Is This Light Appropriate For My Setup?

[dsiegel13]

I have a 10 gal (US) tank that is 21 x 13 x 20 shaped like a half moon and I currently have fish and plants in there. I want to get a new lighting unit because the current one is a little LED unit that puts out non-plant growing light.

Was looking at the Coralife Mini-T5 found here http/coralifeproducts.com/product/hoods-light-fixtures/ Specs say that it is a 12W (2 x 6W) lamp, with 10000K white light and Actinic 420nm-460 blue light (moonlight). Guys at Coralife say that it doesn't pump out too much heat and I can regulate the difference anyway with my heater.

It's perfect size/weight/price for my setup...just want to make sure that it is ideal for my fish and plant needs. Fish - platies and barbs; Plants - wisteria, swords, anubias. I do not want to fry them or bleach the fish color out (can that really happen?) so just trying to get opinions and advice.

 

[RadaR]

That should be fine. Shouldn't need CO2 or extra nutrients either.
The kelvin of the bulbs is irrelevant for plant growth and only effects how you see it. If you didnt like the colour the bulbs gave off then you can always by alternative bulbs.

 

[dsiegel13]

Got the new light. I think the plants are happy w/ it, as I never have seen them perk up like this before with the older LED light.

Question: the light came w/ two bulbs that both run when you turn the light on. The first is a white 10,000 K bulb, the second is the Actinic 420nm-460 blue light. Why do they run at the same time? Is this good for the plant growth or just an aesthetic thing? Seems that when the light is on the blue overpowers the white light and everything in the tank takes on a bluish hue...

I was hoping to have the light give white during the day and blue at night for a more moonlight effect, but I guess I should have read the specs with more care, because with only one switch that is not possible... bummer.

 

[RadaR]

It's because the design is meant for a marine tank. The bulb works just fine for plants though.
You can find the same type of bulb but all white.

If it's a two-pin then this might work.
If it is a 4-pin then this might work.

 

[dsiegel13]

It's because the design is meant for a marine tank. The bulb works just fine for plants though.
You can find the same type of bulb but all white.

If it's a two-pin then this might work.
If it is a 4-pin then this might work.

Do you recommend I switch over to both white bulbs? I just wanted to give the plants in the tank the proper lighting required for healthy growth and I think it is working... started using the new light only last Friday, and as of today (only 4 days later) my wisteria is already 1-2 inches taller (seriously, not making that up), and the swords have perked up too.

I was thinking of adding Co2 to the tank before, but now that I am getting pretty good results, I am rethinking that idea.

Does anyone know how to properly propagate the wisteria so that I can use the new growth to spread it out in the tank and fill in spots. I don't want to kill the plant, but I don't want it to clog my tank either.

Thanks.

 

[RadaR]

It should work fine, it's just not asthetically pleasing. Plants absorb mostly in the red and blue parts of the spectrum (which your bulb's will both contain). There's all of these myths saying how blue light promotes algae more, which is rubbish. Obviously too much of it will induce algae, but that's the same for any light isn't it, whether it's sunlight or normal flourescent tubing used in shops.
With the wisteria, just look at the stems. There should be little nodules spaced evenly. Just cut above one of these, around half way up the plant stem. Re-plant. Two shoots should grow out the top of the peice that has it's top cut off.

 

[dsiegel13]

With the wisteria, just look at the stems. There should be little nodules spaced evenly. Just cut above one of these, around half way up the plant stem. Re-plant. Two shoots should grow out the top of the peice that has it's top cut off.

Thanks, I am planning a 40% water change tomorrow, so I will start pruning my plants as well!

The way things are going I should have a jungle of wisteria in a short time, do they float I wonder???