Lighting Is So Confusing!

[archie]

Hi everyone im new to the forum.
Just wondering about the lighting i would need in my 60g.
I am only just setting up and trying to read up as much as posible..
I know i need 3 watts per gallon or high level light plants, so i need 180 watts total right?

The trouble im having is that some places i read you need specific lights in the 6500k and 10000k spectrum
or something of the sort. But then i read elsewhere that a normal household ceiling fluros will do the trick!
As you can see i am a little confused! Any and all help will be greatly appreciated!

 

[noop]

we need to know if you're planning to have live plants in your tank

...if you're not, then you only need as much light as is aesthetically pleasing to you

 

[archie]

so sorry! I am planning for a planted tank, i am looking at medium
and high level light plants like HC to carpet the botom. I really like the layout of amano tanks.
Any help will be appreciated

 

[SuperColey1]

I know i need 3 watts per gallon or high level light plants, so i need 180 watts total right?

This is incorrect. What you need is the correct light and noone needs 3WPG these days. In days of old when T12 was the latest fluorescent size someone created the WPG rule and 3WPG would give you medium to high light. These days T8 are standard and many are using T5 or PC which are anything up to 2x more effective. therefore these days if you have T5HO tubes with reflectors then you are already on medium to high light.

also with a larger tank like yours then the WPG rule is even more redundant. In general the larger the tank theless light needed.

The pics in my sig are both 125Ltrs (33USG) @ 0.6WPG T8 (Left Pic) and 1.5WPG T5 (Right Pic). and yes there are high light loving plants flourishing in the 1.5WPG.

The trouble im having is that some places i read you need specific lights in the 6500k and 10000k spectrum
or something of the sort. But then i read elsewhere that a normal household ceiling fluros will do the trick!
As you can see i am a little confused! Any and all help will be greatly appreciated!

Some people do have luck with the normal household ceiling fittings but the trouble is that most (in the UK) are 2700K which are not too good for colouration.

The best mix really is a daylight (6k-8k) with a pink light (4-5k) and these will give a pleasant look to the eye as well as providing all the colours of the spectrum that plants need.

See this link for light comparisons.
T5 lighting on the cheap

Andy

 

[archie]

SuperColey you are anbosolute ledgend. That makes heaps more sense than anything else i have read!
Thanks a million!