Yet Another Lighting Question - Possible Long Read

knownothingfishowner · 08-25-2010, 09:43 PM

Okay. Got my 55 almost completed...replaced gravel with EC, got CO2 tank filled but not set up yet, gave plecos to neighbor, remaining fish are doing fine, bla bla bla.

Well, haven't found a whole lot of luck finding lighting for the tank because 4X54 is way out of my price range. Not to mention, all I really want to plant are Anubias, Anachris, Cambomba and Java Moss.

So...would a 2x54 Nova Extreme work okay given the details above?

Or am I just wishing and should continue digging for a 4x54?

....

Cole · 08-25-2010, 10:22 PM

I've had the exact same problem with my 80g tank. After MUCH searching I found what may be the only 3X54w setup out there, and very reasonably priced (~$150). I haven't bought it yet so I can't say how well it works.

NursePlaty · 08-25-2010, 10:26 PM

I may be wrong but I believe all Nova Extremes are HO (High Output) lighting. So whatever watts it is giving off, is actually doubled. The 2x54 fixture you are looking at will be 216 watts equivalent. And the 4x54 will be overpowering your tank. Even with the 2x54 you will want to lower photoperiod or inject CO2 to prevent algae. Or just take 1 bulb out and leave only 1.

Buy thats only if the Nova Extreme you are looking at is a HO type.

archer772 · 08-25-2010, 10:27 PM

I think that a 2x54 T-5 will be plenty of light and if down the road you feel you need 2 more then you can get another fixture. I am running 4x54 retro fit on my 4 foot 120 and its plenty of light for me.

Cole · 08-25-2010, 10:31 PM

Found this handy chart on another site and thought I would share it. Not sure it's 100% accurate, but it doesn't show HO having twice the output as NO.

Any thoughts on if it's accurate?

Light Calculation Chart.zip

knownothingfishowner · 08-25-2010, 10:34 PM

Wow, folks. Thanks for your fast and helpful responses!

Yeah, I thought I read about that "twice the wattage with HO" deal somewhere on here, but I wasn't sure.

But, Nurse Platy, what is a "photoperiod"? Unfamiliar with that term in relation to fish tanks.

Cole...that deal on the 3x54 looks awfully sweet. Includes splashguard, eh? Might think about that one, especially with the Cambomba.

Decisions, decisions...

archer772 · 08-25-2010, 10:36 PM

That chart shows the lumen output and lumens are a measurement of what the human eye sees says nothing at all on what the PAR values are. The T-5 HO's do put out about double the amount of PAR that the T-5 NO's put out.

Cole · 08-25-2010, 10:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by archer772

That chart shows the lumen output and lumens are a measurement of what the human eye sees says nothing at all on what the PAR values are. The T-5 HO's do put out about double the amount of PAR that the T-5 NO's put out.

Thanks, I didn't notice that. Very nice to know.

archer772 · 08-25-2010, 10:40 PM

I have a 4 foot 120 with 4 bulbs spaced evenly accross the top and only 2 bulbs have reflectors and I have to trim my Combomba, Pennywort and Ludwigia weekly, oh and I am running 12K and 14K bulbs

knownothingfishowner · 08-25-2010, 10:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by archer772

I am running 4x54 retro fit on my 4 foot 120 and its plenty of light for me.

knownothingfishowner · 08-25-2010, 10:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by archer772

I have a 4 foot 120 with 4 bulbs spaced evenly accross the top and only 2 bulbs have reflectors and I have to trim my Combomba, Pennywort and Ludwigia weekly, oh and I am running 12K and 14K bulbs

That's sweet, dude. Not too overdone and not too perfect. Looks great!

knownothingfishowner · 08-25-2010, 10:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by archer772

That chart shows the lumen output and lumens are a measurement of what the human eye sees says nothing at all on what the PAR values are. The T-5 HO's do put out about double the amount of PAR that the T-5 NO's put out.

Ok, so what's that all mean?

2x54 of high output T5's = 216 WPG or 108 WPG?

