Reply With QuoteYes, most of us use normal household PLs or FLs for planted tanks, successfully... as long as they meet wattage requirements and are at 6,500K.
Hi all,
this is basically a continuation of my previous posting about growing plant.
I like to know if any of you guys have a successful planted tank that only use fluorescence light. I have 4x2x2 tank with 4 philips aqaurelle. I realised now that I have to add more light. I will add another 2 to make it 6 X 36 watts hopefully will be enough.
What I like to know is what light/brand I should use. Aquarelle apparently is not that good for plant. I have this tank since December last year and plants are dying. It's a combination of not enough light and wrong light selection I think. Some of the members already pointed out that the current setup is not enough.
Please help.
Resistance is futile, you will be administrated!
Yes, most of us use normal household PLs or FLs for planted tanks, successfully... as long as they meet wattage requirements and are at 6,500K.
Vincent - AQ is for everyone, but not for 'u' and 'mi'.
Why use punctuation? See what a difference it makes:A woman, without her man, is nothing.
A woman: without her, man is nothing.
That case phillips Aquarelle is good then it's 10000K?
Growlux as the name suggest it's for growing (plants)?
Just some info on colour temperature (kelvins):
The Kelvins (K) is used to measure the colour "temperature". Lower K (<4000K) is more reddish. While higher K (>=10,000K) is bluish.
The K numbers actually corresponds to the colour of the light emitted when a black body heated to that temperature.
Low <-----------------Kelvin--------------------> High
Red ---- Orange ---- Yellow ---- White ---- Blue
It does not mean that high K is better than low K. It simply describe the colour and that's all it does.
BC
Ooops, so like what Vincent saying I should use 6500K because it's good for plants. I thought the more Kelvin the better, silly me.
I didn't actually know that[] [
Thanks for the info. So I should just try some different ones with 6500k.
thank you[] [
Resistance is futile, you will be administrated!
6,500K cos is close to natural sunlight which is what plants are used to.
More important is that the lamps must be full spectrum, i.e. emitting the full range of colours of the light specturm. Low K lights are reddish and most likely emmiting alot of reds and less or zero of other colours. High K lights, more blues.
6,500K lights are more likely to emit a mix of colours similar to sunlight.
Special plant lights, are made to be high in certain colours that plants prefer. Most hobbyist find the higher cost of these lights far outweigh the advantages.
Vincent - AQ is for everyone, but not for 'u' and 'mi'.
Why use punctuation? See what a difference it makes:A woman, without her man, is nothing.
A woman: without her, man is nothing.
As long as it is around 6500K should be usuable.
I used to use 4 x Philips 36W TLD/865 FL tubes for my 4x1.5x1.5 tank.
The tubes are so cheap. I recently saw they are selling for $2.50 each at NTUC. There's also a brighter version of FL from Hitachi called EBT (extra bright tubes). More expensive.
Anyway, now I converted to 6 x AEC PL 36W 6500K.
koah fong
Juggler's tanks
thanks guys.
I'll let you know how it gows in a couple of months.
Good luck!!!
Along the way, do let us know if you need any help.
BC
Hmm, I'm using 6 X 36W PLs also. I think they're just about enough. My hairgrass are growing OK, but the MM plant is streaking to the sky, I think the 2ft height of the tank is just too "deep"
Actually if I want to increase my lights, not sure how I'll do this, since I have 3 X light fixtures with 2 X 36 PLs each, don't think I have space for 1 more. Any other way to increase the Wattage without having more fixtures? Do these PLs come in like 40W?
eggz
Eggs, how deep is your tank? DO you use CO2 injection?
I checked yesterday, I think I can fit 7 light under the hood but I will have to rearrange the ballast carefully.
My tank's 2ft deep and I do have CO2 injection.
Are you using DIY lights? how do you re-arrange the ballasts?
eggz
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On 8/30/2002 9:47:07 AM
Eggs, how deep is your tank? DO you use CO2 injection?
I checked yesterday, I think I can fit 7 light under the hood but I will have to rearrange the ballast carefully.
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Well I have to install another 3 ballast, starters in already cramp place at the back of the hood. So I have to rearange the existing ballast closer to each other.
Your tank is 2'deep like mine and you have 6 FL? The plants growing well?
What type of plants do you have? Any photo?
Thanks
You also can mount the ballast remotely under your tank instead.
BC
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