# [Wet Thumb Forum]-Light set-ups



## Tigurius (May 9, 2003)

I'm looking to either buy or build a light setup for a 20 long. I want to use flourescent bulbs but I'm not sure if having 5 24" 18 watt bulbs will create to much heat. The tank is 24" long and 12.5" wide. What lights(any pics) does everyone have on their 10's and 20's.


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## Tigurius (May 9, 2003)

I'm looking to either buy or build a light setup for a 20 long. I want to use flourescent bulbs but I'm not sure if having 5 24" 18 watt bulbs will create to much heat. The tank is 24" long and 12.5" wide. What lights(any pics) does everyone have on their 10's and 20's.


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## jpmtotoro (Feb 13, 2003)

how much light do you want in there? you could just get a 55 watt PC bulb and grow anything you wanted







otherwise... 4 NO bulbs would probably be just fine. depends on how much growth you want though. NO bulbs for that will probably be 15 to 20 watts apiece. you could throw 3 or 4 up there easily and be ok, or a PC like i said, but you could go with much less, depends on what you want to grow, and how fast you want it to grow. if you tell us your aspirations for the tank, we can give you better info









JP


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## imported_Fred (Feb 1, 2003)

I'm running 3 20w NOs over my 20(24x12x16). As to heat build up both ballasts are wired remote and the back is open ~18"x3.5". Also have the bulbs ~5" above the surface.
In the summer without the AC running temps will climb to about 82*. I usually just prop the front of the hood open ~an inch, may go ahead and install a fan or turn the AC on sooner ;^)

Fred


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## Alex (Mar 31, 2004)

24" bulbs are usually 20w so 4 would be plenty, but it would need a little ventilation. A 20 High is 24x12x16, a 20 Long is 30x12x12.

Alex


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## Tigurius (May 9, 2003)

Sorry, I thought that I 20 high would be taller but with those measurements it's a 20 high. Thinking about it now I would like for things in the tank to grow as much as possible so I'm looking to get enough light for very rapid growth. Are pc bulbs any different to set up? Any more expensive?


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## imported_Fred (Feb 1, 2003)

When I kept Rotala Indica & Ludwigia sp both grew like weeds. The Rotala was a nice pink and the Ludwigia a deep red. That was with 3 w/g.

AH supply has some nice options...the 2x36w comes to mind. 

PC bulbs are more expensive than NOs but last longer with maybe the exception of the Triton NOs. I'm not sure but I believe that the PCs might create more heat than NOs. Some one correct me if I'm wrong ;^)

Keep in mind with higher watts you will need some sort of CO2, DIY or pressurized. Plus ferts etc.

Fred


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## jpmtotoro (Feb 13, 2003)

PCs rock, after you go PC you'll hate NOs forever. i think ultimately NOs are hotter because you will need a lot. if your tank is 24" long and 12 wide, a single 55watt PC bulb in the middle will be PLENTY of light. PC bulbs don't need to be replaced until they actually die, and the ballasts are usually nicer. ahsupply.com has a wonderful DIY section if you want to build a canopy and put the lights in (very very easy). i think you can also buy some basic canopies from them... nothing fancy, but works. i decided to build my own because i wanted hinges, but that's up to you. you can also check for a JBJ setup from robert here. i don't know if they make a 24" setup or not, but it's a place to start. ultimately... i don't think PC would be very expensive on a tank like yours (under 100 easily if you DIY) and the bulb should last for way more than a year, and you don't need to worry about quality loss. also, watts are watts... but NO lighting does NOT put out the same lumens of PC lighting. 3wpg NO can't compare to 3wpg PC, so keep that in mind as well. ultimately you could put 2x55 over your little tank, but that would be like growing on the equator during the hot season on a clear day. if you listened carefully you could probably hear the plants grow...







anyway, check into PCs. they might work out for you. NO would work too, you'd just need more, and i like PCs anyway. smaller, brighter, last longer. yay.

JP

PS was just on bigalsonline.com ... made by allglass... 24" 55watt PC fixture for 70 bucks. not as good as the JBJ and definitely not as good as the ahsupply stuff... but that's pretty cheap (bulb included) the bulb is a 10,000k light... ideally you would use more around 6500k but... it's a cheaper option. when that bulb dies, you could use a different one.

[This message was edited by jpmtotoro on Tue May 20 2003 at 10:30 PM.]


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## Tigurius (May 9, 2003)

Are PC bulbs aquarium specific or will hardware stores carry them as well?


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## Rex Grigg (Jan 22, 2004)

Most commonly you will have to buy your PC bulbs for a planted tank from a specialty supplier.

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## jpmtotoro (Feb 13, 2003)

ahsupply.com has them, saltwater stores will have them, HOWEVER i just talked to someone this weekend that said home depot has them... i have not verified... you'll have to check the K rating though... you want 5300k to around 6500k usually. saltwater is usually 10,000k and actinic blue i think.

JP


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## karfixer (Mar 20, 2004)

I have a 20 G long tank, I am using 3 screw-in flourecents mounted in shop lights that sit on top of the lid. They light the tank quite well, 1)19W-6500K, 2)14W-"soft white" bulbs, though the soft whites will be getting replaced to the 6500K units as they don't look very good-but plant growth doesn't seem to be a problem.


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## tsunami06 (Feb 6, 2003)

On my 20g long, I'm using 2x20 watt NOs (a Triton and a Coralife Trichromatic... I really
like them!) and 3x13 watt power compacts
down the middle. I get very good coverage
this way. 4x20 watt NOs would get you very
good growth and the best coverage by far.
The 20g long is only 12 inches tall, so the
lighting from a power compact bulb
doesn't have as much chance to spread out as in, let's say, a 20g high.

Carlos

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"If you hear a voice within you say 'you cannot paint,' then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced." -- Van Gogh


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