# very low light will it work????



## Astral (Sep 24, 2004)

I was able to get a hagen geo system 100 on the cheap. I'd like keep the hood and lighting it came with but am concerned about the light level. The tank is 48 U.S. gallons at 39.5x16x19.5. The hood has 2x30 t8's. Okay okay I know its only 1.2 wpg but it still is 60watts...will this be enough to grow low light plants?

A plant list would be appreciated....Thanks


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## chagovatoloco (Nov 17, 2007)

With the right spectrum you can grow plants with that.


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## davemonkey (Mar 29, 2008)

I'm not sure if they would grow to much extent, but you could keep them alive in that kind of light. 

Anubias, Java Fern, Bolbitus, Mosses, Swords...I've kept some of those alive in less light than that...with very slow, very slight growth.

-Dave


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## Astral (Sep 24, 2004)

Darn Darn Darn Darn....I was afraid of that. I really like the look of the hood so I just sent out an email to the good people at ah supply for suggestions to retrofit. I'm going to start another thread on that topic....

Thanks....


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## niko (Jan 28, 2004)

Mosses grow perfectly fine in ambient light (no light over the tank).

You have to see the fish room that a local guy has. About 10 very lush planted tanks. About 1 wpg at most. I will visit him this weekend and I intent do take pictures because what he does it truly something to see. Basically he can grow about 20 species of plants under 1 wpg, no CO2 and with HOB filters.

If you really have to have good light consider Giesemann Midday T5HO. A single 39 watt bulb with an individual reflector will work wonders for your tank. If you put 2 of them then you will have enough light to grow anything your hearth desires.

--Nikolay


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## Astral (Sep 24, 2004)

Niko,

Thank you...I'd love to see those photos and to see what plants he is growing. My tank is set up in the living room so it does get some ambient light (north west wall) so no sun shining but still light. Thing is I'm starting this from scratch want to do it right...I've used co2 injection before and have it ready to go on this tank....I've read your thread starting a tank and want to do it that way but now is the question of light....I've read your threads about using that tube but I'm electrically challenged...I've looked at some websites and it seems I need to drive it with an icecap ballast and that is getting expensive....so a 96 watt PC from AH just seems an easy way to go...and I've used them before....


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## CrownMan (Sep 12, 2005)

As Niko said above, I have quite a few non CO2 tanks but 4 of them are low light - 90G community tank, 10G Cherry Shrimp tank, 29G shrimp and cory tank, and a 20long that only has plants and snails (had Apistos up until last weekend). Only recently in 2 of these have I have started dosing excel at the recommended dosage - 8ml daily in the 90G and 3ml daily in the 29G. Here are the plants I currently grow in these low light tanks. I trim the stem plants when they start to grow past the height of the tank (usually every 2 to 4 weeks). I usually trim them to about 6" under the water level.

Quickest growers are Cabomba Furcata (trim weekly in the 29G), Bacopa Carolinia, Hygrophila Angustafolia, and Mermaid Weed.

Various Crypts - Lutea, Wendtii Bronze, Green, Red, Gecko, Balansae, and a couple of ones I don't know the names of. Grow slowly but have taken over sections in some of the tanks.

Slower growers are Ludwigia Repens, Limnophila Aromatica, Rotala Vietnam, Echinodorus Bolivianus, Cardinal Plant, Red Lotus, Ludwigia Cuba, Anubias Nana and Petite, unknown Sag, Subwassertang.

I'm sure I've missed a few. Oh the wattages for the various tanks are : 90G - 110 CF 4" above tank, 20long - 30 watts T12, 10 G - 15 watts GroLux standard flourescent and 29G has approximately 35 watts of standard T5. All lights are on for 8.5 hours daily.

I believe water parameters make a difference also. My tap is 70ppm Kh and 110ppmGH. I dose macros and micros using EI in all excel and co2 tanks. I dose Mg, Ca, K and CSM +B or Flourish in all tanks. Sometimes Seachem Fe if I need to. Water changes every other week in all Excel and CO2 tanks weekly. I don't do water changes in the other tanks.


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## Astral (Sep 24, 2004)

Crownman....thank you for your imput. Many of those plants I'm familiar with and would like to grow...some I have to look up and will....

I'm finding that the tank will be getting some ambient light....I have a co2 tank and regulator so I will be adding co2 to the tank...If I stay with the low light I think that should be okay????



Thank you all once again....I haven't purchased any lighting yet as I'm still on the fence....


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## Astral (Sep 24, 2004)

I found a good source for t5HO retrofit and a source to purchase that Giesemann Midday T5HO bulb.

Question for Niko.....if I put in 2x39W under the hood will this put into a very high light tank that will be tricky for me to keep in balance? Another question...is it easy to wire them with independent switches to vary lighting during the day?

Again thank you for your help...

Frank


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## niko (Jan 28, 2004)

Frank,

If you put two 39 watt bulbs on separate switches then you will have complete freedom. You can grow high light or low light plants. You wil end up having both bulbs on for a few hours in the middle of the day and the rest will be one single bulb. The results will amaze you.

Wiring the 2 bulbs separately requires 2 separate ballasts (one for each bulb). The best service and prices you will find at reefgeek.com. Look for the Workhorse 3 ballast to power a single bulb:
http://www.reefgeek.com/lighting/Pa...ompact_Fluorescent/Workhorse_Long_3_by_Fulham

Also you must purchase the individual reflectors. They make a world of difference:
http://www.reefgeek.com/lighting/T5...t_Reflector_for_1-39W_Bulb_by_Sunlight_Supply

Finally to make the project easy you could get 2 pairs of waterpfoof end caps. But make sure you have enough spase to fit these end caps under your existing hood. The end cap is rather fat and may not fit in your hood:
http://www.reefgeek.com/lighting/Pa...ture_Proof_End-Caps_(Pair)_by_Vossloh_Schwabe

You could also get the cheap non-waterpfoof end caps and cover them with silicone. They basically look like small version of a normal fluorescent bulb end cap:
http://www.reefgeek.com/lighting/Pa...cent_Twist-Lock_Sockets_(Pair)_by_AAG_Stucchi

You will also need 2 timers - one for each ballast/bulb.

--Nikolay


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## Astral (Sep 24, 2004)

Thank you Nikolay, I will be on this project.

Frank


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