Opinions on lighting please

[daveedka]

Hello, I just finished a tank hood for my new 115g tank. This tank is 48x18x 31" tall, I will be planting anubias, javafern, java moss and maybe some bolbitus. all plants will be on driftwood and rocks, and I would not call what I am planning a heavily planted tank. I do not wish to use CO2, and don't know how much light I need for this tall of a tank and these palnts.
Here is what I have.

Tank hood has 6 48" bulbs, four on one switch (this could be changed) and two isolated to be selectable. I plan on using the aquarium and plant bulbs sold at Home depot. I will also be building a moon light with led's at some point soon. The bulbs are about 6"above the glass top of the tank, and the lights currently have no reflectors.

How many bulbs should I use?
Do I need to create reflectors?
Any other thoughts on this?

[djlen]

Sounds like 240 watts. Is that correct? If so it should be enough for what you want to plant. If planted on wood/rocks they would be elevated to some degree so that will help.
Yes, you would benefit greatly by adding reflectors. Didn't they come in white reflective units? If so that should be OK for low light plants.
You also would profit by lowering them as close to the surface of the water as possible. Deep water is not easily penetrated by the type of lighting you describe and them being elevated doesn't help at all.

I'm trying to figure out how you got what sounds like the equivalent of 3 shop lights over an 18" tank. Do they overlap a lot?

Len

[daveedka]

Yes, you would benefit greatly by adding reflectors. Didn't they come in white reflective units? If so that should be OK for low light plants.

I purchased the strip lights with white bases but not the large curved reflector. I guess when I think reflector I think of polished aluminum or similar. The white is reflective, and I have thought about placing an angled reflector on each side, but am real short on space as is.



I'm trying to figure out how you got what sounds like the equivalent of 3 shop lights over an 18" tank. Do they overlap a lot?

The base unit for the two bulb lights are 4 3/4 inches, I have them mounted essentially side by side with no space between them. I did my best to center them over the tank,, and have what looks like enough room in front or back to put my moonlight when I build it. The moonlight would work better in the front, but be easier in the back.


You also would profit by lowering them as close to the surface of the water as possible. Deep water is not easily penetrated by the type of lighting you describe and them being elevated doesn't help at all.

I gave considerable thought to this, but in order to have room to work under my hood, I sacrificed the distance between glass top and bulbs. I also debated only using four bulbs but ended up doing 6 so I would have versatility. I also designed it so that an upgrade to PC would be extremely easy. the PC's just weren't in the budget right now. I have no desire for significant plant growth, but do want my plants to be healthy and beneficial to the tank. I have seen a lot of recent threads that indicate that I might have too much light.

Thanks for your thoughts, any more discussion would be appreciated. when the stain/finish gets dry and I put the hood on the tank, I will post pictures.