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Thread: Lighting for 3ft depth tank

  1. #1
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    Lighting for 3ft depth tank

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    Hi guys, has been planning for a 6footer planted for my living room.... but the tank is 3 ft deep.... what lighting is recommended? alot of t5s? 150 watt mh? or 250 watt mh? pls advice

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    Are you sure you want a 3ft depth tank since maintenance would definitely be a PITA. (You like putting your head into the tank water weekly for maintenance?)

    Regards
    Peter Gwee
    Plant Physiology by Taiz and Zeiger

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    i can imagine man........
    3 ft deep!
    he got to go inside the tank to do any serious planting!

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    totally agree..
    my tank is 2.5 ft.. and its a bitch I can tell you...
    which is why in the end.. i had to get a planter for the plants.. my nose already touching the water.. when i was planting my vallisneria..

    3ft.. you might need to to buy scuba gear!

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    Hi Chinmo,

    To answer your question, you definitely need MH lights.

    But like what others have said, unless you have super long arms, you will definitely regret getting a 3ft deep tank.

    I don't think you can reach the bottom of the tank, unless of course, you have a very low tank stand, or you planning to put the tank on ground level.

    Need to consider practical issues like, what if you need to change the gravel?
    - eric

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    height is a big problem
    i was thinking to get a custom 90cm L x 45cm B tank
    haven decided the height.
    normally its 45cm H as well
    but im considering 30cm instead.

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    erm...... i see.... is 2.5 ft height not that troublesome rite? will 150watts mh be enough?

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    2.5 ft will be better, but I still need a step laddar to reach the bottom of th tank. I have made the 'mistake' of getting a sump tank, so to incorporate the sump, plus enough elbow space, the tank maker had raised the height of the stand.

    Stand + height of the tank is about 5 feet.

    But if you planning to keep tall plants, 2.5 ft would be good.
    - eric

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    For 2ft/2.5ft in tank height, it's best to get MH. IMHO it's best to go for 2ft height (max) cos anything heigher than that, when algae strikes the maintenance will kill your interest.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Chinmo View Post
    erm...... i see.... is 2.5 ft height not that troublesome rite? will 150watts mh be enough?
    Nope, you will need at 250w unless you're keeping low-light plants.

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    here's what i did when i was deciding on what size of tank to get..

    I got several pieces of cardboard and then taped it together.. to the size of my cabinet and tank.. then i placed it to the location where i want it to be.. after looking at it from my perspective.. i took a picture it too.. to see it from another perspective...

    I suppose with this simple illustration.. you could also see for yourself.. just how much work you need to do.. when you need to replant or replace the gravel or tank cleaning.. etc etc..

    2.5 and 3 ft depth.. is huge... its a hobby.. and sometimes, becuase its a hobby, the initial excitement is that we dun mind doing alot of things for it.. but in the long run.. its also better to plan ahead.. certainly we dun want it to become a bane....

    I suppose you have already accounted for the amount of water that is required for the tank..

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    Quote Originally Posted by bk707 View Post
    here's what i did when i was deciding on what size of tank to get..

    I got several pieces of cardboard and then taped it together.. to the size of my cabinet and tank.. then i placed it to the location where i want it to be.. after looking at it from my perspective.. i took a picture it too.. to see it from another perspective...

    I suppose with this simple illustration.. you could also see for yourself.. just how much work you need to do.. when you need to replant or replace the gravel or tank cleaning.. etc etc..

    2.5 and 3 ft depth.. is huge... its a hobby.. and sometimes, becuase its a hobby, the initial excitement is that we dun mind doing alot of things for it.. but in the long run.. its also better to plan ahead.. certainly we dun want it to become a bane....

    I suppose you have already accounted for the amount of water that is required for the tank..

    hahaha.... that's what i plan to do also...

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    How about t5s? say i squeeze 6 x 54 watts?

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    I'd still get MH, they're the best in depth penetration imho. They look cool too

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    Agree with |squee| on the intensity of the MH bulbs and the cool shimmering effect you'll get in your aquaria but there is a flip side as well: HEAT! You'll definitely need a chiller in our kind of climate. And for the tank size you're planning for, you'll need either 3 single-bulb pendants or a 6 footer one. Good MH lights are not cheap... then there's the electricity bill....

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    Splendid Warrior, you just killed his interests ... ?!?


    Hows the progress Chinmo ?

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