Re: [RML] Lights

Bjorn Straube (straube at digital.net)
Fri, 16 Jan 1998 18:04:43 -0500

Hi Jim,
While I don't feel like I am an authority on lighting, I have a
little expirience eith MH lighting. I have two 175w lights over my 75
gal planted tank. The plants love it and the rainbows look great. I
must admit that when the fish are in the top few inches of water, their
coulor are not quite as rich as when deeper in the tank. Also, when the
plants are really doing well, my "open" areas are shaded by the plants
and the fish look really good. Oh, remember that the bulbs spectrum
will deteriorate just like florecent bulbs and they ain't cheap at
$50-100 a shot, so that would be $150-300 every 6-12 months for a 6 foot
tank.

Hope it helps,
Bjorn

Jim Priest wrote:
>
> Hey There...
>
> I just purchased a new Oceanic 125, a tank I will be setting up when I
> have all the components (which will be about 6 months the way my money
> is going). The thing I have thought the most about, is how to light
> this tank which will be live planted and CO2 injected.
>
> A 6' tank presents problems when using flourescent, I think, because you
> can hardly get 2 watts/gallon even if you cover the thing with 36"
> tubes...and besides, if you do, you will have spent a fortune doing it.
> I figure $320.00 just for 4 dual-tube fixtures (unless someone knows
> where to get 36" shop light fixtures), and at least another $100 -
> 150.00 for bulbs (if you use something like the ultra tri-lux bulb).
>
> Well hell, If I'm going to spend that much on lighting, maybe I should
> consider metal halide or VHO. I can put 350 watts of metal halide for
> the same money and have it hanging from the ceiling, to boot, giving me
> excellent access to the tank (a luxury I don't presently have due to the
> fact that I have flourescent strips all over my other tanks).
>
> Anyway, I have never seen metal halide or VHO lighting in action, nor do
> I know anybody who has. Can anybody shed any light on this matter?
> This will be my first go with serious CO2 injection, so I know I need to
> get my watts up. How will my rainbows look with this much light on them?
> I'm not sure if I want to drown out the beauty of my fish; but, on the
> other hand, I am really getting into this plant thing. Where does The
> List draw the line here?
>
> I am open to any suggestion or sharing of personal experience with
> lighting this size tank. I'm not sure exactly what fish I will be
> keeping in this tank but it will be community. I will probably put a
> rather large tribe of Pappin Cr. Tris in there and maybe a splendida
> variety or two.
>
> Thanks
> Jim