How would you light a tank such as this? I need your opinions because I'm stuck as far as which way to go. I have thought about Catalina retros and building something utilizing T12's. If I go the Catalina route, I would need something special made because I don't need 8 x 80W! Do you think it would be fesible to go 3 x 80W or 2 x 80W, or 4 X's?
BTW, I contacted Catalina and to get 3 x 80W shipped with a third switch is about $450! 2 x 80W with 12" reflector would be $250.
The tank has ADA soil and will have C02. I also plan to use ferts.
Help!
100 gal 72 x 18 x 18
-
FrannyB
- Posts: 768
- Joined: Mon Nov 24, 2003 3:00 pm
- Real Name: Francine Bethea
- Location: Gwynn Oak, MD 21207
- Contact:
100 gal 72 x 18 x 18
Last edited by FrannyB on Tue Nov 08, 2011 12:58 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Re: 100 gal 72 x 18 x 18
Have you considered going the LED route? You could get a few of the LED strips like I got and easily mount them. You will save the money in the long run from bulb replacement costs. http://www.marinedepot.com/Current_USA_ ... TN-vi.html
Julie
37g planted, 11g planted, and three 5.2g planted shrimp tanks.
37g planted, 11g planted, and three 5.2g planted shrimp tanks.
-
FrannyB
- Posts: 768
- Joined: Mon Nov 24, 2003 3:00 pm
- Real Name: Francine Bethea
- Location: Gwynn Oak, MD 21207
- Contact:
Re: 100 gal 72 x 18 x 18
Do LED's really supply enough light to grow plants? I really don't know!
-
FrannyB
- Posts: 768
- Joined: Mon Nov 24, 2003 3:00 pm
- Real Name: Francine Bethea
- Location: Gwynn Oak, MD 21207
- Contact:
Re: 100 gal 72 x 18 x 18
The LEDs in that link seem to come in designated Kelvins for marine applications. I would want aquaflora and midday.
Re: 100 gal 72 x 18 x 18
The daylight version of the current leds is made just for freshwater plants. My plants are pearling underneath it.
I also have middays and aquaflora, but once I run out of expensive bulbs I will switch to leds.
Sam has also had great [EDIT:succes with] LEDs.
I also have middays and aquaflora, but once I run out of expensive bulbs I will switch to leds.
Sam has also had great [EDIT:succes with] LEDs.
Last edited by jweis on Tue Nov 08, 2011 2:42 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Julie
37g planted, 11g planted, and three 5.2g planted shrimp tanks.
37g planted, 11g planted, and three 5.2g planted shrimp tanks.
-
FrannyB
- Posts: 768
- Joined: Mon Nov 24, 2003 3:00 pm
- Real Name: Francine Bethea
- Location: Gwynn Oak, MD 21207
- Contact:
Re: 100 gal 72 x 18 x 18
What?jweis wrote: Sam has also had great sh LEDs.
Re: 100 gal 72 x 18 x 18
Sorry. That was suppose to say Sam also has had success with LEDs.
Julie
37g planted, 11g planted, and three 5.2g planted shrimp tanks.
37g planted, 11g planted, and three 5.2g planted shrimp tanks.
-
londonloco
- Posts: 236
- Joined: Sat Sep 26, 2009 11:48 pm
- Real Name: Loni
Re: 100 gal 72 x 18 x 18
Frannie, I have a 125g that is 72x19x23, below is a pic from a few weeks ago:
It houses multi's and BCWP calvus, PFS for substrate, a sump/AC110 and xp4 filtration, NO co2. I bought a catalina fixture, T5HO 2x80W, with each bulb on a separate switch/cord and a third switch/cord for moonlights, splash shield, both bulbs and hanging brackets (I didn't need legs, I have extra's from them), this fixture cost me less than 300$ shipped to my door. I own 3 other fixtures from them, I think I get a little more discount than the average person as a repeat customer, but if you tell them your a member of GWAPA, you should get a discount also. Anyway, I planted the Tangy tank with anubius, both reg old java fern and Windelov, both tied to rocks or driftwood, few misc crypts, hygro august, an Aponogeton (not sure which one), Wisteria (Hygrophila difformis), so basically low light plants. I initially had the fixture on legs, ran an 8 hour photo period with both lights, within a couple of weeks I was having major problems with algae, even with 14mL of Excel dosing 6 days a week. So I did 3 things, I added Root Medic tabs, hung the lights 5" above the tank and ran one light at a time, 4 hours for right light, 4 hours a day for left light. Within a week, I noticed algae fading, it's been a few months now, and this is the cleanest tank in my house. Plants grow slowly, but 99% algae is gone, gone, gone....
If I was you, and you want a fully planted tank, I'd go with 2 or 3 bulbs, all on separate switches, with legs and hanging brackets. Gives you lighting options for which ever turn you take with the tank. Hope this helps....
It houses multi's and BCWP calvus, PFS for substrate, a sump/AC110 and xp4 filtration, NO co2. I bought a catalina fixture, T5HO 2x80W, with each bulb on a separate switch/cord and a third switch/cord for moonlights, splash shield, both bulbs and hanging brackets (I didn't need legs, I have extra's from them), this fixture cost me less than 300$ shipped to my door. I own 3 other fixtures from them, I think I get a little more discount than the average person as a repeat customer, but if you tell them your a member of GWAPA, you should get a discount also. Anyway, I planted the Tangy tank with anubius, both reg old java fern and Windelov, both tied to rocks or driftwood, few misc crypts, hygro august, an Aponogeton (not sure which one), Wisteria (Hygrophila difformis), so basically low light plants. I initially had the fixture on legs, ran an 8 hour photo period with both lights, within a couple of weeks I was having major problems with algae, even with 14mL of Excel dosing 6 days a week. So I did 3 things, I added Root Medic tabs, hung the lights 5" above the tank and ran one light at a time, 4 hours for right light, 4 hours a day for left light. Within a week, I noticed algae fading, it's been a few months now, and this is the cleanest tank in my house. Plants grow slowly, but 99% algae is gone, gone, gone....
If I was you, and you want a fully planted tank, I'd go with 2 or 3 bulbs, all on separate switches, with legs and hanging brackets. Gives you lighting options for which ever turn you take with the tank. Hope this helps....
Re: 100 gal 72 x 18 x 18
You can definitely grow plants with LEDs. Check out my tank journal. It could be a really good solution for a tank of that size, but the initial cost could be substantial.
Don't rule out metal halides either. I didn't like them because of the bulb expense and heat issues, but they might work for you.
Will this be an open top tank? You may want to figure that out before you go further.
Don't rule out metal halides either. I didn't like them because of the bulb expense and heat issues, but they might work for you.
Will this be an open top tank? You may want to figure that out before you go further.
-
FrannyB
- Posts: 768
- Joined: Mon Nov 24, 2003 3:00 pm
- Real Name: Francine Bethea
- Location: Gwynn Oak, MD 21207
- Contact:
Re: 100 gal 72 x 18 x 18
Oooh! Can you take a picture of your T5HO 2x80W? I want to see the bulb layout. I want this tank to be heavily planted eventually.
I'll check out your journal. LEDs certainly are expensive!
MH would be a perpetual cost with the amount of wattage it uses, I think.
Thanks
I'll check out your journal. LEDs certainly are expensive!
MH would be a perpetual cost with the amount of wattage it uses, I think.
Thanks
