Lights - dammit - lights!!!

[wvgdiscus]

Re: Lights - dammit - lights!!!

It depends on how much light you would like to have.
Just make sure each T-5 bulb has its own reflector. This will give the most light out of each bulb.
On my 180 I have at least 12 36" bulbs. It is plenty of light to get to the bottom at 24" deep.

[RussGB]

Re: Lights - dammit - lights!!!

Brownsnout - is this the HAS meeting? I am not a member (yet!), but I would go just for Jammy Dodgers!!! I have PG Tips in my drawer at work! But Jammy Dodgers......

WVG - How much light do I want? Well...I guess the equivalent intensity of what I have now. Plants are doing well with 384w of CF....what is the equivalent intensity in watss of T5? 12 tubes is 6 a side...what kind of wattge? Are you using HO's? I was thinking maybe 3 tubes at 50 something watta on each side for a total of 324W....

[Brownsnoutuk]

Re: Lights - dammit - lights!!!

No its the GHAC meeting, its in NW houston at Mikes Tropical fish and pets. Stuebner Airline and 1960.

[RussGB]

Re: Lights - dammit - lights!!!

Oh bollocks! Its on a Friday night??? I can't do Fridays!!! Fridays is when I do my other hobby (as per my link). And fpr those from over the other side of the aquarium - Yes mate, Scalextric is alive and well in Houston!

[Mzungu]

Re: Lights - dammit - lights!!!

Plants are doing well with 384w of CF....what is the equivalent intensity in watss of T5?

Some people say that power compacts (the plug-in types) are just T5s folded in half. I don't know if that's correct, but they look to be a similar diameter, and T5HOs will put out just as much light, possibly even more. Because if this is true, then the reflectors will almost double the light that goes into the tank. PCs aren't very efficient when it comes to reflectors, because a lot of light goes straight up and right back down onto the lamp itself. With T5s you get much better reflection into the tank.

If you go the 36" bulb route, those will be 39W each. So six of them will be 234 watts. But if you think about it, since PCs have a similar, if not the same, diameter of T5s, then you're actually fitting 4 bulbs across your tank right now, plus some extra space. So you could easily mount 2 rows of 4 bulbs each. That would give you 312 watts...and with the reflectors, IMO, you will be quite all right.

[RussGB]

Re: Lights - dammit - lights!!!

Excellent! Thanks everyone! I'll follow up with a post about how I get on!