Tank Upgrade - Complete Revamp

[Limits2005]

Thanks guys, I'll see what I can find.

With regards to sand, anyone used this sand from Argos. And what do people think? I think it's safe by looks of it.

http://www.argos.co.uk/product/3650574

 

[fozziebear]

Lots of people have used that brand of sand on a few different forums i have seen, i ordered westland play sand myself, most play sands and silica/quartz sands will be fine.

 

[Byron]

The tubes that come with the tank should have writing on them somewhere giving the watts. You need the same watts of Life-Glo. If in doubt, take an old tube with you - or at least measure the old one and take a tape measure with you - and compare the length. I discovered years ago that some brands include the pins in the quoted length and some don't which makes a difference of a couple of cm in the quoted length.

I'll just clarify something here. Essjay is mentioning that wattages are standard for the tube length, and this used to be correct but today may not always be so, depending. A few years ago, a 4-foot tube in T8 was 40 watts, always. But then manufacturers improved thee efficiency, and today you can buy 32 watt 4-foot tubes that are actually the same intensity (or more sometimes) than the older 40w tubes. So while watts used to tell us the same as length, this may not work all the time.

The length measurement with or without pins is accurate; to be certain, take one of the existing tubes that fit with you.

 

[Byron]

Any bulb in a 6500k spectrum with a length of 41.3 inches will work, you don't HAVE to buy pet bulbs.

But i have had a look where i bought my tubes from before (www.lamspecs.co.uk) and those measurements in a daylight spectrum just arent available to buy in a cheaper tube im afraid, look at arcadia and juwel they make the best "pet" bulbs, and they do sizes that will fit your light bar.

There can be significant differences in intensity and even spectrum between different manufacturers regardless of the tube length, wattage or even spectrum. You wouldn't think a 6500K "X manufacturer" tube would be different from a 6500K "Y manufacturer" tube, but they can be as different as night and day.

I have used a great many T8 tubes as I have this lighting over all my tanks. When you are using 4-foot tubes, you have options that do not exist for shorter tubes. I use or have used 4-foot Phillips and Sylvania brands 6500K and 5000K T8 tubes (in combination, one 5000K and one 6500K) over my 4 and 5-foot tanks with good success; given that these tubes are significantly less expensive (about 1/5 or 1/6 the cost of the Life-Glo as an example) this is sensible. But, this does not apply to the shorter tubes, where Life-Glo is much more intense lighting; I've had the tank of plants die off under the less intense light, even though the specifications were full spectrum 6500K.

Life-Glo is a more intense light because of how it is made. The Power-Glo in the same series is more intense still, but here you run into the spectrum issue. I don't want to get into all that, so just leave it as there being quite a difference between tubes.

Another illustration...I tried the Aqueon "full spectrum" tube in 24 inch length, 20 watts. The intensity seems OK here, but the colour rendition is very "dull." The Life-Glo 24-inch 20w T8 produces a cleaner and crisper light than the Aqueon, though both are full spectrum. I've also used the Zoomed 6500K, and it is different still, closer to the Life-Glo though not quite as good.

I don't know anything about the Juwel tubes as I have never had a Juwel unit, and I have never seen Arcadia (may be a UK brand?). But bee careful, as you can buy this or that tube and not have anywhere near the same quality of light, whether intensity or spectrum, just going by data. It often takes actual use of the tubes over the aquarium, and over 8+ years I have tried all those I recommend or mentioned.

 

[fozziebear]

hagen life glo are great bulbs, arcadia are a reputable uk brand that make aquarium lighting.

 

[ShinySideUp]

I was told BNs are quite peaceful and to not worry about them. I've not had any issues with them fighting, they just seem to keep to themselves more than anything. Rare that I see then.

This is true from my experience. I've had BN catfish for years and finally managed to get a breeding pair, now I can't stop them. From my last three (two females, one male) my last count was thirty seven, a population that has been only five months in the making! If they are territorial I am surely going to find out soon enough as all hell will be about to break loose. I have to contact my local fish shop to see if they want to buy some or swap for a load of rummy-nosed tetras.