I and some helpers are currently remodeling a building to serve as my new home. It will also be production studios for a non-profit children's educational tv show (I'm the media director and full time volunteer).
We are building a divider wall that divides the entrance of one tv studio from a foyer. We are putting in an approximately 400 gallon acrylic tank that is to be seen from both the foyer and it is actually part of one of the studio sets on the other side.
We debated between saltwater and a freshwater planted tank. Everyone and their brother has saltwater tanks in their tv sets, so we decided to go fresh and planted.
While the installation of the tank is still several months away, we are getting ready to run the electric to the area. So we need to decide what kind of power we are going to need. So me being the fish guy, have the responsibility to decide what lighting we will be using. I need your advice!
Tank is custom acrylic, measuring 84" long, 34" deep and 30-32" tall. It will be heavily planted with a range of plants. Of course we will be adding Co2, ferts and whatever else is required (you'll be seeing quite a few more posts from me about these things as we progress).
What lighting do you plant experts recommend? Metal Halide? Rows of Compact fluorescent? We are not set on any one particularly. But we need to view the overall picture of initial cost, bulb replacement and energy used to run.
We would like a relatively even light as it will be used on tv and dark spots may not look so swell. Because we are non-profit kid oriented, cost IS an issue. We would like to do this just as cheap as possible but are willing to raise what we need to raise to do the project right. Lights can be as ugly as heck, they are all hidden in the wall... so style is not an issue.
In case it matters at all, tank will house Discus, Angelfish, array of Apistos, several large schools of tetras, and lots of cories.
C'mon, I'm looking for some free advice.
Of course I'll post pictures as we go along!
We are building a divider wall that divides the entrance of one tv studio from a foyer. We are putting in an approximately 400 gallon acrylic tank that is to be seen from both the foyer and it is actually part of one of the studio sets on the other side.
We debated between saltwater and a freshwater planted tank. Everyone and their brother has saltwater tanks in their tv sets, so we decided to go fresh and planted.
While the installation of the tank is still several months away, we are getting ready to run the electric to the area. So we need to decide what kind of power we are going to need. So me being the fish guy, have the responsibility to decide what lighting we will be using. I need your advice!
Tank is custom acrylic, measuring 84" long, 34" deep and 30-32" tall. It will be heavily planted with a range of plants. Of course we will be adding Co2, ferts and whatever else is required (you'll be seeing quite a few more posts from me about these things as we progress).
What lighting do you plant experts recommend? Metal Halide? Rows of Compact fluorescent? We are not set on any one particularly. But we need to view the overall picture of initial cost, bulb replacement and energy used to run.
We would like a relatively even light as it will be used on tv and dark spots may not look so swell. Because we are non-profit kid oriented, cost IS an issue. We would like to do this just as cheap as possible but are willing to raise what we need to raise to do the project right. Lights can be as ugly as heck, they are all hidden in the wall... so style is not an issue.
In case it matters at all, tank will house Discus, Angelfish, array of Apistos, several large schools of tetras, and lots of cories.
C'mon, I'm looking for some free advice.
Of course I'll post pictures as we go along!
