PAR Data-Spiral Power Saver Bulbs, lighting question

[gregor]

Hey all, first post.

What do you guys/gals think of (4) 26w 6500k spiral CFLs in brooder lamps above a 60 gallon tank? Will be sitting directly on a glass top. Looking for low-ish light. Will be using Excel.

The tank is ~24" tall, 48" wide.

I know it won't be exact, just looking for anecdotal information here from someone with a similar setup.

Thanks!

[m00se]

Originally Posted by gregor

Hey all, first post.

What do you guys/gals think of (4) 26w 6500k spiral CFLs in brooder lamps above a 60 gallon tank? Will be sitting directly on a glass top. Looking for low-ish light. Will be using Excel.

The tank is ~24" tall, 48" wide.

I know it won't be exact, just looking for anecdotal information here from someone with a similar setup.

Thanks!

Check this thread for more ideas too:

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/li...-solution.html

[gregor]

Originally Posted by m00se

Check this thread for more ideas too:

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/li...-solution.html

That's exactly where I got the idea actually. It's low rent, but I don't mind. My concern is penetrating the 22" (after substrate).

I see you recommend here:

Originally Posted by m00se

Clamp lamps will work just fine on a 55. I think 4 would be ideal, since a 55 is 48" long and you can get 10" clamp lamps. I would *strongly* suggest you start with 13w CFLs rather than 23w because your aquarium will be new and you will struggle with the various algaes that pop up. 13w will be more than ample for your needs. I can't emphasize this enough. The #1 mistake people make is over-driving with light.

...that the guy with the 55g should start with the 13w bulbs instead of the 23w, which seems like sound advice. But I wonder, would you recommend that for me given I need to penetrate roughly 3 more inches of water than he does?

thanks!

[m00se]

Yea that thread has some interesting ideas doesn't it? Well, here is my thinking on the topic of wattage vs. penetration to the substrate etc.... If you have a new tank and you are still setting up your fertilization and CO2 methods and you don't currently have any high light plants, then starting at the low end and going up is better than starting bright and then dealing with the headache that will inevitably create, IMO. The price of CFL bulbs is so reasonable that swapping them out for higher or lower wattages is trivial really.

Look, the bottom line is that we want beautiful tanks, with healthy inhabitants, right? We all know that light drives the need for all other requirements. Ferts, CO2, animals, algae (and it's control) are all determined first by the amount of light energy available. I personally have a high light, CO2 driven, EI dosed, hugely productive (like major trim every week) 36" long tank with (3) 23w CFLs on it. Right next to it, I have a 15 gallon Aqueon kit tank with the 18" fluorescent bulb it came with, no CO2, no ferts, and 5 fish in it. I cull my trimmings from the bigger tank and plant that tank with them. I get as many compliments on that tank as I do the larger one. No, I can't grow HG or other high light plants in it (I think - I haven't tried but someday I might!) but the stems and moss and ferns are healthy and growing. I'm just not in there weekly with scissors. So, I guess it comes down to what you really want to do. Sometimes I wonder whether I would be happier with a super low tech tank with darned near no maintenance other than water changes...

Just keep in mind that if you're not OCD with your tanks, that the higher amount of light you put over it the more time and energy it will REQUIRE daily and/or weekly.

(big breath) So, to answer your question! I would start with 13 watt 6500k, and go from there.

HTH - Cheers

[m00se]

Almost forgot - I like to repeat this URL as much as I can because I personally think these dome lamps are A+++ WILL BUY AGAIN!!! for CFLs. They're more money than brooder lamps but they also keep light spill way down, which is my main b!tch with them. If you can hang them and not lay them down on your glass you could also put higher wattage bulbs in them to compensate the distance. I think they're a good product, and that price is half what the big box pet stores want for them.

Also, if you do want to go higher wattage than 23w, check e-bay for bulbs that photographers use. They have plenty of wattages you won't find at Lowes, etc..

http://goo.gl/Rh0BJ

[gregor]

That's very helpful, thanks! I'm going to take your advice and grab 4 10" domes (if I can find them, 8.5 seems readily available) and put 4 13w 6500k bulbs in them right atop the glass.

[gregor]

Got the 8.5" lights, and found Philips 13w 6500k bulbs. Four pack only $8.97 at HD.

It's bright lol. I'm glad I went with the 13w for now, without water or anything in the tank there is a lot of light spillage on the sides of the tank. The whole wall is lit up.

I'm going to black out the back of the tank somehow then probably spray paint the outside of the reflectors black.

[m00se]

Aight! Lookin good! When you fill it with water the spillover won't be as bad. Black background A+

Cheers

[Hoppy]

Are those reflectors sitting on a glass or acrylic cover over the top of the tank? If so, they may overheat badly. If not, they may fall into the tank. I would hang them so there is room for air to circulate into the open end of the reflectors, and so they can't fall into the tank.

There will be less light going out through the sides and ends of the tank, once you put water in the tank. Much of the light will reflect off the glass back into the tank.

[gregor]

Originally Posted by Hoppy

Are those reflectors sitting on a glass or acrylic cover over the top of the tank? If so, they may overheat badly. If not, they may fall into the tank. I would hang them so there is room for air to circulate into the open end of the reflectors, and so they can't fall into the tank.

There will be less light going out through the sides and ends of the tank, once you put water in the tank. Much of the light will reflect off the glass back into the tank.

They are sitting directly on top of a glass top. There is a little rubberish bar that serves as a hinge, and they make contact with that.

With these 13w bulbs, everything seems reasonable as far as the heat goes. After leaving them on since I bought them, nothing they are in contact with is hot. Barely even warm to be honest. The reflectors themselves get warm, but I wouldn't call them hot either.

Also, there's no way to fall in the tank unless the glass top was shifted way off the tank, and they are quite difficult to move.

I had concerns over the heat also, and I'm going to keep an eye on it. So far, so good.