my tanks lights are only 15watt t8 tubes x2, the tank is a 24"x24"x24" 58 us gallons and is quite deep, i've since learnt that you need around 1watt per gallon which i am nowhere near, the light unit is 18" and cannot find anything to upgrade it with, so as far as i can see my only option is to replace the tubes with t6 and fit some reflectors any idea if i will be able to get any plants to grow with this set up, if not it looks like the tank may have to go.
Growing Plants With Low Lights
- Thread starter talisker
- Start date
three-fingers
Fish Connoisseur
Lights are fine, you could grow Java fern, mosses and Anubias spp. in there and even floating plants at the top. Choose your plants right and you dont need 1wpg, though more light gives you more plant options.
Lose the floating plants, and you could grow Cryptocoryne spp. in there too, though those guys would benefit from fertiliser, preferably plant substrate or root tablets instead of liquid fertiliser (just to keep things simple).
Reflectors would be a good idea for faster growth, but these are all slow growing plants anyway (apart from the floating plants).
It would probably be very easy to add another 1-2 light tubes though (even T5's) to be able to grow more species, but if you add too much you will just be compliacting things, and may have to look into CO2. Would just require a seperate lighting unit that sits outside the tank, and some clips to fir the bulbs onto the hood (or even attached to the other bulbs).
I personally would never bother with T6, the benefits arent worth the extra money they cost IMO.
Can you take pictures of the hood and lighting set-up?
Lose the floating plants, and you could grow Cryptocoryne spp. in there too, though those guys would benefit from fertiliser, preferably plant substrate or root tablets instead of liquid fertiliser (just to keep things simple).
Reflectors would be a good idea for faster growth, but these are all slow growing plants anyway (apart from the floating plants).
It would probably be very easy to add another 1-2 light tubes though (even T5's) to be able to grow more species, but if you add too much you will just be compliacting things, and may have to look into CO2. Would just require a seperate lighting unit that sits outside the tank, and some clips to fir the bulbs onto the hood (or even attached to the other bulbs).
I personally would never bother with T6, the benefits arent worth the extra money they cost IMO.
Can you take pictures of the hood and lighting set-up?
i was going to replace the tubes anyway as they don't seem very bright and i'm not sure how old they are as the tank is secondhand, the t6 tubes are only a couple of pounds more than the t8's thats why i thought about getting them, i did look at maybe getting t5's but i need 18" and they don't seem to be available in that size and i'm not sure i want to go to that expense anyway at the moment.
if i can get some of the plants to grow that you have mentioned i would be very happy ,when i saw the tank for sale it never even crossed my mind that the lights wouldn't be good enough to grow plants with, i can get some pics of the hood and lights but probably not untill the weekend, it has a double strip light down the middle of the tank and both of the lids are white plastic underneath
if i can get some of the plants to grow that you have mentioned i would be very happy ,when i saw the tank for sale it never even crossed my mind that the lights wouldn't be good enough to grow plants with, i can get some pics of the hood and lights but probably not untill the weekend, it has a double strip light down the middle of the tank and both of the lids are white plastic underneath
three-fingers
Fish Connoisseur
If the T6s are only a couple of pounds more, your buying your bulbs from the wrong places 
.
Just use regular daylight and cool-white (cool-white bulbs are more orangey than daylight bulbs, but give a nice affect together IMO) T8 bulbs to suit your taste in colour reproduction. You can buy these bulbs from places like B&Q, and even ordering them online is much cheaper including postage than buying aquarium specific bulbs - especially T6s. The plants really cant care less about the type of light as long as there is enough of it for them.
The T6's are more awkward because they don't form a watertight seal in light units (they are thinner than T8s) and you cant put reflectors on them without some DIY (again, because they are thinner). Having seen them used I'm also pretty sceptical about how much more light they even really give out compared to new T8's. They look brighter, but I think that's just because they are thinner, they light they give out is from a smaller place so looks more intense, while the total amount of light coming from them is probably only marginally better.
For the same price of a couple of T6 bulbs your could probably add another whole T8 or T5 bulb to the tank...which would be much better value for money and give better results.
Basically, using T6 bulbs would be an expensive may of only getting marginally better light than you already have.
BTW, aquarium T5 lighting units be be far more expensive, but they are very cheap to put together, and easy too.
I could add a T5 bulb to pretty much any tank for *adds up in head* for about £30 total. It's just a case of buying a lighting ballast, buying a cheap daylight T5 tube, buying the waterproof light fittings and adding a plug. The connections are just push-fit (power and light fitting cables into ballast) and the ballast has a clear diagram on it that show you where to connect them.