Cole · 08-25-2010, 10:54 PM

Edit: What archer said ^

archer772 · 08-25-2010, 10:55 PM

OK a soft white bulb about 2.7K I think like you might use in your house looks brighter than lets say a 6.5K bulb but the 6.5K bulb will have much higher PAR than the soft white bulb so in turn it will give better plant growth. The PAR values come from about 400nm-700nm with the best being in the 500nm-600nm range I believe and 6K-7K will give the best numbers usually but you can find quality bulbs in the 10K-14K range that still give very good PAR readings.

archer772 · 08-25-2010, 10:57 PM

T-5 HO's are 54 watts and T-5 NO's are 28 watts so 2 HO's would be close to 4 NO's and we cant use the WPG rule when talking about T-5's

archer772 · 08-25-2010, 11:01 PM

Here is a nice link that shows what some of the different Krated bulbs look like and the par readings for some of the bulbs available

tfivetesting

knownothingfishowner · 08-25-2010, 11:01 PM

Edit: above postings were made before I completed what was here previously.

archer772 · 08-25-2010, 11:05 PM

I can guarantee if I was setting up a 55 gallon I would go with a 4x28 T-5 NO fixture and then just run 2 bulbs for about 8-10 hours and the other 2 bulbs for 4-8 hours.

beaslbob · 08-26-2010, 10:31 AM

I would just use 2 tube utility fixtures from home depot. The fixture is $9 and tubes another $6 (6500K).

just my .02

Dmaaaaax · 08-30-2010, 02:34 PM

With the Nova HO you can get away with 1x54 for starter then add the second bulb if:

1. Your plants are all established
2. You want even faster growth
3. You feel the need to trim plants every other day
4. You keep up with ferts every day
5. You have some very hight light plants like glosso

Otherwise 1x54 will do just fine for most plants. If you go with standard bulbs (above) then you want 2x54 and rule out plants like glosso where the higher lumens is needed to penetrate the 55g depth to keep them happy and algae free. ;) A 10k full spectrum or 6700 bulb should do just fine. The 10k will look brighter and "whiter" the 6700 will be a tad yellow.

08-25-2010, 09:43 PM	#1 (permalink)
knownothingfishowner Join Date: Feb 2010 Posts: 102 Location: Greensburg, IN Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Welcome to Aquarium Forum" 0 Times Said "Thanks" 4 Times Was Thanked 10 Times in 9 Posts	Yet Another Lighting Question - Possible Long Read Okay. Got my 55 almost completed...replaced gravel with EC, got CO2 tank filled but not set up yet, gave plecos to neighbor, remaining fish are doing fine, bla bla bla. Well, haven't found a whole lot of luck finding lighting for the tank because 4X54 is way out of my price range. Not to mention, all I really want to plant are Anubias, Anachris, Cambomba and Java Moss. So...would a 2x54 Nova Extreme work okay given the details above? Or am I just wishing and should continue digging for a 4x54? .... __________________ 55 Gallon/Fluval 405/216W Corallife Over 20 platies - mostly babies hiding in java moss 2 Gold Dojo Loaches 2 Striped Tetras 3 Otos 1 Bushy Nose Pleco Java Fern Java Moss Amazon Sword

08-25-2010, 10:22 PM	#2 (permalink)
Cole Cole's Photo Gallery Join Date: Aug 2010 Posts: 45 Name: Cole Location: Colorado Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Welcome to Aquarium Forum" 3 Times Said "Thanks" 3 Times Was Thanked 7 Times in 7 Posts	Re: Yet Another Lighting Question - Possible Long Read I've had the exact same problem with my 80g tank. After MUCH searching I found what may be the only 3X54w setup out there, and very reasonably priced (~$150). I haven't bought it yet so I can't say how well it works.

08-25-2010, 10:26 PM	#3 (permalink)
NursePlaty Queen Platy NursePlaty's Photo Gallery Join Date: Feb 2010 Posts: 931 Name: Annie Pham Location: Dallas Ft Worth, Texas Feedback: 1 / 100% Said "Welcome to Aquarium Forum" 266 Times Said "Thanks" 41 Times Was Thanked 183 Times in 177 Posts	Re: Yet Another Lighting Question - Possible Long Read I may be wrong but I believe all Nova Extremes are HO (High Output) lighting. So whatever watts it is giving off, is actually doubled. The 2x54 fixture you are looking at will be 216 watts equivalent. And the 4x54 will be overpowering your tank. Even with the 2x54 you will want to lower photoperiod or inject CO2 to prevent algae. Or just take 1 bulb out and leave only 1. Buy thats only if the Nova Extreme you are looking at is a HO type. __________________ 55gallon Light - 6500K CFL, 23wattsx5 5hr/day Substrate - Red Mexican Clay, Sphagnum Peat moss, Eco-Complete Misc- Pressurized CO2, EI Dose KNO3, KH2PO4, CSM-B Plants -Limnophila Aromatica, Stargrass, Dwarf Hair Grass, Christmas Moss, Baby Tears (HM), Dwarf Baby Tears(HC), Rotala Rotundifolia, Ludwigia Glandulosa, Riccia Fluitans

