Sufficient light with an Eclipse hood?

[markrey]

Just recently acquired a 29 gallon tank with an eclipse hood. I am planning on a heavily planted aquarium. I have already purchased 50 lbs. of fine gravel and laterite to fertilize. Just wondering if the eclipse hood will provide adequate light for the plants (2 18 watt t-8 bulbs). I do plan on using a yeast reactor for CO2. Any answers/suggestions are appreciated.

[Hound]

So long as you use new bulbs of the proper spectrum you should be able to keep crypts and java ferns alive. Probably a few other plants also. Not sure how much growth you can get though.

[TKOS]

With normal output (NO) flourescent lights you are looking at needing around 2.5 to 3 wpg or more to get great growth from a wide variety of plants. Otherwise you will be stuck to the lower light plants. One problem you will also have is that the 29 gallon is starting to get on the deep side. This means that there will be a lot of lost light by the time it hits the bottom.

Java ferns and crypts are definate choices. You might be able to get a sword to grow as well.

[markrey]

Thanks. Any way of upgrading or retrofitting the lighting to get to the 3 watt per gallon range?

[TKOS]

The best way that I see mentioned all the time is to buy a kit from http://www.ahsupply.com/ . These guys seem to have quality products at a quality price and easy to follow instructions.

[lesley]

I have this exact setup with plants and have been doing okay for the past two (maybe 3) years. There are definitely some plants that just melt away, and there are some that have done really well. Hygro works pretty well for me, as well as crypts and anubias as previously mentioned.

One thing you might want to do since you are inheriting this tank from a previous owner, is to replace the light bulbs. I think they were fairly cheap through Drs. Foster and Smith or some other similar retailer.

I have heard that the retrofit kits can have electrical problems (I didn't feel comfortable doing it since I have no experience with electrical stuff). But I guess it depends on how well you know what you're doing.

[djlen]

Any lighting can have electrical problems if not wired correctly.
AH units are easy to assemble and I've not heard of anyone having problems with their retros.
HOWEVER, you should be able to grow a nice variety of low light plants including all of the above.
I suggest that it would be a good way of learning the art of balancing a tank under low light conditions and, if in the future you find that you want to increase lighting to get more variety in the tank, you can always upgrade at that time.
Then you will have the advantage of a more matured tank which will be of great assistance when/if you decide to add more light.
CO2 will definitely help even a low light environment.

Len

[lesley]

Maybe it wasn't an electrical problem, but something about the eclipse not having sufficient ventilation? I just got scared off by the whole melting canopy/ fire issue.

I can't honestly remember where I read about it or what it was, just that I decided not to retrofit for hazard reasons.

[superjohnny]

I put a 13w AH supply light in my Eclipse System 6 and there has been no trouble with melting plastic.