lighting for 8'x2'x2' tank

To: aquatic-plants at actwin_com
Subject: lighting for 8'x2'x2' tank
From: alan at peewee_chinalake.navy.mil (Alan Van nevel)
Date: Wed, 16 Oct 1996 08:28:50 -0700
Posted-Date: Wed, 16 Oct 1996 08:26:59 -0700

I read with interest the comments on Don's monster tank, as I have just set
up the same size tank.  I am simply using for lighting 10 40 watt
fluorescents, a mix of gro-luxes and full daylight bulbs.  Why do people
keep insisting on metal halide , HO or VHO for the 2foot depth?  The
intensity does fall off at 1/r^2, but the extra 6 inches (compared to a 55
gallon tank) is not that critical,especially if you consider that the
actual depth will not be the full 24 inches.  Further, the attenuation
coefficient for visible light in freshwater is less than 0.003 for the
range 750nm to 375nm.  This results in a reduction of less than 7% due to
attenuation.

I agree you do need more light, but to get good results, I dont think one
needs to resort to the "big guns".

Alan Van Nevel
Naval Air Warfare Center, Weapons Division
alan at peewee_chinalake.navy.mil


    "Cry Havoc, and let slip the dogs of war!" -W.Shakespeare, _Henry V_