Parameters - are they OK?

Actually - having another look at mine last night to be sure - they are Realux - not many mentions on the web (www.aquaessentials.co.uk was the only place I could find them). They are:
Daylight - 11,000k, 35w 42" and T6 Spectrum (or Plant Grow), 35W (doesn't give the spectrum figure).

If this is not going to be enough - would it help if I put reflectors in?
My only problem with the stuff above is that my tank came with hood and light units - so I'd like to avoid going DIY and fiddling with it too much (being a fairly incompetent female!)

R
 
Sorry - doing a bump.. will let it go and ask LFS for advice if people still don't think reflectors alone will work on this one. Very annoying as I think the T6's they advised me to take for plant growth were relatively pricey.
Sigh.
R
 
Hi sorry, I don't surf this forum alot. I know that T6 exist, but have only heard about it once. So I was hoping some one who knows better might jump in.
Anyway, good reflectors will help, but it's not going to be anywhere near what you can get if you double the wattage or just even having an extra 35watt tub in there.
I used to be under wattage too. From my experience, I tried replacing my standard aquarium light bulb with a plant specific light bulb. My plant got a bit better but it was not enough. I replace my white reflector and added Mylar to 3 sides of the tank. It got a bit better, but still not enough. In the end, I have to replace the canopy and put two sets of light which doubles the wattage, and only then did I get my plant to not just grow but flourish as well.
So, I think your option is to ditch the canopy if it can only accommodate one strip of light. Buy an aquarium glass top that fits your tank top. Then put the light strip on top of the glass. You can raise it a bit if you have heating concerns. Then go out and get another light strip and put both on top. Then you can turn the CO2 back on and sit back and enjoy the plant exploding in your tank.
Err ... actually, most people have to battle algae at this point, but if you add your fertilizer dosage correctly, you might not have to.
A second option is to make your own canopy that fits 2 light strips.
A third option is to buy an egg cart? (One of those plastic square grid that is used to diffuse light in the office buildings). Stick that on top of the tank to prevent fish from jumping out, and hang your two light strips over the tank. If you have super high ceilings, buy a portable cloth hanger (similar to the ones the bell boys push around at expensive hotels). Put that over you tank and hang your light.
If all these are too expensive for you. Then you might want to stash the CO2 kit or sell it and just concentrate on low light plants. Things like java moss, java fern and maybe even anubias or crypt might stand a chance at such a low light. But even if they survive, it'll grow at a super slow rate and may never be as vibrant and a CO2 injected tank.
 
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Thank you! Well - I'll try asking the LFS to see if they have any easier solutions. At the moment my 2x 42" obviously aren't going to cut it...
Thanks for your help
R
 
Hmmmm. I've been looking around and getting more confused. I gather there is a difference between Wattage and Lumens. Wattage is acutally how much of your power it takes to run the bulbs. Lumens is actually the amount of LIGHT it produces. Which is why T6's and T8's have the same kind of wattage - and yet apparently very different light levels for fish.

So - does anyone know how you could work out what your Lumens is? If I had to 35W T6s does that (given they claim to be 40% more effective) give me a working wattage of 98?

Sorry. I think I must be getting really quite irritating with my questions now - but every time I think I have it sussed, I go out, spend money and THEN find out I've got it wrong!

R
 
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