Which Tubes

[bricko]

Can anybody recommend which tube arrangement is best suited to a planted tank using Juwel high light tubes

There are Nature 4100k, Colour 6800k and Day 9000k.

I also have an additional Interpet Triplus 24w T5 Power Compact Lamp attached to the rear flap of the hood.

This is quite a heavily planted tank with anubias on bogwood, amazon sword and various stem plants and I would like to know which would be the best tubes to replace the existing 12+ month old tubes?

Also what is the best arrangement i.e day at rear and nature at front etc...

Hope this makes sense,

Regards,

Mark

 

[Truck]

There is no need to replace tubes until they physically don't work, and that is a hell of a lot of light for a 260 litre tank, are you running CO2?

If you want to replace them then I would get a day at the front and a colour at the back.

 

[bricko]

<BR>There is no need to replace tubes until they physically don't work, and that is a hell of a lot of light for a 260 litre tank, are you running CO2? <BR><BR>If you want to replace them then I would get a day at the front and a colour at the back.<BR>

<BR><BR>Hi truckasaurus,<BR><BR>Yes I am running co2.&nbsp;&nbsp;I thought that the output would diminish over time regardless of them physically not working.<BR><BR>Do you think that the 2 lights in the hood should be sufficient without the additional light on the rear flap? 54w x2 + 24w = 132w, this is just over 2wpg.<BR><BR>If so I may swap the light for a moonlight bulb instead.<BR><BR>Regards,

 

[Truck]

the stock lighting is fine, tubes wont need changing until they don't work.

 

[Squid]

the stock lighting is fine, tubes wont need changing until they don't work.

I have always been told that the tubes should be changed after 12 months if bought for the purpose of plants. I'm happy if this is not the case, as the plant ones always cost more

Squid

 

[Truck]

the stock lighting is fine, tubes wont need changing until they don't work.

I have always been told that the tubes should be changed after 12 months if bought for the purpose of plants. I'm happy if this is not the case, as the plant ones always cost more

Squid

Plants never have and never will need specific tubes, any tubes do, plants don't really care. After 12 months they may dull slightly but they're still pretty good, and do not need changing until they break.

 

[Squid]

As a UKAPS man, would you happen to know if that is George Farmers latest thoughts on it too (not been on these forums for a couple of years ). It was probably one of his threads years ago that I read it in. He used to state that the red and blue parts of the spectrum were preferable for plant growth.

Cheers,
Squid

 

[Truck]

Lots of the articles that George wrote on here are outdated, some of them outdated by George himself! Mainly Tom barr has led the way recently, he's proved most things wrong.

N+P causing algae, disproved
plants needing specific blue and red hues, disproved
Plants needing 5WPG, disproved

The list goes on. UKAPS is really leading the way in planted aquaria in the UK

 

[Squid]

Lots of the articles that George wrote on here are outdated, some of them outdated by George himself! Mainly Tom barr has led the way recently, he's proved most things wrong.

N+P causing algae, disproved
plants needing specific blue and red hues, disproved
Plants needing 5WPG, disproved

The list goes on. UKAPS is really leading the way in planted aquaria in the UK

I shall have to get myself updated!!! thanks.

So, if you are faced with the purchase of two new bulbs, what would you go for? Just something that shows up the colours of your fish, or which other criteria governs your purchases.

Cheers,
Squid.

 

[Truck]

I would go with something that looks good to my eyes, I like something around 8000 kelvin, but if you have a juwel tank you are stuck with those tubes if they're T5's, if not then you can get tubes from lamp specs, just make sure they have a high CRI (85+) to make sure that the stated colour is similar to that of the tube.

 

[Squid]

Thanks again. My rio is a few years old now and still uses T8's.. i have a floraglo and a powerglo. The powerglo makes the fish look good, and the floraglo was there for the plants, and they charge double for the privelige!

So you have now savec me money for the future. Buy yourself a beer and pretend it's from me.

On another note, is there a more updated overview guide on planted stuff now you can point me to. Something that covers lighting levels, when C02 is required etc. I'm still a low light, few ferts and a bit of flourish excel kinda bloke, but would like to update my knowledge a bit as you have shown it to be a little dated!

Cheers,
Squid