Re: [APD] 6 gallon nanocube

[Elaine T <ethompson77 at yahoo_com>]

Thanks.  I've read before that spiral lights are less efficient over 
tanks but I've not done the direct comparison myself. Given enough 
wattage, they can grow plants, though.  My light has definately darkened 
a bit since I got it in February.  The JBJ setup is a skinny CF lamp 
with a double tube and a polished but ventilated reflector.  Maybe it 
would be enough, especially given James H's nice results with 15W over 5 
gallons.  This tank will get Excel rather than CO2, but I'm getting 
uniformly nice results with Excel in my tanks.

http://www.jbjlighting.com/sys_6g_nanocube.html has the specs on the 
marine version.

>Message: 1
>Date: Fri, 02 Sep 2005 11:31:50 -0700
>From: Wright Huntley <whuntley at verizon_net>
>Subject: Re: [APD] 6 gallon nanocube
>To: aquatic-plants at actwin_com
>
>Elaine:
>
>Twisty (spiral) CFs are far less efficient than straight or "U" tubes, 
>IME. Restrike is only part of the problem, as the shape makes efficient 
>reflectors nearly impossible. The strong restrike also seems to cause 
>them to darken quickly in a hood. [Could be self destruction of the 
>phosphors, IDK?]
>
>The AH retrofit systems need to have a 1.6 (or more) multiplier applied 
>to the traditional 2 W/G rule, because they use straight skinny lamps 
>and efficient reflectors. If the JBJ setup is similar, the 18W could be 
>like 29W of ordinary fluorescent light, and probably more than adequate. 
>[I have no direct nanocube experience, so free advice is worth every 
>penny. :-)]
>
>I would never compare straight tubes to spiral tubes over an aquarium. I 
>have used lots of both, and the differences are quite dramatic.
>
>Wright
>
>Date: Fri, 02 Sep 2005 02:05:47 -0700
>From: Elaine T <ethompson77 at yahoo_com>
>Subject: [APD] 6 gallon nanocube
>To: aquatic-plants at actwin_com
>
>  
>
>>Has anyone tried growing plants in the JBJ 6 gallon Nano Cube?  It has 
>>18 watts of 5500K CF lighting, which seems rather low for that size 
>>tank.  If you did, what grew well?  I find that the 2-3 wpg rule 
>>breaks down dramatically for smaller tanks and 18 watts just doesn't 
>>sound like enough light.  My 2 gallon hex tank has a 14W spiral 5500K 
>>bulb over it and I can't grow higher light plants like Myriophyllum 
>>and Alternantheria very well.  (In case you're wondering, I'm 
>>fertilizing with PMDD and Flourish Excel, so I'm pretty sure it's 
>>light.)  I really don't want to buy a $99 tank only to have to jury 
>>rig it to get enough light. 
>>    
>>
>
>
>  
>

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