Calculating Watts Needed With T5's

[Duzzy]

Hi there,

are watts needed for t5's the same formula used for fluros? would 6x54watt t5's be enough/too much for a 4x2x2?

Regards Darren

 

[Colin_T]

a watt is a watt regardless of if it comes from a T8, T5 or halide.

6 x 54 w globes on a 4x2x2 should be fine for most plants. Some plants would like more light but most should grow under that amount of light.

 

[Duzzy]

Thanks Colin

a watt is a watt regardless of if it comes from a T8, T5 or halide.

6 x 54 w globes on a 4x2x2 should be fine for most plants. Some plants would like more light but most should grow under that amount of light.

 

[Rooster]

Its just not that simple Watts is a measurement of current, ie the amount of electricity taken.... it has NO relationship to "brightness" at all !

Take the example of "energy saving lamps" a rough guide is that a 20Watt lamp puts out the same "brightness" as a 100Watt bulb (incandescent)

T5 lamps are allegedly more efficient that T8 (Ive yet to be convinced) and have better coatings/gasses so should output more light... therefore it appears you would need less "watts" !

6x54watt t5's sounds way OTT to me, but I suppose it depends on what you have planned for the tank.

 

[Colin_T]

6 x 54w globes on a 4x2x2 is fine. The light will be needed to penetrate the deeper water in the tank.

 

[Duzzy]

6 x 54w globes on a 4x2x2 is fine. The light will be needed to penetrate the deeper water in the tank.

I am getting conflicting points of views here but never the less here is what I intend to plant

Plants.

Microsorum pteropus narrow leaf
Microsorum pteropus

Nymphea lotus “red tiger lotus”
or
Nymphea lotus “green tiger lotus”
or
Nymphaea lotus “malay red”

Echinodorus “Devils eye”
Echinodorus “red flame”
Echinodorus martii
Echinodorus tenellus

Anubias Nana

Cryptocorne Becketii
Cryptocorne Wendtii “brown and green”
Cryptocorne Petchii
Cryptocorne Undulata

Blyxa japonica

 

[Colin_T]

basically the deeper the water the more light you need to penetrate it. In a shallow tank of 12inches high that amount of light would be a massive amount. In a tank that is 18inches high it would be heaps, but in a 2ft high tank it will be a reasonably good amount. If the tank was 3ft high then it wouldn't be much at all. Fluoros are great for shallow water (up to about 18inches) but not so good for deeper water. They just don't have the intensity to be able to penetrate deep water. T5 fluoros can do 2ft of water but that is pretty close to their limit. They will be fine on that tank tho. And if you find it is too much light (unlikely but possible) then you can simply turn a couple off.

Have you thought about getting a couple of 150watt metal halides instead of the T5s? They would use fractionally (only a tiny bit) less power but would be ample for that tank.

 

[Duzzy]

Have thought about metal halides but finding them at a good price here has been a challenge.

basically the deeper the water the more light you need to penetrate it. In a shallow tank of 12inches high that amount of light would be a massive amount. In a tank that is 18inches high it would be heaps, but in a 2ft high tank it will be a reasonably good amount. If the tank was 3ft high then it wouldn't be much at all. Fluoros are great for shallow water (up to about 18inches) but not so good for deeper water. They just don't have the intensity to be able to penetrate deep water. T5 fluoros can do 2ft of water but that is pretty close to their limit. They will be fine on that tank tho. And if you find it is too much light (unlikely but possible) then you can simply turn a couple off.

Have you thought about getting a couple of 150watt metal halides instead of the T5s? They would use fractionally (only a tiny bit) less power but would be ample for that tank.