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REPLY: changing established tank to plant tank? CHEAP LIGHT READ!



>>Date: Thu, 25 Feb 1999 22:12:46 -0800
>>From: "Bev" <bevgreen at cygnus_uwa.edu.au>
>>I have a 120 gallon (48x24x24) aquarium with 4, one yr old ecentric discus
>>(fussy, shy etc) The tank has gravel, driftwood and plastic plants. I am
>>hoping to upgrade the lighting to 4 full length NO tube and plant the tank
Bev,
I have the same tank (AllGlassAquarium brand).  I purchased it w/ a hood
equipped with 2 Dual Tube Fixtures (AllGlassAquarium brand too).  Found 160W
to be insufficient.  Discarded hood (not the fixtures), and built a new one
that would accommodate a 3rd Dual Tube fixture.  Now I have 6 T12s 40W 48",
4 of them are GE Chroma75 rated at 7500K (getting old) and 2 of them are
VitaLite rated at 5500K and I find it fairly sufficient.  I keep the glass
bottom of the hood very clean and have reflectors installed in the fixtures.
This is alot of light for very little cost.

Mentioning this, because you don't state whether you've purchased the 4
fixture hood yet, it turns out to be an expensive attic ornament if you find
4 tubes are not enough. If you find though that 240W of light is too much,
you could look for T8 counterparts that would give you 196W.

I have an Oak Stand and Canopy w/ a small, low speed 120V muffin fan
installed on one end of the canopy to draw heat away, comes on and off with
the lights.  Don't know if it's neccessary, but I was afraid of the Heat
produced by the Lights.
The capony hides the ugliness of the 3 Dual Tube Fixtures, slight dull hum
of the fan goes undetected.
Peter
odwyerpw at bluecorp_com