grow light ?
- Thread starter 55fresh
- Start date
If you give the actual brand as it is written on the box, and the length, along with the wattage, we could probably be more helpfull. Also, the size (t-5, t-8, t-12...) would probably help.
Also people would need to know how big your tank is and what you intend to grow with it.
17w on a 5 gallon tank would let you grow about any plant. 17w on a 20 gallon or larger tank and you need to look for low-light plants.
I haven't replaced my light fixture that came with my aquarium yet (doing things little bit at a time for cost reasons) - yet despite having very poor lighting I'm successfully growing a wide variety of plants...
Different plants have different light requirements.
17w on a 5 gallon tank would let you grow about any plant. 17w on a 20 gallon or larger tank and you need to look for low-light plants.
I haven't replaced my light fixture that came with my aquarium yet (doing things little bit at a time for cost reasons) - yet despite having very poor lighting I'm successfully growing a wide variety of plants...
Different plants have different light requirements.
just go to homedepot or lowes and buy the light u hang under the cabinet. I got my 60 watt for 29.99
I just remove the fixture of my old stock one and just left the new one under the enclosure.
I just remove the fixture of my old stock one and just left the new one under the enclosure.
this is what I was thinking, but I happened to see this at walmart last night and thought I would ask. I am thinking about taking the fixtures apart to hang them inside the canopy as well.
I am thinking about keeping lower light plants
tank is a 55g(48in long)
I assume being a 55gallon that you have two 18" bulbs- one for either side.
If so- 2x17 watts = 0.62 watts per gallon... this is about what I have on my 55gallon. Terrible for plants which require high light but it doesn't mean you can't have a planted tank.
I can give you first hand experience how plants will do with that level of low light.
I have sand root tabs, leaf zone, and a single bottle of DIY CO2 (figured any more CO2 would be overkill with my low lighting).
I am successfully growing Java Fern, Java Moss, Star Grass, Bacopa and Water Wisteria. These 5 plants are thriving.
These have all grown and I've had to prune back the Bacopa and Star Grass about once a month or so. Java Moss double in size in 2 months- Java Fern has grown slowly but is healthy and producing plantlets.
(Water Wisteria intially died off to almost nothing- but then came back with a vengence and is my fastest growing plant now).
I've got Marimo Moss balls- but they don't seem to have grown any- not that they would have yet- they grow very slowly.
Amazon Swords are supposedly low-light plants- but that wattage is too low for them. (if my experience is anything to go by)- I've had little success with swords.
Moneywort doesn't seem to thrive either- although it's not dying by any means. It's stating about the same size with very minimal growth. Add to the "surviving but not thriving" category: Pearlwort (HM is the common abbreviation of the scientific name which I forget) and Guppy grass. These plants are both healthy but not really growing like they're famed to do. The Pearlwort came as part of a bundle- I'm aware it is one that wouldn't be expected to do well in low light.
I have a tiny strand of Anarcharis that came with a snail shipment and I planted- it's trippled in size in the 2½ months I've had it.
I, personally, am going to upgrade my lighting because I want to be able to grow more plants- and have healthier growth on the ones I have... but I hope what I've written above is of some use.
There are actually quite a few plants that will grow under low lights... but you're never going to have the same range those with high-light have. Low light will also cause them to grow slower. I'm doing pruning about once a month- high-light people with CO2 and the fancy ferts are at it every week!
If so- 2x17 watts = 0.62 watts per gallon... this is about what I have on my 55gallon. Terrible for plants which require high light but it doesn't mean you can't have a planted tank.
I can give you first hand experience how plants will do with that level of low light.
I have sand root tabs, leaf zone, and a single bottle of DIY CO2 (figured any more CO2 would be overkill with my low lighting).
I am successfully growing Java Fern, Java Moss, Star Grass, Bacopa and Water Wisteria. These 5 plants are thriving.
These have all grown and I've had to prune back the Bacopa and Star Grass about once a month or so. Java Moss double in size in 2 months- Java Fern has grown slowly but is healthy and producing plantlets.
(Water Wisteria intially died off to almost nothing- but then came back with a vengence and is my fastest growing plant now).
I've got Marimo Moss balls- but they don't seem to have grown any- not that they would have yet- they grow very slowly.
Amazon Swords are supposedly low-light plants- but that wattage is too low for them. (if my experience is anything to go by)- I've had little success with swords.
Moneywort doesn't seem to thrive either- although it's not dying by any means. It's stating about the same size with very minimal growth. Add to the "surviving but not thriving" category: Pearlwort (HM is the common abbreviation of the scientific name which I forget) and Guppy grass. These plants are both healthy but not really growing like they're famed to do. The Pearlwort came as part of a bundle- I'm aware it is one that wouldn't be expected to do well in low light.
I have a tiny strand of Anarcharis that came with a snail shipment and I planted- it's trippled in size in the 2½ months I've had it.
I, personally, am going to upgrade my lighting because I want to be able to grow more plants- and have healthier growth on the ones I have... but I hope what I've written above is of some use.
There are actually quite a few plants that will grow under low lights... but you're never going to have the same range those with high-light have. Low light will also cause them to grow slower. I'm doing pruning about once a month- high-light people with CO2 and the fancy ferts are at it every week!
yea im not planning to go that route either, i just brought the flourite substrate since someone had a lot of good results with them posted.
Just going to get 2wpg for my tank.
Just going to get 2wpg for my tank.