# 60cm lighting- full spectrum?



## B.A.T. (Dec 10, 2006)

I am getting ready to set up a 60cm with a suspended pc 65x2. i am planning on growing alot of red plants requiring bright light, also some glosso and riccia. I purchased two all glass aquarium bulbs. 55 watt 8000k full spectrum. Are full spectrum ok? Do I need something else? I think it will end up being around 5.5 watts per gallon.


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## niko (Jan 28, 2004)

B.A.T.,

If you can afford it buy T5 bulbs with individual reflectors. Make sure that their spectrum is good for plants. The Kelvin rating is a grossly misused value.

The Giesemann 6000K T5HO with individual reflectors blow away any other fluorescent bulbs - as intensity, as perceived color of the light, and as spectrum providing wavelengths that stimulate the photosynthesis:
http://www.reefgeek.com/lighting/T5...00K_Midday_Sun_T5_HO_Fluorescent_by_Giesemann

1 watt of the Giesemann T5HO gives as much light as 3 watts of T12 VHO. I haven't compared them to a T8, but I don't think a comparison is needed - the T8s will fall behind too.

Only one other company makes a T5 HO bulb with spectrum that is "ideal" for photosynthesis - "ATI". Most other company's bulbs (T8 included) either have bad spectrum, too few lumens, or horrible red color.

Here's a pretty shocking example of how efficient the Giesemann T5HO are - I have 160 watts of them over my 180 gals. tank. My crypts pearl despite minimal fertilization and no root feeding. Pearling is not a perfect indicator of the plants feeling great but if less than 1 watt per gallon can make a crypt pearl we are talking serious light here.

--Nikolay


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## Gary Greguire (Jan 13, 2007)

niko said:


> B.A.T.,
> 
> Here's a pretty shocking example of how efficient the Giesemann T5HO are - I have 160 watts of them over my 180 gals. tank. My crypts pearl despite minimal fertilization and no root feeding. Pearling is not a perfect indicator of the plants feeling great but if less than 1 watt per gallon can make a crypt pearl we are talking serious light here.
> 
> --Nikolay


T5's with good reflectors are absolutely amazing aren't they.......


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## niko (Jan 28, 2004)

Gary,

The T5HO that I got absolutely blew me away. I got 480 watts of them and when I turned them on for the first time it took my plants less than 2 min. to start pearling heavily. The tank contains inert gravel, Crypts and Swords - not exactly heavy perling plants. The 2 foot tall tank looked as if the water in it was boiling.

The only advantage that I see of MH over T5HO is the shimmer effect. *Everything* else is in favour of the T5s.

--Nikolay


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## Gary Greguire (Jan 13, 2007)

B.A.T. I would definatly go with the t5's if you can the bulbs last twice as long and put out tons more light that pc's 


I am setting up my 180 now I am going to run 300w (3x80 over driven on an Icecap ballast) I am going to start with I Giesemann 6000K, 1 GE 3000k and one ati aqua blue special..


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## freydo (Jan 7, 2006)

add another vote for the T5's, especially the giesemann midday lamps, with individual reflectors. i bought 6 for my 65 gallon. even with just two lamps on, i get a lot of light. at present i'm scared to have all 6 on, i don't want to blind the fish


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## B.A.T. (Dec 10, 2006)

Thanks for all the feedback, those bulbs surely do sound good. The problem is that I have already purchased the bulbs and have the light fixture suspended over the tank. I know that the lights containing colors in the blue and in the red spectrum are supposed to be the best. Thats where this question comes into play, if red plants don't use the red light I thought full spectrum would be ok, also if I have that much power focused on about 15 gallons, would these lights be ok? Again thanks for the suggestions.


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## B.A.T. (Dec 10, 2006)

Can anyone help me? I am going to stay with power compact, but what about the bulbs I have, are they ok? I also have a 55 watt plant growth pink bulb that is high in the required plant spectrums. Would these 2 bulbs combined be ok for the tank?


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## goalcreas (Nov 20, 2006)

You should be OK with either the 8000k or the 5000k Pink bulb, they are it the range that plants grow well with, but since you have both, you might want to try the combo, I for one do like to combo up color temps, I like the look and the plants seem much happier. I use the evidence of Pearling as them being happy which as stated above is not the perfect indication, but that the the growth that I get is enough for me.
Hope this helps you some.

Oh, I have one pc 65 watt Sunpaq Dual Daylight 10,000k / 6700k buld and one of the coralife T5 NO fixtures that is two 18 watt bulbs, one is 6700k and the other is 500k (pink). I started the tank with just the PC and when I added the T5 fixture, that is when the tank got MUCH HAPPIER. 
I also am getting ready for a 75 gallon project, I have a 4ft 4 bulb Tek T5 HO fixture, I got one of the Aquamedic Planta bulbs (Pink) and 3 GE 6500k bulbs to start. I will see how that goes, and if I need some adjustments, I will look to the Geissmann and or ATI bulbs and maybe some additional color temps, like one 10,000k.


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