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Re: Getting Attention (was CF Lighting)

> ------------------------------
> 
> Date: Thu, 21 Feb 2002 15:18:21 +0000
> From: "john chen" <algaecommando1 at hotmail_com>
> Subject: Getting Attention (was CF Lighting)
> 
> Maybe I'm just too new or a little impatient.  I wonder, why my question 
> keeps getting ignored?  Right around now, I'd settle for a link to previous 
> discussion or a website.  It seems like my question is too simple or not 
> worth the time of any of the online personallities.  Oh well.. I'll try once 
> more:
> 
> >A couple of questions; Do CF lights last longer than regular T-12 Flo
> >lights?  And a second question, I'm getting conflicting opinions from
> >various on-line sellers on this point; do I need more than 2-3 watts per
> >gallon of light to grow plants well in a 30" deep tank?

My experience is that the twin ("U"-tube) CFs are as long lived as most T12
lamps (far longer than many aquarium-shop lamps). The more powerful ones
often have published lifetimes of 10,000 hours (or maybe more).

I have very, very negative results with smaller "twister" and multi-"U"
lamps with screw-in ballasts. Many of those are surprisingly short-lived.
What is worse, no reasonable reflector design overcomes their inherent
restrike absorption, so the useful light is dramatically lower per Watt than
systems like AH Supply "Brite" lights.

You would like much less than 2-3W/G if the lights are as efficient as the
AH Supply kits. The plant growth, and need for supplements, CO2, etc., all
go up sharply with higher light, and algae can become a quick plague.

Based on my experience, I would start at lower light and work up gradually
as my gardening skills justify the higher maintenance effort. YMMV.

Wright

-- 
Wright Huntley -- 650 843-1240 -- 866 Clara Dr. Palo Alto CA 94303 
                    http://www.sfbaka.net.

   Instead of giving money to found colleges to promote
   learning, why don't they pass a constitutional amendment
   prohibiting anybody from learning anything? If it works as
   good as the Prohibition one did, why, in five years we would
   have the smartest race of people on earth. -- Will Rogers