How much wattage per gallon is this
- Thread starter rockhoe14er
- Start date
The light source doesn't matter; watts divided by gallons is watts per gallon. That was his question. The formula doesn't care what the light source is, which is why it doesn't work.
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i think what our pastafarian friend is so kindly trying to point out is even using wpg... the type of lighting... and the size of tank we, as a community can deduce with relative success whether or not it will work based on our experiences collectively.
you, lenny i think are assuming that between the lot of us we can't answer his question without scientific research, knowing every posted number on the package of said bulbs as well as the graph/spectrum that collectively makes up the kelvin rating.
if it works it works... if the science/research questions that... it needs to be re-done, re-read or re-written.
i see these as 2 very different answers and the difference between your stating "you can't use wpg" (as in you can't assume you need 4wpg to make high light like shoplights would need, so nobody can get an idea of what you have to advise further) and his stating it doesn't work (as in... no... you don't need 4wpg to get high light...). we all know 4wpg mh, pc, t5ho, led, t8, etc. are going to give us different light levels. that's relatively easy to figure out.
so, as fallible as it is... as you can see we certainly can use wpg... but we have to take our light source and tanks into account. otherwise we'd all use micromols and be done with it. then we'd still be stuck asking what bulbs put out the best par... since try it before you buy it has its limits. as well everyone would have to have access to a $350 meter.
we could speculate that x plus y plus z will equal a, but it just doesn't tend to work that way. i used to have stats on over 80 different bulbs from color rendering index to lumens to lux at a specific distance to spectral graph to watts to size, shape etc., etc. in several different forms. from that info i was able to look up all the bulbs individually. i found test results people were doing on their reefs, planted tanks, etc., etc. using these bulbs and found that lumens was highly dependent on the green part of the spectrum. for the most part makes it useless. i also found out that cri is highly dependent the visible part of the spectrum being balanced evenly so the more visible colors cancel each other out when viewed by the human eye. on top of that i found lots of folks switching from what you'd assume to be better bulbs, complaining "it doesn't look as bright" and thinking that they were losing out and being shocked at things like renewed vigor in their plants growth, par values, etc..
another thing... if you tell me you have 78 watts of t5ho i immediately know you have a 2 bulb 3' fixture. as well i can safely assume your reflector isn't a white plastic piece of crap like the normal t8 aquarium fixtures. there's a lot to relate to there... and most folks who've bought such a fixture have asked around about what types of bulbs to put in them... as otherwise would be a big waste... and that's pretty much well known.
there's no infinite answer and all the research in the world is still fallible once you add in extra variables. as well most folks aren't looking to know all that. share it with me. i'm game for the reading.... but to prove a point in every thread and telling everyone to read it or do the research just doesn't work for everyone. sorry to say. some people just want an answer... and reasonably so... this is a hobby, not their job/lively hood.
simple things to realize, really. you just have to stop looking beyond them for a minute.
have a great day, lenny... and chillax a bit... have a mai tai on me. :cheers:
you, lenny i think are assuming that between the lot of us we can't answer his question without scientific research, knowing every posted number on the package of said bulbs as well as the graph/spectrum that collectively makes up the kelvin rating.
if it works it works... if the science/research questions that... it needs to be re-done, re-read or re-written.
i see these as 2 very different answers and the difference between your stating "you can't use wpg" (as in you can't assume you need 4wpg to make high light like shoplights would need, so nobody can get an idea of what you have to advise further) and his stating it doesn't work (as in... no... you don't need 4wpg to get high light...). we all know 4wpg mh, pc, t5ho, led, t8, etc. are going to give us different light levels. that's relatively easy to figure out.
so, as fallible as it is... as you can see we certainly can use wpg... but we have to take our light source and tanks into account. otherwise we'd all use micromols and be done with it. then we'd still be stuck asking what bulbs put out the best par... since try it before you buy it has its limits. as well everyone would have to have access to a $350 meter.
we could speculate that x plus y plus z will equal a, but it just doesn't tend to work that way. i used to have stats on over 80 different bulbs from color rendering index to lumens to lux at a specific distance to spectral graph to watts to size, shape etc., etc. in several different forms. from that info i was able to look up all the bulbs individually. i found test results people were doing on their reefs, planted tanks, etc., etc. using these bulbs and found that lumens was highly dependent on the green part of the spectrum. for the most part makes it useless. i also found out that cri is highly dependent the visible part of the spectrum being balanced evenly so the more visible colors cancel each other out when viewed by the human eye. on top of that i found lots of folks switching from what you'd assume to be better bulbs, complaining "it doesn't look as bright" and thinking that they were losing out and being shocked at things like renewed vigor in their plants growth, par values, etc..
another thing... if you tell me you have 78 watts of t5ho i immediately know you have a 2 bulb 3' fixture. as well i can safely assume your reflector isn't a white plastic piece of crap like the normal t8 aquarium fixtures. there's a lot to relate to there... and most folks who've bought such a fixture have asked around about what types of bulbs to put in them... as otherwise would be a big waste... and that's pretty much well known.
there's no infinite answer and all the research in the world is still fallible once you add in extra variables. as well most folks aren't looking to know all that. share it with me. i'm game for the reading.... but to prove a point in every thread and telling everyone to read it or do the research just doesn't work for everyone. sorry to say. some people just want an answer... and reasonably so... this is a hobby, not their job/lively hood.
simple things to realize, really. you just have to stop looking beyond them for a minute.
have a great day, lenny... and chillax a bit... have a mai tai on me. :cheers:
If you all would like to read one of the better lighting articles which will explain in pretty simple terms what lighting is all about, what different types of bulbs put out etc etc start here:
http://www.aquabotanic.com/artlit.htm
I have linked folks to this article now for 8+ years when they start to ask about lighting their tanks for plants.
http://www.aquabotanic.com/artlit.htm
I have linked folks to this article now for 8+ years when they start to ask about lighting their tanks for plants.