08-25-2010, 10:27 PM	#4 (permalink)
archer772 archer772's Photo Gallery Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 943 Name: Scott Location: Michigan My location Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Welcome to Aquarium Forum" 273 Times Said "Thanks" 15 Times Was Thanked 261 Times in 250 Posts	Re: Yet Another Lighting Question - Possible Long Read I think that a 2x54 T-5 will be plenty of light and if down the road you feel you need 2 more then you can get another fixture. I am running 4x54 retro fit on my 4 foot 120 and its plenty of light for me.

08-25-2010, 10:31 PM	#5 (permalink)
Cole Cole's Photo Gallery Join Date: Aug 2010 Posts: 45 Name: Cole Location: Colorado Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Welcome to Aquarium Forum" 3 Times Said "Thanks" 3 Times Was Thanked 7 Times in 7 Posts	Re: Yet Another Lighting Question - Possible Long Read Found this handy chart on another site and thought I would share it. Not sure it's 100% accurate, but it doesn't show HO having twice the output as NO. Any thoughts on if it's accurate? Light Calculation Chart.zip

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08-25-2010, 10:34 PM	#6 (permalink)
knownothingfishowner Join Date: Feb 2010 Posts: 102 Location: Greensburg, IN Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Welcome to Aquarium Forum" 0 Times Said "Thanks" 4 Times Was Thanked 10 Times in 9 Posts	Re: Yet Another Lighting Question - Possible Long Read Wow, folks. Thanks for your fast and helpful responses! Yeah, I thought I read about that "twice the wattage with HO" deal somewhere on here, but I wasn't sure. But, Nurse Platy, what is a "photoperiod"? Unfamiliar with that term in relation to fish tanks. Cole...that deal on the 3x54 looks awfully sweet. Includes splashguard, eh? Might think about that one, especially with the Cambomba. Decisions, decisions... __________________ 55 Gallon/Fluval 405/216W Corallife Over 20 platies - mostly babies hiding in java moss 2 Gold Dojo Loaches 2 Striped Tetras 3 Otos 1 Bushy Nose Pleco Java Fern Java Moss Amazon Sword

08-25-2010, 10:36 PM	#7 (permalink)
archer772 archer772's Photo Gallery Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 943 Name: Scott Location: Michigan My location Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Welcome to Aquarium Forum" 273 Times Said "Thanks" 15 Times Was Thanked 261 Times in 250 Posts	Re: Yet Another Lighting Question - Possible Long Read That chart shows the lumen output and lumens are a measurement of what the human eye sees says nothing at all on what the PAR values are. The T-5 HO's do put out about double the amount of PAR that the T-5 NO's put out.

08-25-2010, 10:40 PM	#9 (permalink)
archer772 archer772's Photo Gallery Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 943 Name: Scott Location: Michigan My location Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Welcome to Aquarium Forum" 273 Times Said "Thanks" 15 Times Was Thanked 261 Times in 250 Posts	Re: Yet Another Lighting Question - Possible Long Read I have a 4 foot 120 with 4 bulbs spaced evenly accross the top and only 2 bulbs have reflectors and I have to trim my Combomba, Pennywort and Ludwigia weekly, oh and I am running 12K and 14K bulbs

08-25-2010, 10:54 PM	#13 (permalink)
Cole Cole's Photo Gallery Join Date: Aug 2010 Posts: 45 Name: Cole Location: Colorado Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Welcome to Aquarium Forum" 3 Times Said "Thanks" 3 Times Was Thanked 7 Times in 7 Posts	Re: Yet Another Lighting Question - Possible Long Read Edit: What archer said ^

08-25-2010, 10:55 PM	#14 (permalink)
archer772 archer772's Photo Gallery Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 943 Name: Scott Location: Michigan My location Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Welcome to Aquarium Forum" 273 Times Said "Thanks" 15 Times Was Thanked 261 Times in 250 Posts	Re: Yet Another Lighting Question - Possible Long Read OK a soft white bulb about 2.7K I think like you might use in your house looks brighter than lets say a 6.5K bulb but the 6.5K bulb will have much higher PAR than the soft white bulb so in turn it will give better plant growth. The PAR values come from about 400nm-700nm with the best being in the 500nm-600nm range I believe and 6K-7K will give the best numbers usually but you can find quality bulbs in the 10K-14K range that still give very good PAR readings.

