# [Wet Thumb Forum]-Lighting Survey



## Steve Hampton (Feb 13, 2004)

What type of lighting have you found the most success with in over your planted tanks. Please expand on your choice or if your choice isn't listed please describe your setup and success.


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## Steve Hampton (Feb 13, 2004)

What type of lighting have you found the most success with in over your planted tanks. Please expand on your choice or if your choice isn't listed please describe your setup and success.


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## Ron Nelson (Apr 2, 2003)

First let me state that I love my JBJ formosa 4x65 PC's.

But I voted for ODNO. Why?

I started with a 4x65 JBJ Formosa on my 75 gallon co2 injected well planted tank. Then I picked up a 120 gallon for free and needed lights for it, but didn't have a lot of money.

So I moved the Formosa to the 120, and put together a 4 t8 bulb 2x ODNO setup for the 75. I used a reflector I had around and bought 4 2x32t8 ballasts off ebay for $17 And bought a couple of phillips t8 5000k daylight bulbs from Home Depot for like $6 to go with a couple of Zoo Med Flora Sun t8's I already had.

The results after a month or so are great. My glosso grows as fast as it ever has, still grows fairly close to the gravel, and actually pearls more. Everything seems to be growing very well. I've actually added a single bulb 2x ODNO to the 120 now to give it a little more light, although the 120 is a bit deeper it has helped a bit there too. I'm not trying to make ODNO out to be the miracle cure or anything like that. But in the right application it's a good cheap way to get more light. And the bulbs are so much cheaper than pc's.









YMMV

Ron

[This message was edited by Ron Nelson on Sun October 26 2003 at 06:43 PM.]


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## JamesHoftiezer (Feb 2, 2003)

I've had really good results with my PCs, but must admit that I have no basis for comparison (its my first and only tank), but would not hesitate to use them again. I am also really inspired to try some MH, but mixed with PCs.

*James Hoftiezer
Hoftiezer.Net - Journals and Libraries
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## imported_Matt (Oct 29, 2003)

I have used MH, PC, and NO flourescents and had luck with all in different situations. I voted for MH because I love the look of open top MH tanks. I use the cheapie MH bulbs also. I like the more even coverage and spectrums PC offers, but for the cost it seesm like you have to buy bulbs way too often. Also, my only big algae battle was in my PC tank.

Also, on big tanks MH can be much less expensive on startup.


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## Robert Hudson (Feb 5, 2004)

Five years ago I started my 100 gallon tank with 440 watts of VHO lights. I later dropped one vho and replaced it with a NO. I was satisfied with the results, but when it came time to replace the bulbs, 6500 kelvin were no longer available. I chose VHO at the time because compacts were very new , and VHOs seemed the most cost effective way to go at that time. There was no AH supply either!

When I moved to Oregon I dumped the VHO and went with power compacts. I would love to try MHs sometime, but they seem very expensive still. I have gone with PCs on all my tanks now.

Robert
King admin
www.aquabotanic.com


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## superjohnny (Jul 31, 2004)

i found this, a 175w MH retrofit kit for $75. The bulbs are an additional ~$65, but $140 for the whole deal doesn't seem too bad.

---------------------------------------------
Fish are the things that live with my plants.


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## cousin it (Apr 2, 2003)

the T5 flourescent lighting has given me results that I'm very happy with.
power compacts come a close second though.


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## Doomer (Feb 2, 2003)

I voted for PC's because I have 2 tanks with PC's that are doing great while my big tank with MH's isn't doing very well.


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## gpodio (Feb 4, 2004)

I can't make up my mind







I really don't think I can say I've had better success with one or the other, at least not as far as plant growth is concerned. I know which ones have worked out to be more cost effective for me....

Any improvements I've noticed when changing type of lighting had to do with the fact that I also changed the amount of light, I have never tried the same amount of light using different types of lighting, only this would give me any true indication as to which one the plants prefer.

There is only one real preference in my experience, and that is light coverage. I have found that spreading the amount of light over the entire tank top causes less shadows and gives me better growth in the lower levels where shadows usually cause some problems. Another words in my low light 90 gallon I had to use a less efficient type of light such as T8s in order to cover a greater area. In my high light, PCs seem to give me the amount of light I want while covering the surface area quite well.

Economically speaking however, overdriven T8s seem to have proven the most cost effective for me. With PCs I can cram more light per square inch of space. But the plants seem to respond more to the amount of light and spectrum of the bulb than if the light is coming from a T5, T8, PC or other form of lighting. There is also the heat issue, but again, little to do with actual plant growth.

Giancarlo Podio


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## MOR B. (Oct 9, 2003)

what about mercury vapor? i moved from 80w of florocent light to 125w hql mercury vapor with good results. why i dont see any of u guys using this kind of light? have i missed anything? they r very cheap too


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## JamesHoftiezer (Feb 2, 2003)

mercury vapor is usually only available in the lower color ranges (3000-4000 kelvin). We usually try to use 5300-6700K.

*James Hoftiezer
Hoftiezer.Net - Journals and Libraries
Rate My Tank!!

Tank Journal - Aquascape ( Latest / Archive(No Longer Active))
Tank Journal - Parts and Construction ( Latest / Archive(No Longer Active))*


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