T5 lights on a Rena Classic

[Sanj]

Hello Nav,

I eneded up making a bus and train trip to Erdington in Birmingham. The lfs there stocked the T5s, so I bought them knowing that I would have more control over their safe transport.

Well after installing the next day onset wouldnt work because on the the bulbs had cracked!! How I dont know, but I was really getting tired of the whole thing. I went to my lfs and just bought the Marine white so that my syte and the other buld would light up. Looking at the spectrum for Arcadia marine white T5 if does look like it is quite broad and i think plants can adapt to 9,500K although around 6000k is the best.

The plants inthe Rio are growing, but the glosso hasnt established yet, even though the light is bright, doesnt help with all the barb species I have rooting around.

The Rena is packed with growing plants, I think every species is growing, even the foregrounf sag.lilieopsis although more slowly.

I am a little concrened over floor support, but then i also thought if there was a real danger the aquariums would come with a warning

Im not going to set up the 240 yet, because my house is looking a bit like a showroom lol and it isnt that big. it is a 2 bedroom terrace, but the two downstairs rooms had been knocked into one and the Rio 400 goes across the room to make a bit of a room divide.

I know I only get away with it because i am the only one living there

I will at some point post photos.

 

[Nav]

Hello Sanj ! Wow, you've been unbelievably unlucky with these tubes ! After having bought the tubes and taken them home yourself it is amazing that the were still damaged.

These T5 tubes are really tricky to get hold of, aren't they ? ! I have a similar story to tell regarding Arcadia Marine Whites. On Friday I went to Aquatics Warehouse, the LFS where I had finally bought the controller, to get them to order some freshwater T5's for me. They said their supplier couldn't get these and tried to persuade me to buy a Marine White. A long discussion on spectrum and colour temperature etcetera ensued and I came about 'this' close [holding the thumb and index finger of my right hand about 2mm apart] to buying it ! I finally decided to wait a little bit longer and try Anglia Aquatics again.

I called Anglia Aquatics again on Tuesday morning and spoke to Craig for about the twentieth time and, to no ones surprise, was told the Aqua Floras STILL weren't in. So I though, sod it, I'm going to buy the Marine Whites. I called Aquatic Warehouse only to discover they hadn't any in stock any more so I called my other LFS, Home Marine, and they had the Marine Whites. When I went down there to collect them guess what I discovereed ? They had Aqua Floras in stock as well !!! I was now unsure about which ones to get. In the end I bought 1 Aqua Flora (because of it's appropriate spectrum and color temperature) for the long plants at the back of the tank, and 1 Marine white (because of its high intensity) for the Glosso at the front of the tank. The Marine White at the front has a significant peak in the 450nm area and therefore has a bluish tinge. This accentuates the blue in my Cardinals very well ! The Aqua Flora at the back has a strong yellow cast to it but I am trying not to let that bother me. I am hoping that that is the end of the T5 saga for the time being.

Give your Glosso a bit longer, they are difficult plants to establish. I am having a similar problem to the one you are having with your barbs. I have two Bronze Corydoras and they keep burying the emerging leaves of my Glosso. Also they keep uprooting my E. Tennellus ! Maybe I should have waited until all the plants were well established before adding these critters ! By the way, I'm impressed that you've got the Lilieopsis growing - I think these can be a bit difficult too.

Yeah, I can understand your concern over the floor support especially with three tanks in the room. My living room floor is concrete so I feel reasonably confident on that score. I think these tanks should come with some sort of warning anyway, as they are so heavy.

The milky cloudiness in my tank settled down a bit but never became fully clear. I had a lot of algae in the tank so did a clean up and did a 10% water change. Unfortunately, this has brought the cloudiness back but it is not too bad. I am now beginning to suspect the effectiveness of my filter. Anyway, I don't care; the fish are looking happy and the plants are reproducing !

Sanj, I look forward to seeing your photos.