Triple Tube Fluorescent Strip Lights - A Good Investment?

welchrock · 04-26-2008, 03:13 PM

https://www.drsfostersmith.com/produ...=18592&catid=3

Looking at this 3-bulb (75W) light setup for my 46G tank. I would like to get into low and mid-light plants but am hoping to avoid taking the step to CO2 injection. I just don't have the room or the money!

Is this a decent setup? It would put me at 1.6 watts per gallon, and from what I've read and heard, this should allow me to grow some plants successfully without the need for CO2.

So if anyone knows, my questions are:

1. Is this a good unit and configuration for the money?
2. Is having 1.6 watts per gallon going to allow me to upgrade to a planted tank?

Just FYI, I currently have a off-the-shelf Eclipse light on a glass canopy, 15W. Looks green, ugly and artificial.

welchrock · 04-30-2008, 05:28 PM

Any ideas...anyone?

pokefan · 04-30-2008, 05:54 PM

That probably wouldn't be too bad but if you can, shoot for 2wpg. Even though some low light plants would work fine with 1.6wpg it will be very slow growth. You can still get away from co2 at 2wpg and have a little better growth.

welchrock · 04-30-2008, 05:58 PM

awesome - sounds like an educated answer and getting to 2.0 wpg shouldn't be too difficult.

any ideas on Kelvin and light spectrum breakdown or is it really all about wattage?

pokefan · 04-30-2008, 06:03 PM

It's mostly just about wattage for growth but I promise you'll be much happier with a kv of somewhere between 8500-10k

welchrock · 04-30-2008, 09:10 PM

anything is an improvement over the greenish light shining on my tank now. its perfectly clean and still looks algae-infused!

welchrock · 05-02-2008, 02:08 AM

I think this is what I'm going with:

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/produc...71&pcatid=9871

(36", freshwater). 96W total.

**JustOneMore20** · 05-02-2008, 02:16 AM

That would be a good choice.

Ricker · 05-02-2008, 03:04 AM

Looks good to me you will get more light PG with that then the T5HO this one gives 1.74w and T5HO nova extreme 1.7w

04-26-2008, 03:13 PM	#1
welchrock Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Age: 27 Posts: 80 User Feedback: (0)	Triple Tube Fluorescent Strip Lights - A Good Investment? https://www.drsfostersmith.com/produ...=18592&catid=3 Looking at this 3-bulb (75W) light setup for my 46G tank. I would like to get into low and mid-light plants but am hoping to avoid taking the step to CO2 injection. I just don't have the room or the money! Is this a decent setup? It would put me at 1.6 watts per gallon, and from what I've read and heard, this should allow me to grow some plants successfully without the need for CO2. So if anyone knows, my questions are: 1. Is this a good unit and configuration for the money? 2. Is having 1.6 watts per gallon going to allow me to upgrade to a planted tank? Just FYI, I currently have a off-the-shelf Eclipse light on a glass canopy, 15W. Looks green, ugly and artificial. __________________ 46 gallon bowfront: 1 large snakeskin gourami, 1 blue gourami, 1 pearl gourami, 4 yellow honey gouramis, 8 black neon tetras, 1 albino pleco. Filter: 350 Magnum Canister. Lighting: Crappy, soon to be upgraded.

04-30-2008, 05:28 PM	#2
welchrock Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Age: 27 Posts: 80 User Feedback: (0)	Any ideas...anyone? __________________ 46 gallon bowfront: 1 large snakeskin gourami, 1 blue gourami, 1 pearl gourami, 4 yellow honey gouramis, 8 black neon tetras, 1 albino pleco. Filter: 350 Magnum Canister. Lighting: Crappy, soon to be upgraded.

04-30-2008, 05:54 PM	#3
pokefan OSU Junkie! Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Oklahoma Age: 25 Posts: 200 User Feedback: (0)	That probably wouldn't be too bad but if you can, shoot for 2wpg. Even though some low light plants would work fine with 1.6wpg it will be very slow growth. You can still get away from co2 at 2wpg and have a little better growth. __________________ Pokefan is not an animated little cartoon character. It's a loyal and true Oklahoma State University Cowboy Fan!! Go Pokes!!!! Oh, Yea. I'm Gavin...

04-30-2008, 05:58 PM	#4
welchrock Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Age: 27 Posts: 80 User Feedback: (0)	awesome - sounds like an educated answer and getting to 2.0 wpg shouldn't be too difficult. any ideas on Kelvin and light spectrum breakdown or is it really all about wattage? __________________ 46 gallon bowfront: 1 large snakeskin gourami, 1 blue gourami, 1 pearl gourami, 4 yellow honey gouramis, 8 black neon tetras, 1 albino pleco. Filter: 350 Magnum Canister. Lighting: Crappy, soon to be upgraded.

04-30-2008, 06:03 PM	#5
pokefan OSU Junkie! Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Oklahoma Age: 25 Posts: 200 User Feedback: (0)	It's mostly just about wattage for growth but I promise you'll be much happier with a kv of somewhere between 8500-10k __________________ Pokefan is not an animated little cartoon character. It's a loyal and true Oklahoma State University Cowboy Fan!! Go Pokes!!!! Oh, Yea. I'm Gavin...

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04-30-2008, 09:10 PM	#6
welchrock Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Age: 27 Posts: 80 User Feedback: (0)	anything is an improvement over the greenish light shining on my tank now. its perfectly clean and still looks algae-infused! __________________ 46 gallon bowfront: 1 large snakeskin gourami, 1 blue gourami, 1 pearl gourami, 4 yellow honey gouramis, 8 black neon tetras, 1 albino pleco. Filter: 350 Magnum Canister. Lighting: Crappy, soon to be upgraded.

05-02-2008, 02:08 AM	#7
welchrock Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Age: 27 Posts: 80 User Feedback: (0)	I think this is what I'm going with: http://www.drsfostersmith.com/produc...71&pcatid=9871 (36", freshwater). 96W total. __________________ 46 gallon bowfront: 1 large snakeskin gourami, 1 blue gourami, 1 pearl gourami, 4 yellow honey gouramis, 8 black neon tetras, 1 albino pleco. Filter: 350 Magnum Canister. Lighting: Crappy, soon to be upgraded.

05-02-2008, 02:16 AM	#8
JustOneMore20 Moderator Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Alabama, US Age: 22 Posts: 3,648 User Feedback: (1)	That would be a good choice. __________________ *Kristin* 5 Planted tanks: 55g, 40g, 29g, 20g, 5.5g 10g N. multifasciatus tank, 5.5g Platy fry

05-02-2008, 03:04 AM	#9
Ricker Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Age: 18 Posts: 640 User Feedback: (0)	Looks good to me you will get more light PG with that then the T5HO this one gives 1.74w and T5HO nova extreme 1.7w

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