# Lighting choices for 125g



## Bryeman (Aug 24, 2009)

I'm getting ready to fire up the 125g again and I'm deciding on what to use for lighting. I have an 8x39w fixture T5 and will probably stick with that. It has two channels so I can run 4 bulbs at a time or run all 8 and have massive output. 

My tank is 6' long and I was looking at one of the 4' long ATI dimmable fixtures to suspend above the tank as a possible alternative. The question is will this provide enough light for the ends of the tank do you think without providing too much to the center? I know I can set my landscape up to account for some of this with different plant choices, but I also don't want it to look awkward. I have two 3 ft ATI's above my 8' long Mbuna tank and it looks awesome, but obviously don't need much light as I only have ferns and a few other low light plants. Just wondering if anyone has experience with this. I like the suspended type because you have all sorts of room to access the tank without clutter but not sure I need to spend the money when I have the 6' long 8x39w already on hand. Tank is going to be high tech, not because I think it's the best, but because it's what I like!


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## TropTrea (Jan 10, 2014)

I'm converting a 120 from reef to planted as well. Lighting is an issue for me as I'm using 8 54 Watt HO t-5's plus 60 watts of LED's that is giving me about 240 PAR on the substrate. For a planted tank 1/4 of this is in the extreme light range.

As far as the 4 foot light fixture over a 6' tank yeas you will get extreme fall out on the ends of the tank. You gap will be almost a full foot on the edge of each side and T-5 reflectors are designed to spread front to back rather than to the sides. 

If you want to stay with T-5's I would recommend a pair of 36" 2 bulb fixtures for your 6' long tank. I would guess with the correct bulb choices you should be able to get a very even PAR in the 60 to 80 range which is more than enough for low light tanks.

Since I'm looking more into energy savings I'm going with a home built LED system for my 120 gallon. Total wattage I'm looking to be in the range of 200 watts compared to the over 500 watts I have going now on my reef. I'm hoping for PAR values around 100. Yes that is slightly more than most recommend in planted tanks but I will have the ability to tune it down if need be.

The big thing is my total costs should also be reasonable. 40 LED's will around $160 but a lot of them I already have in my spares bin from prior LED builds. Drivers should be in the $60 range again I do have some of those in stock now. The framing being mainly 1" X 2" channel aluminum if I cannot get it from a scrap bin would run me around $40.00. So top price would be $260 with savings on the monthly electric bill as well as not having to spend $160 every year for bulb replacement.

My other concern with T-5 lighting for a Planted tank is what bulbs would I get. I have mainly used ATI bulbs and do not believe they have a good planted tank bulb. As most of there bulbs are tuned for the deeper blues needed in Reef tanks.


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## Bryeman (Aug 24, 2009)

I'm sticking with the 8x39w (6' long) I already have for now. I can run 4 bulbs independently so I can play with the timers and figure out what I need to do. I may change up down the road though. 

I'm using Giesemann midday and aquaflora bulbs. Giesemann makes pretty good bulbs for planted tanks if not the best.

If I find that ATI makes a dimmable 6' or even 5' someday, I'm all over it like a mullet on a ******* though. Those dimmable fixtures are awesome in my experience. Fish appreciate not getting light bombed right away at start up too.


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## TropTrea (Jan 10, 2014)

Having worked for a lighting company years ago I'm not crazy about dimmable florescent lighting of any kind. However this is more an efficiency approach than anything else.


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## Newt (Apr 1, 2004)

Bryeman said:


> I'm sticking with the 8x39w (6' long) I already have for now. I can run 4 bulbs independently so I can play with the timers and figure out what I need to do. I may change up down the road though.
> 
> I'm using Giesemann midday and aquaflora bulbs. Giesemann makes pretty good bulbs for planted tanks if not the best.
> 
> If I find that ATI makes a dimmable 6' or even 5' someday, I'm all over it like a mullet on a ******* though. Those dimmable fixtures are awesome in my experience. Fish appreciate not getting light bombed right away at start up too.


The Giesemann T5HO bulbs are decent BUT, like almost all fluorescent bulbs, they do not use true red phosphor and thus the red spikes around 625nm; short of the ~650nm +/- for optimal photosynthesis. The true red phosphor is very expensive. The only fluorescent bulb I know of still using it is the Sylvania GroLux Standard. However, its a T12 and good for about only 6 months of use. To get around dimmable you can have several fixtures (or wire the bulbs separate) on separate timers. My lights are stepped ON and step OFF. Not only do the fish benefit but the plants as well.


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## TropTrea (Jan 10, 2014)

Phycocyanin is the main photosynthetic protein that uses light in the 620nm range and it is most frequently found in algae. 

The more frequent red light needs are from other proteins that are more common and they prefer red light at 630, 642, 662 and even 696 nm. 

However these proteins all have a primary spike of absorption in the 401 to 495 nm range. So my question is if they receive enough light in the primary range how important is the secondary range?


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## Newt (Apr 1, 2004)

Its chlorophyll synthesis we are most concerned about in a closed system.








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The minor proteins are typically covered by most fluorescent bulbs. Below is a relative energy spectral graph for a Midday bulb. No true reds with any strength/energy output.







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## TropTrea (Jan 10, 2014)

Yes Chlorophyll is the most abundant protein. But there are many excitation peaks with the various chlorophyll proteins.

a primary 430 secondary 662
b primary 453 secondary 642
c1 primary 442 secondary 630
c2 primary 444 secondary 630
d primary 401 secondary 455 and 696
We should also consider carotene as some plants have a more yellow tint and that is primary 450 with secondary at 453 and 454.

Noting none of these proteins have the primary peaks in the red. So I still wonder if we provide the primary but not the secondary how plants will do?

As another bit some of plants have red tints indicating they contain physiotherapy with a primary at 495 and secondary at 545 to 566 (in the yellow green range,)


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## Newt (Apr 1, 2004)

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## TropTrea (Jan 10, 2014)

Newt said:


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Yes this is nice chart however with most Aquarium plants you can pull out the Phycocyanin plot as it is primarily found in algae rather than than in the higher plants especially cyno Algae.

You can also put little weight on the Phyceorythrin again as it only found in some plants which do not appear primary green in color to the naked eye.

This leaves you only the secondary spikes in absorption at 662 642 and 630 that are beneficial. Since these are secondary spikes the argument still exists as to their importance, if enough light is absorbed from the primary spikes.


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## Bryeman (Aug 24, 2009)

I don't want to get in the middle of the ongoing debate on the thread I started as the graphs, etc. are cool and all that, but the Giesemann bulbs work well. I used to use a bunch of other brands in the past and Giesemann outperformed those in my experience (for T5's anyways). I don't have a PHD in bulbology, but they are pretty good, and that's what I'm using. The original intent of this thread was whether to stick with my 6' fixture or try a 4' dimmable like my Mbuna tank, and I'm sticking with the 6' for now (dimmable is awesome, but cost, length in this case makes it not as practical). 

My bulbs came today and I'm excited. I personally think the actual bulb debate is a little over rated unless you have someone trying to go with a strictly saltwater bulb regiment which would cause issues for sure. Proper CO2, "ideal" bulbs and output for plants, and fert regiments in proper proportion to each other will make or break 99% of tanks I'm willing to bet. If my bulbs are off by 20nm in the red spectrum I'll still sleep at night.


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## Newt (Apr 1, 2004)

Exactly the point I've been trying to make. 

-sorry your thread got hijacked-


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## Bryeman (Aug 24, 2009)

No problem. I just wanted everyone to know my vote had already been casted and I'm getting the bulbs I know and trust. lol


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