Bulb Wattage Categories and Corresponding Plantage

What type of lighting in your planted tank do you prefer and why?

  • Low Light

    Votes: 7 19.4%

  • Medium Light

    Votes: 14 38.9%

  • High Light

    Votes: 15 41.7%
  • Total voters
    36
Jess7

Jess7

My Pets Play So Nice Don't They?!!
Feb 27, 2005
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Massachusetts
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Ok, so what would be the range of Low Light through High Light.
I just read somewhere that low light is under 1w per gallon, but I thouhgt it was higher than that.
So...
Low light
Med Light
High Light
What are the ranges?

Also what would be some good plants choices in these ranges and how much should you get to prevent algea?
 
Do a search of the forum, you'll find a lot of posts related to the WPG rule. The general consensus is that it falls apart in small or very large tanks. As a rather extreme example, I've got a 1g with a 13W compact fluorescent light over it. At first glance, 13WPG looks like a lot, but the tank is really somewhere around low-medium light.
1 WPG is really low, I would say 1.5WPG is the bottom limit for most plants, more in small tanks.
Algae prevention isn't so much about light levels as it is about balance. I recently saw posts on a planted tank forum where someone had tanks in full sun, outside (in Spain, I believe) - not a spot of algae, because the ferts, CO2 and light were balanced. With many rapidly growing, well-nourished plants to outcompete the algae, even in bright sunlight this hobbyist had a beautiful, algae-free tank.
 
Here is a link someone posted today as an example of a tank they wanted to create. Notice that it has 1 watt per gallon. By most standards that is a low light tank. But if you look at the light specs you will see that these particular lights are 6,500 degrees Kelvin. That is an almost perfect light to grow plants in. Also notice that all the plants in this tank can be grown in low light.
http://showcase.aquatic-gardeners.org/2004.cgi?&Scale=514&op=showcase&category=0&vol=2&id=112

You can't compare this light to 100w of incandescent light, you can't even compare this light to normal florescent light which is usually between 3500 and 4500 degrees Kelvin.

That is why this whole question is so confusing. If I say I have 2 watts per gallon I have a lot of light if I have light bulbs that are 6500 degrees Kelvin but not if I have 2 watts of ordinary florescent lighting.

Then there is the depth of the aquarium, which also has an effect on the light. If a tank is only 8 inches deep that is much different than a tank that is 24 inches deep.
 
No. You need to understand both. Preferably whatever light you have is around 6500 Kelvin. That helps a lot. Then you can compare apples to apples.

1wpg of this light would be low light
2 wpg of this light would be medium
4 wpg of this light would be high light.

If you look at this site all the plants are rated by their needs.
http://192.38.244.204/go.asp?show=products

It is a good place to check before you buy plants. I find it better to look through the list and decide what I want than to go to the LFS and see what they have. That way I know what will grow under the light that I have.
 
Just to add....

The term kelvin (6500K, 8000k, etc) has nothing to do with the brightness of the bulb, but describes the color spectrum.

I think most people prefer around 6700K because it represents the sun at midday. Myself, I use 9325K bulbs for no other reason than I just like the color. I have 3.5wpg on my tank but if I change to 6500K bulbs, I will still have 3.5wpg.
 
Makes sense, thanks :) I've alreay written down all the plants I like so far that were all rated as EASY to take care of and between low and med light.

That site is really cool. It will help a lot. Thanks.
:bowing:
 
Good. What you will find is a lot of LFS with no one who knows anything about plants. Don't listen to them. I have only once found one guy in CA who actually knew the plants he sold. Check the tropica site and decide what you want. You may have to order it online. Sometimes I get my LFS to order it for me. Right now there is a young lady at the Petsmart near here who actually knows her plants. They get shipments every Friday morning so I have been picking some things up there. Shop around. Don't buy on impulse.
 
Ergo sum I don't know where you got your information but I disagree completely. The Kelvin makes extremely little difference versus the AMOUNT of light.

That 100 gallon is still low light! However on larger tanks it is easier to grow with "low" light for some reason. The wpg guideline doesn't apply as well. Also look at the plant list for that tank, mostly crypts, anubias, java fern and java moss. All "low light" plants.

Also the wpg guideline applies for all fluorscent light, not just 6500k. "Ordinary fluorescents" included. Some expensive bulbs, like tritons and life-glos, are about as much light as possible from their size of tube, however these also cost the most $
 
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