Overkill?

[Vegan Peaches]

DrsFosterSmith.com has some decent sales right now, and since my 29 gallon tank currently has a shotty .7 WPG, I decided to check out their lighting systems. Nothing affordable in the hallides, nothing higher than 1.5 WPG with regular flourescent, however, while browsing compact I noticed some very high wattage lights with 6700K temps. This is what I'm supposed to have, right? Anyways, I came across this fixture which would give me a whopping 4.4 WPG.

At first, this seemed like it would be great, until I refered back to the sticky on top which said this would be in the very high region of lighting. Provided I added sufficient CO2, would this still be too high for a lightly planted tank (2 swords, a little java moss, and some ferns)? And, if so, could I replace one of the bulbs with a lower wattage compact flourescent bulb, or would the bulb overheat or something?

Thanks in advance, this planted tank stuff is taxing on my brain. Should look pretty good when finished, though.

 

[zig]

Yes this would be overkill IMO, the plants you are growing only need relatively low levels of light, somewhere around 1.5 WPG would be perfect for this tank and would not require the addition of co2.

 

[Vegan Peaches]

But, as of yet, this tank has no fish in it and therefore very little CO2 to begin with, so the addition of CO2 is pretty essential, right? Otherwise, where would it come from?

Also, the plants listed require low light, so if I add more light will it make them grow faster, or will it kill them?

 

[_Cal_]

They would grow faster, yes, thus using more nbutrients, so then you will need nutrients, creating more of a money problem. I would find something around 2 watts per gallon. How about the coralife aqualight 1x65? Its on drfostersmiths, check it out.

 

[Vegan Peaches]

Yeah, I didn't see that one earlier. It's decently priced and with that, I get 2.2 WPG. If I ever decide to heavily plant, will 2.2WPG be enough?

 

[kenneth_kpe]

why not get that and operate at half power ? then if you get the urge to ut in more plants, fertilize regularly and effciently inject co2 power both bulbs ?