Another Lighting Question

[russ452]

Well it seems to be the day for lighting questions here!!!
I am ready to buy the light fixture for my soon to be newly planted 55Gal long aquarium. I want to purchase a Coralife Aqualight 48" PC fixture. My questions are these. I can get a 2x65w, 6700k light which would give me 130w or 2.3wpg. I really want to have more light than this so my next option is 4x65w, 6700k or 260w, 4.7wpg. Here's my dilema. I am going to have injected CO2 with a ph controller but I still think that the 260w fixture is too much light. Does anyone know of an option that would get me something in between the two lights which I mentioned? I really want to get this right the first time and I really don't want to get into retrofit kits. I just feel that 4.7wpg is too much. Any help would be really appreciated. Oh yeah, one more thing. Is ESU (European Straight Pin) any different than the standard straight pin arrangement. Aquarium Guys has a good price on their Aqualight fixtures but they list them as ESU straight pin and I haven't seen these fixtures listed like that anywhere else. Thanks

 

[Fordtrannyman]

Your right IME 4.7wpg is too much for an extended period or the complete daily photoperiod. It's actually going to be a little higher than 4.7wpg if you look at it in cubic inches. (inside measurements of glass, depth of substrate, water level)
Anyhow, If you want high light, high tech go with the 4X65w and run two timers.
one row-8-10 hours
second row 4-hours-noon burst. This will give a good photoperiod for all the plants and give some intense lighting for more light demanding plants.
As you may already know, this amount of light will require a diligent fertilization regime.

 

[StereoKills]

That's what I'd do too It makes for a more realistic photoperiod.

 

[russ452]

That's a good idea with that "noon burst" photo period. I hadn't thought about that. Sometimes the answer is right in front of you and you don't see it. I do realize that I'll have to be very diligent with the ferilizer regime. It's just something else to study and implement. Thank you!