08-25-2010, 10:57 PM	#15 (permalink)
archer772 archer772's Photo Gallery Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 943 Name: Scott Location: Michigan My location Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Welcome to Aquarium Forum" 273 Times Said "Thanks" 15 Times Was Thanked 261 Times in 250 Posts	Re: Yet Another Lighting Question - Possible Long Read T-5 HO's are 54 watts and T-5 NO's are 28 watts so 2 HO's would be close to 4 NO's and we cant use the WPG rule when talking about T-5's

08-25-2010, 11:01 PM	#16 (permalink)
archer772 archer772's Photo Gallery Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 943 Name: Scott Location: Michigan My location Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Welcome to Aquarium Forum" 273 Times Said "Thanks" 15 Times Was Thanked 261 Times in 250 Posts	Re: Yet Another Lighting Question - Possible Long Read Here is a nice link that shows what some of the different Krated bulbs look like and the par readings for some of the bulbs available tfivetesting

08-25-2010, 11:01 PM	#17 (permalink)
knownothingfishowner Join Date: Feb 2010 Posts: 102 Location: Greensburg, IN Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Welcome to Aquarium Forum" 0 Times Said "Thanks" 4 Times Was Thanked 10 Times in 9 Posts	Re: Yet Another Lighting Question - Possible Long Read Edit: above postings were made before I completed what was here previously. __________________ 55 Gallon/Fluval 405/216W Corallife Over 20 platies - mostly babies hiding in java moss 2 Gold Dojo Loaches 2 Striped Tetras 3 Otos 1 Bushy Nose Pleco Java Fern Java Moss Amazon Sword

08-25-2010, 11:05 PM	#18 (permalink)
archer772 archer772's Photo Gallery Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 943 Name: Scott Location: Michigan My location Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Welcome to Aquarium Forum" 273 Times Said "Thanks" 15 Times Was Thanked 261 Times in 250 Posts	Re: Yet Another Lighting Question - Possible Long Read I can guarantee if I was setting up a 55 gallon I would go with a 4x28 T-5 NO fixture and then just run 2 bulbs for about 8-10 hours and the other 2 bulbs for 4-8 hours.

08-26-2010, 10:31 AM	#19 (permalink)
beaslbob beaslbob's Photo Gallery Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 2,919 My location Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Welcome to Aquarium Forum" 312 Times Said "Thanks" 27 Times Was Thanked 719 Times in 646 Posts	Re: Yet Another Lighting Question - Possible Long Read I would just use 2 tube utility fixtures from home depot. The fixture is $9 and tubes another $6 (6500K). just my .02 __________________ fw leiden since 1979, fo salt since 1979, mixed reef 55g 2002-2009. Strong emphasis on the tank taking care of itself. Balanced with plant life, no water changes, tap water, no filters in FW. Only dosing calcium, alk, mag in marine reef tanks. http://www.aquariumforum.com/f15/my-...ods-26410.html recent tanks (till 2009) 7 years- 10g FW leiden 7 yrs, 55g mixed reef 7, 2 yrs, 20g FW leiden, 10 g fw leiden , 29g mixed reef, current tank 55g leiden

08-30-2010, 02:34 PM	#20 (permalink)
Dmaaaaax Dmaaaaax's Photo Gallery Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 756 Location: North Carolina Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Welcome to Aquarium Forum" 21 Times Said "Thanks" 35 Times Was Thanked 181 Times in 153 Posts	Re: Yet Another Lighting Question - Possible Long Read With the Nova HO you can get away with 1x54 for starter then add the second bulb if: 1. Your plants are all established 2. You want even faster growth 3. You feel the need to trim plants every other day 4. You keep up with ferts every day 5. You have some very hight light plants like glosso Otherwise 1x54 will do just fine for most plants. If you go with standard bulbs (above) then you want 2x54 and rule out plants like glosso where the higher lumens is needed to penetrate the 55g depth to keep them happy and algae free. ;) A 10k full spectrum or 6700 bulb should do just fine. The 10k will look brighter and "whiter" the 6700 will be a tad yellow. __________________ --->Pictures of my 75g Amazon tank<---- Last edited by Dmaaaaax : 08-30-2010 at 02:40 PM.

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