Lighting for a 46g bowfront...someone please help...

[pzuzu]

Hello,

I'm hoping someone can help me out. I have a 46g bowfront that came with a light hood that sits above the glass cover. The strongest bulb I can find for it is a 30w. I am trying to get good lighting for the tank as I have some beautiful plants in there already that I'm afraid won't make it unless I act quickly. Actually, I already have a lot of plants in there. When I purchased my tank I had asked the store employee if the light was good for growing plants. He told me to buy an Aqua-Glo bulb to grow plants and I should be set. I did... but now I have discovered I need at least 2-3w/g and I don't even have 1w/g!!! And after some research I have already discovered that several of the plants I have in there require high wattage.

I have looked into a couple of things, such as the SunPaq Retro-Fit Kit for 36" (96w...2w/g) and also the All-Glass Aquarium Fluorescent Compact Strip Lite hood for 36" (110w...2.3w/g). The only reason why I think these are my two options is because with the Retro-Fit Kit I can keep the light hood I already have and All-Glass Compact Strip Lite hood comes in oak. I know it's silly, but whatever I get has to look nice and match (not for my sake) ... Do I have any other choices? These two that I mentioned I have been able to find for $74.99 (retro-fit) and I think somewhere around $130 for the All-Glass hood (after a lot of research on line the best prices are actually from Drs. Foster & Smith, everywhere else it wasn't just a little more expensive, but a lot more...).

Any advice? Is there another option?

Thanks!
Fernando

[phanmc]

Check out www.ahsupply.com, I think they have a better deal for a retrofit kit and they sell enclosures too.

[pzuzu]

Hey, thanks for the link. I read up on the AH Retro-Fit kits and they sound awesome. Do you or anyone else know which bulb would be the best to get? It says for freshwater I should use 5000 or 6700 for color temperature. Does anyone have a better description of how this appears in the water? Are there any pictures anywhere online I could look at. Which of these two is softer? More tinted? I would prefer a tint in color as opposed to utter brightness in my tank. I have some bottom dwellers that wouldn't appreciate that!!! :)

Also, does anyone know if these kits are easy to put together? Or is it just better to spend the extra money and buy something already installed in its own hood? Basically, am I gonna have to spend the difference in tools? Just trying to be practical. Any help would be appreciated!

And thanks again for the link.

Fernando

[phanmc]

5000k is the low end of full sprectrum lighting, better than the lights you see in most offices but still has a fairly yellow tint to it. 6,700k is sunlight at around noon, bright white with a little hint of yellow. I recommend 6,700k, the plants just look better with whiter light and whiter light offers more contrast for clarity.

I can't comment on assembly but there are plenty of people on here who can chime in on that.

[djlen]

AH Supply kits come complete, with easy to read instructions included, and plenty of customer service if you need it.
I have a friend who bought a 2X55 kit for her 46 bowfront and put it together herself with not a much of trouble at all.
AH reflectors are, IMO the best.
I suggest that before you make a decision as to what you want from wattage choice, that you research and decide what type of plants you want to grow and also how much time and money you want to expend on your tank. The higher the wattage, the more 'extras' you'll need and the more time you'll need to expend weeding out, pruning and feeding.
Practically everything you'll experience with a planted tank will revolve around the wattage that you put over it. So choose wisely and from an informed place.

Len

[pzuzu]

Maintaining my tank won't be a problem. I love working on it, perhaps a little too much. So as for expending time for care, that's not a concern. I do have to work within a reasonable budget, but if there are things I "have" to get in order to keep things in check, I don't mind. If you need something you need it... I have no qualms with that. But so far this AH kit sounds really great. I just hope I can put it together. Keeping plants pruned and such is easy for me... assembly...that's another thing, especially electronics. I usually prefer things that just come with an on/off button and go from there. But even if I pay extra for such commodity, the AH reflectors still sound way better, especially after reading the statistics on how much more light gets into an aquarium than with regular reflectors. So I think I will give this a try. I'm going to email them and ask for advice on whether I should get 2x55 or 1x96 for my light hood over glass. It's a little harder with a bowfront tank. I wish I would have known earlier and I would have gotten a 55g rectangular tank over the prettier 46g bowfront. I still love it though, I'll just have to break out a screwdriver...heh. Can you tell I hate assembly? Screwdrivers give me blisters...

As for the color temperature, I'll try the 6700 first since it is most highly recommended.

One other question: Will this greater intensity of light affect my fish in any way?

Thanks for the help and steering me in the right direction!

Fernando

[phanmc]

The light intensity is the same between the 5000k and the 6700k, one just have a more yellowish tint. My fishes are under 5wpg of the 6700k and, with the exception of the nocturnal fishes (loaches and pleco), are active. If they aren't active in the beginning, they'll get used to it.

[djlen]

Save yourself some time.... Call this number toll free and ask for Kim:1800 859-5106
Give him the inside dimensions of your present enclosure and he will steer you in the right direction.
I've been doing business with the guy for over 5 years and he's actually saved me money by showing me ways to light my tanks more efficiently.

Len