Lighting

[JDFish]

So my new aquarium will be 80x45x45 cm. Is 2 18w led lights enough light to grow easy-Moderate plants?

 

[Colin_T]

Some plants will grow but you will want the lights on for 12 hours or possibly longer.

If you haven't bought the light yet, perhaps visit a hardware store and look at LED spotlights. You can pick up a 50, 75 or 100 watt LED spotlight and they would provide ample light.

If you do get a spotlight, try to get one with a 6500K (K is for Kelvin) rating. Take it home and put it above the tank and turn it on. Then put your hand under the light but just above the surface of the water. Then see if there is a shadow of your hand on the substrate. If there is then the light is bright enough for plants. If there is no shadow then take the light back and get a higher wattage light.

 

[JDFish]

How would i mount them tho? id like to clip them on the tank but ive no idea how and if 8mm glass would support the weight

 

[Colin_T]

Most spotlights are hung from a wall bracket that is fixed to the wall above the tank. Or you can make a frame that sits above the tank and the spotlight is screwed onto that.

 

[JDFish]

Is 6300k daylight white good? Thinking of getting 2 50w

 

[Colin_T]

yes 6300K is fine

 

[JDFish]

And daylight white? I can get daylight or soft white

 

[Colin_T]

get daylight white

 

[JDFish]

Ordered them Colin. Do you think it will matter if I put a sheet of plexiglass for the lights to sit on? Plan on making a bracket in the long run but for now im taking my time. Also off light topic for a tank of 80x45x45 would 8mm opti glass be ok or 10mm?

 

[Colin_T]

lights can get warm so should not rest on plastics or Perspex because they can melt the plastic.

if the tank is 80cm high you want 10mm glass, if it's 80cm long x 45cm wide x 45cm high then use 8mm on the base and 6mm sides.

 

[JDFish]

Think I'll just go 8mm all around I was considering 10mm to be safe

 

[Colin_T]

which way are the sizes for the tank?
eg: is it 80cm long x 45cm wide x 45cm high?

6mm glass is used on the sides for tanks up to 45cm high.

6 or 8mm glass is used on the base of tanks that are up to 45cm wide & 45cm high. I prefer 8mm for bases but a lot of tanks are only 6 mm on the base.

If a tank is only 30-35cm wide x 45cm high then a 6mm base is fine.

If a tank is 2ft wide then 10mm for the base.

if a tank is 2ft high then 10mm for sides, and 10mm base if tank is 2ft wide. If tank is wider than 2ft then 12mm or more. But your tank isn't that big so we don't need to go there