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Re: [APD] 6 gallon nanocube



The only issue with the sprial tubes is the sprial itself,
which blocks a lot of the light -- a prisoner of its own
design, so to speak. But they are much more energy
efficient than incandescents and often the easiest upgrade
for a small aquarium.

All bulbs get dimmer with age -- incandescents
(conventional and halogen), fluorescents (straight tube,
u-tube, spirals), and even MHs. Incandescents dim steadily
in a linear fashion, while fluorescents dim quickly at
first and then more slowly the longer they are used.

Excel won't do what ample provision of CO2 will do, but
it's much better than doing without ;-)

Good luck, good fun.
Scott H.



--- Elaine T <ethompson77 at yahoo_com> wrote:

> 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. 
> >>    
> >>
> >
> >
> >  
> >
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Aquatic-Plants mailing list
> Aquatic-Plants at actwin_com
> http://www.actwin.com/mailman/listinfo/aquatic-plants
> 


* * * * * * * * * * *
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