[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]

Re: Sufficient lighting

Aquatic Plants Digest wrote:
> 
> Subject: sufficient lighting...
> 
> >Hi everyone!  I'm rather new to the hobby of keeping aquatic plants and
> >I've decided to set up one of my old 20 gal "high" tanks as planted
> >tank.  The only problem is that I can't figure out how to provide
> >sufficient lighting for the tank.  I figure that because the tank is 20
> >gal that I would want to provide 80 to 100 watts of light.

And why is is that you feel you need so much?  If you wish to light it using
watts as a guide, 2watts per gallon would be sufficient.  Most of the
common aquarium plants will respond well to this.

Karen wrote: 
> My rant for the day :-)
>  (snipped the rant part)8-)

> Personally, I run the two 20H tanks that we have with 40W over each.
> (easily accomplished with 2 20W strip lights)  Both have _excellent_
> growth, and contain many species including several "high light" species
> like Bacopa, Acorus, Lilaeopsis and Rotala macrandra.  All of these plants
> grow well enough to require regular division, and are lush and green.
> (Rotala is lush and red<g>)(I rest my case)
The wattage formula of 2W/gal or 3W/gal is adequate to determine the proper
lighting when using tubes, however I still believe it is necessary to 
investigate the Color Rendition Index of said tubes to get at least some idea
of where you're going.  In my calls to lighting dealers I have never had much
trouble obtaining this information.

Obviously, Karen has either done that and been there, or got lucky!  I doubt
that it is the latter.  8-)


Karl R. Schoeler