# 9.6w/g too much light?



## DCMarathoner (Sep 8, 2008)

My feeling is, way too much. But any help is appreciated.

I am setting up a 10-g tank right now. The length is 18" and depth is 12". I can't find a lot of fixtures that are within the 18"-20" length, other than coming up with this Coralife fixture consistently.

I can't hang any light fixture, so it would be a good candidate since I can mount it on legs. The problem is, 96 w for a 10g tank? Even though I plan on planting HC and other high light plants plus administering CO2, me thinks this is a little too much.

Thoughts? Or better still, any suggestion for alternative light fixtures? I am trying to avoid having a few clamp ons...


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## DCMarathoner (Sep 8, 2008)

Or I could get this:

http://www.aquabuys.com/page/aqb/PROD/nov_2x_18_sw and swap out the actinic for another slimpaq.

So 3.6w/g, 12" depth, enough for HC or Glosso?


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## Seattle_Aquarist (Mar 7, 2008)

Hi DCMarathoner,

I have 2X10 watt screw in compact florescent bulbs on a 10 gallon and I could really use more. It would be helpful if the 2X18 watt fixture you reference had individual switches for each bulb.


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## doubleott05 (Jul 20, 2005)

you know what you could do 20 wpg if you wanted . now most people will say that 3-4wpg is the standard but im a light freak and i say the more the better. you just have to keep your ferts up and yoru waterchanges up.

i ran that ten gallon set up with a 96w coralife for 2 years and had absoulutly no problems andi used that exact same coralife light with the quad 6700k light
i had a hagen diy co2 and ladder and i used petsmart plant grow and ferro vit from a LFS and i had a shabangin tank. so it can be done. 

my most recent tank had 16+ wpg over a 17 gal tank and i loved it but i got tired of the heat it put out so i broke it down and upgraded so i wouldnt wear out the light fixture.


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## davemonkey (Mar 29, 2008)

The whole "WPG" things depends on tank size. I have a 3 gal picotope with about 10 WPG ( 2 x 15 watt) and I consider that to be moderate light. Of coarse, it's raised 6 inches from the tank and the bulbs are normal flourescent, not HO or compact.

That same tank with 18 watts cfl (6 wpg) did well for me as a moderate light tank with the fixture placed lower to the top of the tank.

My opinion is that 96 watts would be "very high light" on a 10 gallon. You'll just have to keep up with ferts and CO2 as doubleott05 said. 2 x 18 watt would be a good mod-high light for a 10 gal.


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## DCMarathoner (Sep 8, 2008)

Thanks for the tips guys. 

doubleott05: Did the 10,000 bulb encourage any algae growth?


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## doubleott05 (Jul 20, 2005)

well any bulb can encourage algae growth... so hmmmm i would say no but somebody else might say yes its all about how you run your tank. 

kinda a loaded question. i guess thats the best i can answer it. 

maybe the bluer the bulb color is the more it would encourage algae growth.

i donno if that helped you


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## houseofcards (Feb 16, 2005)

doubleott05 said:


> you know what you could do 20 wpg if you wanted . now most people will say that 3-4wpg is the standard but im a light freak and i say the more the better. you just have to keep your ferts up and yoru waterchanges up..


This is 100% correct. It's all about realistic maintenance. More plants, less light, less livestock and the easier the tank is to run. Less plants, more light, more livestock and your in a world of hurt if you don't go over the top with maintenance, etc. 10k bulbs are fine, but it really comes down to maintenance. BTW Maintenance is not just water changes and cleaning filter, mainteance is also light duration, feeding less, etc.

...and of course good co2.


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