ballasts are.

[mitchfish9]

Steven is correct, the ballasts and the quality of the reflector are big factors, not just the wattage of the bulbs

[Yankee]

Also, how high is the light from the bottom of the tank? It'd probably be easier if you just linked us the fixture.

[newbieplanter]

Originally Posted by Yankee

Also, how high is the light from the bottom of the tank? It'd probably be easier if you just linked us the fixture.

K from the bulbs to the substrate its about 16" and from bulbs to tank bottom as if it had no sub its about 19". The ballasts are cheap ones and there are no reflectors I do wanna put acrylic mirror so there's something there also upgrade the ballasts to a single ballast that will run both bulbs I know the transformers are no good for what I'm tring to do. My question is this what would I have to get for this to be concidered a high light tank? Thought the first question was clear enough. I know right now it's a low light the way it's set up. Here's pics of the light system.

http://i855.photobucket.com/albums/a...ps59601e51.jpg


http://i855.photobucket.com/albums/a...ps78598bb1.jpg

[Seattle_Aquarist]

Originally Posted by newbieplanter

What would be considered high or very high lighting for a 20gal deep?
I have two 6500k bulbs on there now 20Watts ea 24" long.

Hi newbieplanter,

Obviously you have two T12 bulbs over your tank. I am going to assume that you have about 2" of substrate and some sort of aluminum reflector behind the bulbs. If you have a 'standard 20H' (16.8" tall) I would estimate your PAR reading would be less than 30.......low light. If you have a 20XH (23.8" tall) I would estimate your PAR reading at less than 20.....low light.

[newbieplanter]

Originally Posted by Seattle_Aquarist

Hi newbieplanter,

Obviously you have two T12 bulbs over your tank. I am going to assume that you have about 2" of substrate and some sort of aluminum reflector behind the bulbs. If you have a 'standard 20H' (16.8" tall) I would estimate your PAR reading would be less than 30.......low light. If you have a 20XH (23.8" tall) I would estimate your PAR reading at less than 20.....low light.

What bulbs would I have to get to make it a high light? I know I would have to go to T5s but how many bulbs,watts.

[Seattle_Aquarist]

Originally Posted by newbieplanter

What bulbs would I have to get to make it a high light? I know I would have to go to T5s but how many bulbs,watts.

Hi newbieplanter,

Unless you are going to be injecting CO2 you don't want to exceed medium to medium/low light, about a PAR reading of 50 or less. A T5HO fixture with two (2) each 24 watt 6700K bulbs (48 watts total) would be about right for your needs. Hagen and Coralife both make them.

BTW, yes those are T12 bulbs with starters.....you don't see those anymore.

[newbieplanter]

Originally Posted by Seattle_Aquarist

Hi newbieplanter,

Unless you are going to be injecting CO2 you don't want to exceed medium to medium/low light, about a PAR reading of 50 or less. A T5HO fixture with two (2) each 24 watt 6700K bulbs (48 watts total) would be about right for your needs. Hagen and Coralife both make them.

BTW, yes those are T12 bulbs with starters.....you don't see those anymore.

I'm getting the Co2 system this week Friday!