# stronger lighting



## bioch (Apr 8, 2006)

i cant seem to find enough watts for my tank and im wondering how you can increase your lighting with like mirrors or something. or some sort of bulbs i can find in stores. i have a 45gal tank so ill need like 90watts of light, im guessing


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## trenac (Jul 16, 2004)

You will have to buy a new fixture to increase your wattage if you have a standard hood that came with the tank. 90 watts would give you 2wpg, which is a good place to start. Try some of these companys for lighting options... http://www.marineandreef.com/
http://www.ahsupply.com/index.html
http://www.championlighting.com/home.php


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## bioch (Apr 8, 2006)

trenac said:


> 2wpg, which is a good place to start.


wat! i need more! like 3wpg?


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## hoppycalif (Apr 7, 2005)

I am setting up a 45 gallon tank too, and I'm using two 55 watt AH Supply kits for lighting. That has been a bit too much light for my 29 gallon tank, but should be fine for the 45 gallon one. The more light you have, the faster the plants, and algae, grow. With a really high light intensity, algae tends to burst into life before you can do anything to stop it.


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## bioch (Apr 8, 2006)

hoppycalif said:


> I am setting up a 45 gallon tank too, and I'm using two 55 watt AH Supply kits for lighting. That has been a bit too much light for my 29 gallon tank, but should be fine for the 45 gallon one. The more light you have, the faster the plants, and algae, grow. With a really high light intensity, algae tends to burst into life before you can do anything to stop it.


do you know any big stores, distrubutors beside online where i can get those? and i happen to be living in cali but in the sanfransico area. and i've been reading that ah kits are diy so does that mean i have to built my own hoods for it and all they give me are the bulbs?


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## trenac (Jul 16, 2004)

bioch said:


> wat! i need more! like 3wpg?


Then you will need a fixture producing 135 watts, which will give you 3 wpg.


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## hoppycalif (Apr 7, 2005)

Here is their website: http://www.ahsupply.com/, where they sell the kits, consisting of the reflector, the ballast, all of the hardware and wiring needed to install it. They also sell wood hoods that can be used with the kits. It's an interesting website to explore. And, they are just about the best at customer service.


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## xcooperx (Jun 24, 2006)

your really having problem with your high light hoppy, i also read some of your post that if you have to start again you will not go with 2x55watts. so whats your suggestion for lightning the 29 gallon?


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## hoppycalif (Apr 7, 2005)

xcooperx said:


> your really having problem with your high light hoppy, i also read some of your post that if you have to start again you will not go with 2x55watts. so whats your suggestion for lightning the 29 gallon?


I have a love/hate relationship with the 110 watts of light for my 29 gallon tank. I love how it looks, I love watching plants grow fast, pearl like crazy, and get nice interesting coloration. But, I hate having to spend most of my energy trying to keep algae under control. It seems as if once I do one little thing wrong it takes me a couple of weeks to recover from the surging algae. It probably isn't that bad, but it seems that way. So, if I did another 29 gallon tank I would use 2 X 36 watt AHS light kits and learn to enjoy the slower plant growth.


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## bioch (Apr 8, 2006)

40 22.5" 5000K 11405 $19.99
55 21.1-5" 5000K 15550 $18.99
55 21.1-5" 5500K 15555 $18.99
55 21.1-5" 6700K 11556 $18.99
55 21.1-5" 10000K 11551 $18.99
55 21.1-5" Bright Blue 11552 $18.99
55 21.1-5" Deep Blue 03 11559 $18.99
55 21.1-5" 10000K/Deep Blue 03 Combo 15519 $18.99

i dont get the color temp. wat is the color temp?


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## slickwillislim (Oct 11, 2005)

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-05/sj/index.php

You asked.


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## ruki (Jul 4, 2006)

I agree about the AH Supply recommendation. They are great for Power Compact lighting kits. Gives you very good value for your dollar if you have some very basic construction skills (i.e. screw driver). Many people in my area are very happy with this vendor.

If you want maximum light in the smallest space, go with a TekLight. These are expensive and tubes are too. http://www.reefgeek.com/

If you are really good with construction and electical skills, make your own T8 overdriven light. This can be an even cheaper route than AH Supply. This approach also has several very happy people in my area. Cheap tubes is what drives these people.

*tube color*
Kelvins is a physics term for temperature which is abbreviates for heating up something inert to a certain temperature. Its color corresponds how something glows as you heat it up. We've all heated up metal until it glows red. As you heat it up more, the object would change colors marching along the Kelvins color numbers. It would be fun to have a blow torch powerful to heat something to "blue hot", wouldn't it?

Fluroescent tubes generally emit a number of narrow bands of light rather than a continuious rainbow spectrum. Our eyes/brain averages this into a "color" for the tube. So, it's an average of the individual colors of the tube which roughly corresponds to the Kelvin color scale.

For plants, you want a tube that emits some red colors and blue colors. Usually tubes rated 5000K and higher emit enough reds and blues. You can get a spectrum diagram for the tube and verify this if you want. Just stay away from "blue" tubes since they don't put out any reds.

Aesthetically, colors set the mood of a tank. 10000K bulbs are intense and make for a bold display while 5000K has a more relaxed mood. Many people like tubes around 6500K since it makes their fish look good. It's mostly personal preference -- people can argue about which is "best" 

This is at best, a rough summary of the link provided at the previous post to this one.


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## bioch (Apr 8, 2006)

thx ruki your explanation was a LOT better then slickwillislim. =) 
it looks like i can't find these 55watts fluorescent tubes any sooner because i cant buy anything online because i dont have a credit card and i cant find it in lfs plus i find them pretty expensive.

i read on another forum that buying bulbs in walmart would be a lot better, any suggestions on wat i should buy on walmart.
wat type of COMPACT FLUORESCENT BULB. or links to any aquascape journals were people have used those, i seem to have seen those somewhere here. http://www.1000bulbs.com/product.ph...m=shopping+site&utm_campaign=froogle+datafeed
would this be good, is it a little short of kelvins?


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## John N. (Dec 11, 2005)

For CF bulbs at Walmart. Look in the lighting section for a brand called Lights of America, $9 for 2 bulbs. The Kelvin rating for those are 6500k and screw in to your fixture. I used these in my 10 gallon before upgrading to AH's 36 watt kit.

-John N.


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## bioch (Apr 8, 2006)

i dont have any fixtures so i plant on buying a lamp thingy for it.


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