I have a low tech 48"L x 12"D x unkn"H 55 gallon long tank.
No pressurized CO2, HOB bio-wheel filter and a no-name powerhead for current/DIY CO2 diffusion.
When it fills in, it will be a heavily planted tank.
I run a 48" CurrentUSA NOVA extreme, 2x54W HO T5 for 108W with the supplied 10KK and Actinic bulb
plus
a 48" ZooMed "FloraSun"~5K 32W NO T6? with a DIY "parabolic-esque" reflector.
This works out to 2.5 WPG, 108W being HO T5. It seems fairly bright, and the plants are all growing fine. I did a trim after one month to propgate / even out the growth of my stem plants. The lights are mounted about 3-4 inches above the tanks trim.
Is this enough light? I need advice/suggestions.
When giving advice, keep in mind I like the color rendition of this setup, with the actinic in back, the 10KK in the middle, and the ghetto 32W 5K up front. I use the 32W alone to start and finish the photo period, simulating a one hour red dawn/dusk, and then all 3 for the main period.
Should I be using a 4x54W HO T5 setup? Will swapping the actinic for a 50/50, 6700K or 10KK be of benefit? Is there an inexpensive parabolic reflector like TEK has that I could get cheaply to bump up the output of the 32W florasun.
Would placing the lights directly on top of the tank (no glass cover) be of benefit?
Looking for answers to keep my tank happy and healthy. Thanks.
No pressurized CO2, HOB bio-wheel filter and a no-name powerhead for current/DIY CO2 diffusion.
When it fills in, it will be a heavily planted tank.
I run a 48" CurrentUSA NOVA extreme, 2x54W HO T5 for 108W with the supplied 10KK and Actinic bulb
plus
a 48" ZooMed "FloraSun"~5K 32W NO T6? with a DIY "parabolic-esque" reflector.
This works out to 2.5 WPG, 108W being HO T5. It seems fairly bright, and the plants are all growing fine. I did a trim after one month to propgate / even out the growth of my stem plants. The lights are mounted about 3-4 inches above the tanks trim.
Is this enough light? I need advice/suggestions.
When giving advice, keep in mind I like the color rendition of this setup, with the actinic in back, the 10KK in the middle, and the ghetto 32W 5K up front. I use the 32W alone to start and finish the photo period, simulating a one hour red dawn/dusk, and then all 3 for the main period.
Should I be using a 4x54W HO T5 setup? Will swapping the actinic for a 50/50, 6700K or 10KK be of benefit? Is there an inexpensive parabolic reflector like TEK has that I could get cheaply to bump up the output of the 32W florasun.
Would placing the lights directly on top of the tank (no glass cover) be of benefit?
Looking for answers to keep my tank happy and healthy. Thanks.