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Lighting Question

are these ok for ceph and a couple neps?

# 40 watts.
# 2775 lumens.
# 6500 Kelvin

???

From what im getting on the Lighting 101 it sounds like it Should be ok.

But I have a bit of a problem. I have a 29 gallon tank. And theirs probably A good 6-7 Inch hang off on each side. But I have a BUNCH of lights 4 twin tube strips. 8 bulbs in all. Suggestions on what I should do? The Tank is 18 inches deep too, going to be harder to get the plants up close with out a bunch of Space. Do you think the light bulbs will be strong enough?
 
If you have 8 lamps total, use all 8!
 
I have enough for maybe 3 strips not all 4.
 
Use as many as you can and try to contain the light as much as possible. I have 4 twin tubes also that I grow cephs/neps in a 4' x 5' area with. Some of my plants are as much as 12" from the lights and do fine, but there's little to no light escape. If your plants are small, stand them up on something inside of the tank.
 
yea I haven't had plants for almost 9 months, im getting deprived
and I'm finally getting a Ceph!


thanks for the help.
 
As for suggestions on possitioning the lamps, to start with, the ends of the lamps are the darkest part. The higest lumens are in the center of the bulbe, so the overhang wont hurt anything. I'll also suggest you place 4 bulbs on top and hang a 2 bulb lamp in the back of the aquarium. If they are the standard shop lamps, then all you need to do is drill a hole on the corners of the reflector. Place S hooks in the holes and then hang it in the back of the aquarium for additional side lighting.
I hope those instructions are understandable???
 
man! personally for me...since i use crappy lights myself for my neps...those lights sound amazing. Can u show me which is the light fixture with those 2000 lumen lights?? I really want to get mroe light for my neps. ???
 
The lights aren't any thing special I got them at Lowes.

I am more curious about the lights I posted in the URL, if any one has any information on them for me.
 
  • #10
I use 4 normal florescent bulbs for my cephs and they do fine.

xvart.
 
  • #11
I use mylar coated walmart T12's for all my plants, including my cephs, helis etc etc

and I am very pleased with their growth rate and colour... more lumens and more expense doesnt always equal a better light, you best do your research into the physics of light and the needs of your plants, not what light has the greatest lumen rating or the coolest looking reflector

my lights

Av
 
  • #12
Hey B,

I was thinking of purchasing a light like this:

http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_ViewI..._watt_T5_HO_10K_460nm_24in_Units~vendor~.html

I mean...I have got 2 fixtures. One of them was really worht it: a 4 foot T8 fixture for all my temperate table plants. The neps, I got them a 2 foot 2 tube T12 fixture (they don't have T8) and personally it SUCKS. :( I spent 65$ CDN on it and what's the point?? I mean instead I could get htis finished T5 fixture and it would give me more lumens than that crap. I cannot return it as I had to pop some holes in the fixture to pass the wires and I used the lights for a hr or so. I am still using it....but its worthless.

Its my opinion..that if you CANNOT USE 4 foot fxitures due to space constraints...you might as well spend some money to get good ones rather than try using cheap ones like I did and end up spending MORE + still facing low light issues. LESSON LEARNT for me :( and after like 80$ of money wastage.
 
  • #13
I use mylar coated walmart T12's for all my plants, including my cephs, helis etc etc

and I am very pleased with their growth rate and colour... more lumens and more expense doesnt always equal a better light, you best do your research into the physics of light and the needs of your plants, not what light has the greatest lumen rating or the coolest looking reflector

my lights

Av

Av8tor, how do you attach the mylar to the reflector?
 
  • #14
Elmer's brand spray craft glue... i start by cutting to approx size, then tape in a couple places on one side to start and spray as i lay it down..

and with the Elmer's, after a few months, it will release without a whole lot of effort if you want to replace the mylar... works very slick

my first few applications came out a little wrinkled, but now its a breeze to lay it down slick as can be

makes a big difference in fixture efficiency... just remember, half the bulb is pointed in the wrong direction :0o:

(and also the "Inverse Square Law for Light" tells us that applying mylar here will result in the single greatest gains in efficiency)




Varun,

I use my same bulb combination in a dual 15" T5 fixture for my isolation terrarium... and it works great..

Where a lot of the problem comes from is this affection for the term Lumen... Lumens is a measurement of light intensity as perceived by the human eye not plants.

The Human eye is most sensitive to the green and yellow wavelengths of the visible light spectrum, whereas plants use mostly the red and blue wavelenghts... which is why most plants look green to us..

Since this is the case, Lumens can actually be considered a measurement of light energy that the plant cannot use

My 4' lights use a bulb that focuses its energy in these red and blue wavelengths, so it looks very dim to me and its lumen rating is only 1,350!

when the energy is not focused correctly or when a light puts tons of energy into the green and yellow because they know that people expect the light to be bright or they know the customer expects a high lumen rating then its like a shotgun compared to a sniper rifle, each will do the job.. but one can do it a whole lot more efficiently and with less electricity and heat generation

forget lumens, look for wattage and spectra and/or PAR... a million lumens wont grow a single plant if it is all in the wrong spectrum

say im crazy if you want, but look at my plants and tell me that my poor weak 1,350 lumen bulbs are starving them for light

its all basic physics and the law of conservation of energy

class dismissed, read the next chapter by tomorrow, test on friday... hehehehe


Av
 
  • #15
Ok Thanks for all that help...

The thing is I dont have any where to fit my 30 gallon tank, and hang the Shop lights. I'm not doing it from the celling for obvious reasons. And I'm not going to go build a frame for one 30 gallon tank to support the lights. I'm going off to college, and Ill need something that doesn't take up allot of space. (aka 4 shop lights).

The reason I made mention of those lights, is because Elgecko uses them and I know that it works for him. And AGAIN, if I have a 29 Gallon fish tank, that is 30in. long, Would the 30in lamp be the right size? Or whats the deal?
 
  • #16
sorry for the tangent nep, my fault mate...
 
  • #17
I used them. They are fabulous. BUT I got an off brand to save cash, and it burned out and doesn't work anymore. It's in the basement right now. I was stupid and didn't research my purchase first and wasted money.

But while it did work, it was nice. Some of the lights can accept either a 50 (I think it's 50) OR a 65 watt lamp. Measure first because while mine would run a 65 watt lamp, the 65 watt lamp did not physically fit in the unit when I got it.

If you have an aquarium that is 30 inches long, it makes sense to get a light that is 30 inches long :) If you can afford a dual lamp fixture, get that.
 
  • #18
I understand what you mean and I totally agree, Sensei. :jester: I totally need something that is the most effective for the size and considering I am having issues with plant colour and infact as bad as pitchering. So....for a small size: 2 feet. Is there something you can suggest me Av?? lol!
 
  • #20
I don't see 31 inches. I see 30 inches long, 2.5 inches tall, 7.25 inches wide. Even if it was 31 inches long, so what? Who cares about a half inch hanging off both sides.
 
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