Lighting ideas

[Signus]

I was in Lowe's today looking around and thought about making a better hood and lighting fixture for my 10 gallon. Right now, I just use a full spectrum 20" T-8 in the old hood piece.

I was thinking of getting a 2-foot Double T-12 lighting fixture and then constructing a hood to house it. When using the Grolux T-12s that'd roughly equal 4 w/gal! Can I get away with that with my Temple plants, java moss, and hornwort? I plan on removing the elodea because it'd be a monster in a matter of days. I could use the hornwort to shade the java fern if the intensity is too much.

I've been striving for a SE Asian biotope, so I'm open for suggestions on what to do for plants as well. I'm battling nearly every single algae you can think of because I accidentally didn't hook-up my DIY CO2 injection when I made a new batch. BBA looks red until it gets older, right?

 

[OrionGirl]

The light should work--though 4 watts per gallon isn't really that much. The java moss won't mind it at all--I have them in a tank with around 6 wpg, and a as low as less than 1 wpg. Grows better at the higher light, but survives even the low light levels just fine.

For algae--encouraging the plants to grow will help--check in the planted forum for advice on fertilizing and such.

 

[Signus]

All right. I've been reading up on what Tom Barr has had to say. I only have plain gravel, so I'm sure it will not give the same results fluorite or something rich would give.

I'm on a student budget, so then it's a catch 22 between trying to make something aesthetically pleasing/healthy and cheap. Would CF be more cost effective over the normal T-12 bulbs?

 

[beviking]

If you're thinking of getting more involved with plants, save your money. Wait until you can afford the substrate (Flourite, Onyx, etc...). If your elodea was "a monster in a matter of days" then it sounds like you have enough light for what you have now.
I don't think you can beat the price of normal flourescent lighting, but then, that's all I use.
4 watts/gallon seems plenty to me! later (or sooner), you can swap the T12's for T8's which will give you a little more light. Yes T8 use less watts, but the output(lumens) is more.

 

[Signus]

Gotcha.

I ment that the elodea would be a monster in a matter of days with that much wattage. I originally purchased a bundle as a filler plant to help colonize the tank. Now, the bundle has grown into two and looks to be ready to make a third, though much more slowly than the second bundle took.

My whole idea for increasing wattage is to get the plants to outcompete the algae that have gained footholds. If I were to change the susbtrate after working a few more hours a week down at the Vet college, what type would you suggest?

I really like the orange and red in one of them, but I forget its name. It looks like clay chips.

 

[beviking]

That'd be Flourite.