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yogeek
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 Posted: Tue Aug 05, 2014 1:53 am Post subject: Lighting help |
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Hello all,
Need some help with low tech planted set up. Not sure if the light I have is adequate currently have boyu -60 comes with 2x 10 w t8 fixtures. Photo period 5-6 hours just 1 light on most of the time. Plants in the tank amazon sword, bacopa moneri, Java fern,gold anubias,anubia petite.
Use flourish excel thrice a week dasage as recommended. Substrate used is Ada Amazon soil. Just started using leaf zone for iron and potassium. Plants are fine no major casualty but no growth as such. I want more plants but not sure if light is sufficient.
Would be helpful if can recommend best lights for my aquarium.
Thanks |
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Nidhi
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Location: Bangalore, Prakashnagar.
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| Posted: Tue Aug 05, 2014 10:28 am Post subject: Re: Lighting help |
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Hi Yogeek,
Ferns and Anubias might not have problem, but will grow dead slow , Other plants need at least trice the current wattage or else they will wilt slowly..
Try to upgrade to at least 60-70 watts of PLL or T5 tubes.. I feel 2 numbers of 36 watts PLL will be good enough. |
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yogeek
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| Posted: Tue Aug 05, 2014 12:13 pm Post subject: Re: Lighting help |
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Thanks nidhi,
Will defo consider your recommendation..just a minor issue with my 10w lamp wen ON one of the neon tetra hides and does not come out except when feeding. Post the lights off comes out and enjoys swimming. I have a batch of 8 healthy neons just 1 seems skittish. Not sure if high wattage would affect.
Also do you think tinted T5 blue, red make any difference to plants. Heard a lot about LED lamps but have no clue :-( any recommendation |
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Nidhi
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| Posted: Tue Aug 05, 2014 1:23 pm Post subject: Re: Lighting help |
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Tainted tubes are not worth trying.. Coolday light is the best (6500K).
LED are good if you can procure the parts and DIY it. Or be ready for to spend a large amount for a ready made ones.
And as for the skittish neon.. give it some time. And they will be accustomed to the lighting. |
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josyjames
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| Posted: Tue Aug 05, 2014 4:42 pm Post subject: Re: Lighting help |
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I would suggest you to first check the options of expanding or replacing the tubes which is there by default with the readymade tank.
See if you would be able to remove the existing light and replace the tubes with 2 x 36Watts nos PLL tubes and its ballast. Ballast can be still placed outside of the tank. Firstly see if you can attach the pll to the hood. |
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yogeek
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| Posted: Tue Aug 05, 2014 6:47 pm Post subject: Re: Lighting help |
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| Thanks Shelly & srinidhi would love to replace the fixture the entire hood is old school and it's got my top filter attached to it. If I try replacing it would be a mess. Thanks for suggesting though I will consider my options for the time being would try and get the led fixtures or high wattage T8. What are your thoughts on these http://m.ebay.in/itm?itemId=301049941517 ? |
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Nidhi
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| Posted: Wed Aug 06, 2014 9:19 am Post subject: Re: Lighting help |
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Those LED are as good as regular T8 tubes..And then you will have to buy heatsinks and drivers for them..
You will need atleast 4 of them to get the desired result.. T5 and PLL are much efficient than these LED's.
People have tried and discarded them later.. So, its up to you. |
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josyjames
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| Posted: Wed Aug 06, 2014 10:01 am Post subject: Re: Lighting help |
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| More over the link that you had posted is listing a Royal blue led which is not required for a planted tank. |
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yogeek
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| Posted: Wed Aug 27, 2014 10:27 pm Post subject: Re: Lighting help |
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Hi all still unable to fix the light issue. Cannot find higher wattage t8's stuck due to fixed tank hood. Will replace it but for the time being is this good enough
http://m.ebay.in/itm?itemId=231309817131
Planning on the 60 w led, has heat sink, driver almost plug n play.
Would like to know what you guys think of it before I purchase one.
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josyjames
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| Posted: Thu Aug 28, 2014 4:42 pm Post subject: Re: Lighting help |
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I wouldn't be really suggesting those led's as the quality wouldn't be that good. But if you are not getting any other lights, you may go for it.
But make sure that you choose only Cool White spectrum. You really don't not Royal Blue for a planted tank. In addition, you don't need a dimmer for planted tank if you don't plan to implement a led controller separately. |
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yogeek
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| Posted: Thu Aug 28, 2014 7:18 pm Post subject: Re: Lighting help |
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| Thanks Shelly, will check out some led shops before plunging into this one to see if I get better quality not a fan of blue lights White is perfect. Thanks for dimmer input saved me some bucks. Will update incase I find the right one |
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yogeek
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Nidhi
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| Posted: Sun Nov 30, 2014 9:51 am Post subject: Re: Lighting help |
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| yogeek wrote (View Post):
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Hi all,
Is this light good for planted tank
Green Element EVO 24"-30" LED Aquarium Light Fixture - Plant 16x3W https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AS1JI0Y/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_F7vEub0T9KXTB
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Those lights are for marine setup, as they are rated for 10,000K color temperature, for planted tanks you should look for 6,000 to 8,000k., |
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yogeek
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| Posted: Sun Nov 30, 2014 1:44 pm Post subject: Re: Lighting help |
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| The ones I got are 6500 k 16 x 3w led fixture...hopefully it would be good enough for planted tank. This is the best I could get. |
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shyamhegde
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| Posted: Sun Nov 30, 2014 2:45 pm Post subject: Re: Lighting help |
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It will work if light spectrum is around 6500 as published by product lit.
Stay with minimal hours of lighting period, like 3_4 hours and watch for algae build etc closely and then increase the lighting period. I had got algae problem (PLL) every time I sent ambitious with lighting hour or could not maintain photo period steady for whatever the reason.
Also please share snaps of lights and tank. Also note detail on your led fixture procurement.
TIA
Shyamhegde |
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