wpg in a 10 gal
- Thread starter new2tanks
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you'll be able to search again at the beginning of the month.
but there is a lot of information on this subject- the standard recomendation is 2-3 watts per gallon but i read somewhere that the smaller the tank the more watts you will need- ie on 5-10 gallons 5 wpg may be nessisary and on very large tanks less ie over 300 gallons 1wpg would be plenty
i can't find this article without doing a fair amount of searching so i;m going to let your but do a search on www.plantedtank.net forum about wpg and small tanks if you have to start a post ask them for links and see if anyone has heard about the theaory i mentioned - one of 'em'll probably have the link handy
oh yeah and things seem to move a little slower around there so be patient
cheers -Kyle
but there is a lot of information on this subject- the standard recomendation is 2-3 watts per gallon but i read somewhere that the smaller the tank the more watts you will need- ie on 5-10 gallons 5 wpg may be nessisary and on very large tanks less ie over 300 gallons 1wpg would be plenty
i can't find this article without doing a fair amount of searching so i;m going to let your but do a search on www.plantedtank.net forum about wpg and small tanks if you have to start a post ask them for links and see if anyone has heard about the theaory i mentioned - one of 'em'll probably have the link handy
oh yeah and things seem to move a little slower around there so be patient
cheers -Kyle
I don't believe that it's 'necessary' to have a higher wpg over a 10 than a larger tank.
It is easier to manage the wpg ratio in a smaller tank than in a larger one. In other words 50 watts or 5 wpg over a 10 is much more manageable than 5 wpg, or 275 watts would be over a 55.
I currently have 28 watts over my 5.5 gal. or about 5 PG, and 56 watts over my 10 gal. with few management issues. Both tanks, BTW are CO2 injected. It would not be as easy a task without the gas.
On the other side of the coin, I've had 12 watts over the same 5.5 and 15 watts over the 10 and was able to grow nice plants, more of the lower light variety in those environments. I do remember growing some nice red Tiger Lotus in the ten at 1.5 wpg.
In a nutshell, I'd say that you have more room for a variety of systems in a smaller tank, IME.
Len
It is easier to manage the wpg ratio in a smaller tank than in a larger one. In other words 50 watts or 5 wpg over a 10 is much more manageable than 5 wpg, or 275 watts would be over a 55.
I currently have 28 watts over my 5.5 gal. or about 5 PG, and 56 watts over my 10 gal. with few management issues. Both tanks, BTW are CO2 injected. It would not be as easy a task without the gas.
On the other side of the coin, I've had 12 watts over the same 5.5 and 15 watts over the 10 and was able to grow nice plants, more of the lower light variety in those environments. I do remember growing some nice red Tiger Lotus in the ten at 1.5 wpg.
In a nutshell, I'd say that you have more room for a variety of systems in a smaller tank, IME.
Len
thanks to both for your responses.
3 lfs around me have the following deals (all these 3 are total prices for the starter kits):
1)kit comes with (2) 25 watt INCANDESCENT bulbs-which cannot be replaced.to go with fluorscent lighting the canopy needs to be replaced with one that offers fluorscnet lighting.total cost: 116 dollars.
2) kit comes with 15 watts of fluorscent lighting.total cost: 89.99
3) kit comes 13 watts of (CF) light.total cost: 69.99
which option would u go with for low/med light plants?
3 lfs around me have the following deals (all these 3 are total prices for the starter kits):
1)kit comes with (2) 25 watt INCANDESCENT bulbs-which cannot be replaced.to go with fluorscent lighting the canopy needs to be replaced with one that offers fluorscnet lighting.total cost: 116 dollars.
2) kit comes with 15 watts of fluorscent lighting.total cost: 89.99
3) kit comes 13 watts of (CF) light.total cost: 69.99
which option would u go with for low/med light plants?
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Just my 0.02:
I don't see why the incandescent bulbs couldn't be replaced ?
You can buy screw in CF lights - like the energy saving bulbs you use in your house. I found 20W "lights of america" 6500K (nice white - not the yellow tint the cheapo energy saver bulbs have) and used 2 of them over my 10G. They also have them in 15W versions.
Finally things grow - 2x 10W CF (all-glass CF bulbs from big als) just wasn't enough (which of course doesn't mean it won't work for you - maybe it was my errors or choice of plants).
The 10G kit i used is from walmart and was ??? $40 - add to that the cost of a heater and $8.44 for the screw in CF lights mentioned above and you are good to go.
I don't see why the incandescent bulbs couldn't be replaced ?
You can buy screw in CF lights - like the energy saving bulbs you use in your house. I found 20W "lights of america" 6500K (nice white - not the yellow tint the cheapo energy saver bulbs have) and used 2 of them over my 10G. They also have them in 15W versions.
Finally things grow - 2x 10W CF (all-glass CF bulbs from big als) just wasn't enough (which of course doesn't mean it won't work for you - maybe it was my errors or choice of plants).
The 10G kit i used is from walmart and was ??? $40 - add to that the cost of a heater and $8.44 for the screw in CF lights mentioned above and you are good to go.
i dont see why they couldnt be replaced but when i asked the petsmart sa, she was like they cant be screwed out....
soo frustrating.
was the kit you got from walmart an aqua-tech kit?
if so, i think my walmart has them.its going for about 59.93 though!
soo frustrating.
was the kit you got from walmart an aqua-tech kit?
if so, i think my walmart has them.its going for about 59.93 though!
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You're in canada right ? Maybe that's why things are a bit more....
And the incandescent bulbs HAVE TO be replaceable. After all they don't last forever - and what would you do if the light bulb breaks ? Buy a new hood ? LOL
I don't remember what the kit was called - but here is a link with one that looks just like it. It's just that the filter was a whisper 5-15.
http://www.petfish.net/reviews/aqua10.php
And the incandescent bulbs HAVE TO be replaceable. After all they don't last forever - and what would you do if the light bulb breaks ? Buy a new hood ? LOL
I don't remember what the kit was called - but here is a link with one that looks just like it. It's just that the filter was a whisper 5-15.
http://www.petfish.net/reviews/aqua10.php
The amount of light you need depends on the plants you want to grow. A good 28 watt Coralife Unit would do you good. That is what I had on mine. and my plants grew very quickly.
i would suggest puting the peices together your self or at least pricing that option
in the us a 10 gallon aquarium in $10-12 the glass top is $10 and heater $10-30 and a sponge can be had for $7-12 after that i'd put a coralife freshwater light on it
in the us a 10 gallon aquarium in $10-12 the glass top is $10 and heater $10-30 and a sponge can be had for $7-12 after that i'd put a coralife freshwater light on it