Adding another T8 tube would also be about the same price, just a slightly easier because you could just buy a proper aquarium light unit and not have to attach any wires.
Adding 2 extra tubes instead of one would only add about a tenner onto the price, since you can get ballasts and light units that can power two tubes at a time for only a little extra.
You can even look for second hand lighting units and do it even cheaper.
.Just use regular daylight and cool-white (cool-white bulbs are more orangey than daylight bulbs, but give a nice affect together IMO) T8 bulbs to suit your taste in colour reproduction. You can buy these bulbs from places like B&Q, and even ordering them online is much cheaper including postage than buying aquarium specific bulbs - especially T6s. The plants really cant care less about the type of light as long as there is enough of it for them.
The T6's are more awkward because they don't form a watertight seal in light units (they are thinner than T8s) and you cant put reflectors on them without some DIY (again, because they are thinner). Having seen them used I'm also pretty sceptical about how much more light they even really give out compared to new T8's. They look brighter, but I think that's just because they are thinner, they light they give out is from a smaller place so looks more intense, while the total amount of light coming from them is probably only marginally better.
For the same price of a couple of T6 bulbs your could probably add another whole T8 or T5 bulb to the tank...which would be much better value for money and give better results.
Basically, using T6 bulbs would be an expensive may of only getting marginally better light than you already have.
BTW, aquarium T5 lighting units be be far more expensive, but they are very cheap to put together, and easy too.
I could add a T5 bulb to pretty much any tank for *adds up in head* for about £30 total. It's just a case of buying a lighting ballast, buying a cheap daylight T5 tube, buying the waterproof light fittings and adding a plug. The connections are just push-fit (power and light fitting cables into ballast) and the ballast has a clear diagram on it that show you where to connect them.
Adding another T8 tube would also be about the same price, just a slightly easier because you could just buy a proper aquarium light unit and not have to attach any wires.
Adding 2 extra tubes instead of one would only add about a tenner onto the price, since you can get ballasts and light units that can power two tubes at a time for only a little extra.
You can even look for second hand lighting units and do it even cheaper.
angelfishguy
Fish Addict
i heard cool white bulbs should never be used in a aquarium..
is this true?
is this true?
Truck
UKAPS
no it is not true.
RadaR
The things we do for our fish..
Agreed. That is ridiculous.
Where'd you hear that?
Where'd you hear that?
Truck
UKAPS
I've got a pretty #41#### good idea, there's a guy on another fish forum called byron and he thinks he's god, whatever he says goes is their motto, yet he's throwing round all of this crap about how N+P trigger algae and plants can only be grown with blue and red light, I went over there and was slated for posting accurate information with links to back myself up, and then dave, aaron and baronvonbubba came over too, and we we're all banned for supposed trouble making. It's ridiculous.
RadaR
The things we do for our fish..
Haha, oh my..
Ah well, they can continue to believe inaccurate info and continue to have unhealthy planted tanks filled with algae.
UKAPS is leading the way for the UK, not them.
Ah well, they can continue to believe inaccurate info and continue to have unhealthy planted tanks filled with algae.
UKAPS is leading the way for the UK, not them.
Truck
UKAPS
thanks, three-fingers i think your right about the t6 tubes so i think i'll stick with the t8 and get some new tubes and reflectors and see how it goes and maybe add another light later if i need it.
i've seen these tubes are they what i should be getting ?
http
/www.lampspecs.co.uk/Light-Bulbs-Tubes/15-Watt-18-Inch_2/18-In-15-Watt-Cool-White-33
http/www.lampspecs.co.uk/Light-Bulbs-Tubes/15-Watt-18-Inch_2/18-In-15-Watt-Daylight-54
i've seen these tubes are they what i should be getting ?
http
/www.lampspecs.co.uk/Light-Bulbs-Tubes/15-Watt-18-Inch_2/18-In-15-Watt-Cool-White-33http
/www.lampspecs.co.uk/Light-Bulbs-Tubes/15-Watt-18-Inch_2/18-In-15-Watt-Daylight-54
three-fingers
Fish Connoisseur
Thats the onesthanks, three-fingers i think your right about the t6 tubes so i think i'll stick with the t8 and get some new tubes and reflectors and see how it goes and maybe add another light later if i need it.
i've seen these tubes are they what i should be getting ?
http
http
.Thats the onesthanks, three-fingers i think your right about the t6 tubes so i think i'll stick with the t8 and get some new tubes and reflectors and see how it goes and maybe add another light later if i need it.
i've seen these tubes are they what i should be getting ?
http
http
great thx for your help i'll order them in the morning
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