Re: CP for 90 gallon plant tank

["Giancarlo Podio" <gp at isaconsulting_com>]

Hi Scott,

I may be wrong but if you don't want to get into CO2 and fertilizers then
you probably want to stay under 2 watts per gallon. I've always had low
light planted tanks and they were usually around 1.5wpg of standard
flourescent lighting. When I moved up to stronger lighting I found that
fertilization and CO2 was not optional, without it the only thing I was
growing was algae. I would think 3 or 4 x 40W T12 tubes or 2 x 55W or 96W CF
tubes would be sufficient for a low-medium light, no CO2 tank. Regarding the
tubes, I use a mixture of 6500K and 10000K (more 65000K than 10000K), if you
are going to have only one tube on each side then you probably want to go
with the lower 65000K. I have found that my CF setup does need cooling but
the standard T12 tubes are fine with just convectional cooling by way of
some air vents.

Hope that helps
Giancarlo Podio

----- Original Message -----
  a.. To: <Aquatic-Plants at actwin_com>
  b.. Subject: CP for 90 gallon plant tank
  c.. From: "Scott D. Goett" <sdgoett at att_net>
  d.. Date: Wed, 9 Apr 2003 12:10:36 -0400
  e.. Importance: Normal
  f.. In-reply-to: <200304091032.h39AWSUr009648 at otter_actwin.com>

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I am looking to light my 90 gallon tank with wooden canopy (48" wide).  I am
pretty sure I am going to go with retrofit compact fluorescents.  I am
hoping to fill the tank with a lot of freshwater plants and fish.  I don't
plan on getting into the heavy supplementing and CO2 stuff.  There is also a
chance I may make the tank a brackish tank, but probably not salt.  The
three major systems I am looking at are the JBJ retrofit dx-rdx 48" with 4
65watt bulbs (total 260watts),  the AH Supplies retrofit 4 96 watt bulb
(total 384 watts) bright kit ("the beast"), or the Hellolights PC/CF 46.5" 4
96 watt bulbs retro kit (total 384 watts).
	The JBJ comes with 7100K blue bulbs and 10,000K or 6500K bulbs depending on
whom you buy it from.  The cheapest place I found was 239.99 without
shipping.
	The AH supplies costs 214.99 without shipping and bulbs.  There bulbs are
32.99-36.99 each.  So I can get any type of bulb I want with that.
	The Hellolights is the most expensive at 365.99 and they let you chose any
combination of bulb you want.
	So my questions are:  Which system is the best and why?  Is this too much
light for a 90 gallon?  Should I go smaller?  Which types of bulbs and what
combination do you recommend?  If the back of the canopy is open, would that
much lighting need a cooling fan?

Scott