# Lighting Question



## Magdelaine (Apr 9, 2005)

I thought I was OK with my new "used" 29 gallon aquarium when I looked at the hood and saw it was a flourescent. Come to find out the standard wattage for a 24" fixture, which is its length, is only 20 watts. That makes for a measly .7 watts per gallon! 

Now I was planning a low tech, low light planted tank anyway, but isn't that a little TOO low? Do I have to get a special fixture to replace it? A quick search for higher wattage options revealed it would be an investment of $80 and up to replace it! Is this right?


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## Damon (Jan 18, 2005)

You can get a fixture for cheaper. a 29 gallon tank is 36 inches correct? If so then you buy a new 36 inch fixture or retrofit the one you have using a kit from AHsupply.com. Their 55 watt kit is approx $42.00 but you will have to get a bulb also. You can also look at aquatraders.com


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## DavidDoyle (Jan 18, 2005)

Nope Simpte a 29 gal is only 30 inches long- its basically a tall 20L. You have two easy choices here. One is to get a 2nd 24 in. bulb strip for the front of the tank or to get a twin tube 24, However, the twin tube strip really requires the glass top designed for it.


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## Magdelaine (Apr 9, 2005)

I could use the 36 or 55 watt kit from AHsupply on my 29" hood; but with the cost of the bulb and shipping it's pretty close to the $80 I found elsewhere (although I like the way the kits are made).

Now, a twin tube 24 David? Would that require replacing the entire hood? And how would I fit a second fixture to the front? Would I have to build a special hood to accomodate 2? I have a much better chance of doing this if I can get the parts at the local Home Depot...


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## Damon (Jan 18, 2005)

Funny thing is a twin tube will cost as much as a PC fixture. Look for a T5 fixture. It will be much cheaper.
http://www.bigalsonline.com/catalog/product.xml?product_id=32847;category_id=1853;pcid1=1843;pcid2=
$36.99 for twin T5s at 18 watts per bulb. 36 watts over 29 gallons is just over 1wpg. Enough for low light plants as T5s are very efficient and give good coverage.


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## Magdelaine (Apr 9, 2005)

Oh yeah, that is about my speed Simpte. It's less than $50, shipped. Seems like it's a good solution. It's a 29 gallon tank, and rather deep, but still it would be more than a watt per gallon and probably ok for the plants I want to grow. I had been hoping that I could get away with not having to do more specialized lighting, but I really want to keep healthy plants.

Out of curiosity, has anyone here kept plants on .5 wpg? I don't think it would work for me especially because of the depth of the tank, but it would be interesting to know.


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## Damon (Jan 18, 2005)

Never that low lighting. I have kept at just over 1wpg and they grew, although very slowly.


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## DavidDoyle (Jan 18, 2005)

My lowest light level tank is a 20L with a single 18w t-8 tube.

I use only glass tops, cept for one old full hood which I consider to be a pos. For 12 in wide tanks glass tops are generally available in two styles based on whether you use a single or twin tube fixture.

A twin tube fluor by allglass is $38 at Bigs- however he wont ship glass tops.

What most plant mavens don't tell you is power compacts, esp the kits from AH Supply, with their super quality reflectors, will encourage algae on a lot of the slower growers like anubias and java fern. I have removed a lot of these plants from tanks with power compacts or been forced to shade them under other plants.


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## Damon (Jan 18, 2005)

I use only glass tops said:


> Yes algae can be a problem with slow growers but these are not PC fixtures. They are T5 which are H.O. Flourescents. And the amount of lighting that would be over this tank would be o.k. for plants of this sort.


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## Lydia (Feb 6, 2005)

Would it work if I somehow fit a small flourescent fixture (like is used under cabinets.....if I can find one with more watts than the one I have now) into my hood and put in aquarium grade bulbs?


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## Damon (Jan 18, 2005)

Retrofitting is an option, but not the way you are thinking. When dealing with Flourescent lights, every wattage is a different size bulb (IE 18 inches=15 watts, 24 inches=20 watts).


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## Lydia (Feb 6, 2005)

ohhhh.....I get yah. Would it work if I somehow put 2 side by side?


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## Damon (Jan 18, 2005)

If you have a glass canopy, you could put them front and back. Its commonly done when people want to mix and max or have the extra fixtures around and don't want to upgrade and have 2 fixtures not in use.


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## Magdelaine (Apr 9, 2005)

I think I won't let the current lighting stand in my way of getting the tank started; I've still got to get a filter and plan how I'm going to heavily plant the tank, get substrate etc. 

Then I will see how things do and upgrade when I can. You've got a lot of decisions to make yourself, Simpte, what with a new 75 gallon and all... (I'm jealous!!)


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## Damon (Jan 18, 2005)

I haven't been updating the user Journal but I'm almost done. Here's what I have so far..............

75 gallon tank
Lighting : 4x65 PC fixture (2 8000K bulbs, 2 10000K bulbs)
Renal Filstar XP3 Filter
5lb CO2 tank with JBJ regulator/solenoid/bubblecounter
2 250 watt Submersible heaters (visitherm)
Stand (Have to just go and Pick it up)
Substrate ?????? (I change my mind on this everyday)


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