js Posted January 14, 2010 Report Share Posted January 14, 2010 I have read the Lighting FAQ which is a great article, but a little bit beyond me. Could someone please help. I have just upgraded from a 54ltr (60x30x30) tank which I had a 62cm Aqua One single tube light running with a tube called "Atman Tri Power Light" 15000k 20W. This seemed to give a blueish lighting which really showed up the colours of my fish beautifully. (Have neons which looked great with this light). The new 4ft (120 x 48 x 38) has come with a 62cm Aqua One double tube light running with one tube called "Gro Lux F18W/Gro T8" and the other one "Philips TLD 18W/840 New Generation). This only lights up the middle of the tank, so we have decided to get a 4ft long light, but not sure what colour tubes etc to get. The tank doesn't get much sun and we have put a black background on it (the small tank was in the same spot but with a picture background (so brighter than the new one). I have a gravel substrate and plants in there. Am thinking the lighting on the smaller tank looked better, but perhaps this is because it lit the whole tank up? Have just checked with a Double Tube Aqua One 4 foot light for sale and apparently it come with 2 "sun light" tubes? I really don't know the difference between any of them. Any help would be appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phoenix44 Posted January 14, 2010 Report Share Posted January 14, 2010 what plants do you want to grow? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
js Posted January 14, 2010 Author Report Share Posted January 14, 2010 I have just bought some from the pet shop, so don't even know the names of them. I'm not intending on getting really technical like a lot of people on this forum have, so haven't put a plant base under the gravel etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phoenix44 Posted January 14, 2010 Report Share Posted January 14, 2010 do you have any red plants? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
js Posted January 14, 2010 Author Report Share Posted January 14, 2010 Yes it is quite nice, but I haven't had much luck with this one in my little tank. Had to keep replacing it. The stalks and undersides of the leaves are red and the top sides of the leaves are a dark green colour. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phoenix44 Posted January 14, 2010 Report Share Posted January 14, 2010 can you post pics of them please? I would recommend what I usually do. 1x 10000K tube and 1x 18000K powerglo tube. the powerglo is important. there are other 18000K tubes that are not powerglos, and are not as effective. I think your glo lux is a good tube as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aquila Posted January 14, 2010 Report Share Posted January 14, 2010 Where can one source a 18K Powerglo? What brand is it? Cheers! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phoenix44 Posted January 14, 2010 Report Share Posted January 14, 2010 only a petshop / fish shop will have them. if you speak to someone who does not know what they are, its time to find a new pet shop :lol: They are just called powerglo's. its written all over the box. :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
js Posted January 14, 2010 Author Report Share Posted January 14, 2010 Thought you might ask that. Will have to go and charge up the camera and then try to put a pic on here. (Haven't done that yet either). Might be tomorrow before I get a chance to try and put it on. What does the powerglo do? Is that the one for the plants? And then what colour is the plain the plain 10000? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phoenix44 Posted January 14, 2010 Report Share Posted January 14, 2010 the powerglo emmits a good colour light that is beneficial for plant growth. it promotes bushy growth through the blue spectrum and tall growth through the red spectrum. the other spectra are utilised by the plants, especially the red ones, that use most other spectra - but the red colour (that's why we can see the red). powerglo also highlights and accents reds and makes the fish look great. AKA. it makes your weeds grow. or is it plants grow like weeds. 10000K replicates the natural light and is great for swords. Infact ive found that swords do better under 10000K light than 18000K light - unless the swords have coloured leaves (apart from green). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suphew Posted January 14, 2010 Report Share Posted January 14, 2010 The 840 tube you have is 4000k, sun light tubes are typically round the 5500-6500 range. With regards the plants different kelvins (colour) can make them behave differently, ie go into grow mode, flower mode, or dormant etc. But really for the amount of light we typically have on tanks your best to pick them by what colour you like the look of best. You can get tubes a lot cheaper if you buy them from an electrical wholesalers (they all sell to the public despite the name), the last two numbers on the code (840, 856, etc) give you the kelvin (or colour). Just take a note of the wattage of the tube before you go shopping, each type and size of tube has the pretty much unique wattage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Floater Posted January 14, 2010 Report Share Posted January 14, 2010 If you need some other plants just give me a shout, I'll have to start taking clippings from some of mine soon and I'd gladly pass em on to a fellow Dunedin fish person (don't seem to be many around) instead of tossing them out. Also where did you get your black background from is it a single piece? I had a look at stationary warehouse for some black card and couldn't find anything big enough in a single piece. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
js Posted January 14, 2010 Author Report Share Posted January 14, 2010 If you need some other plants just give me a shout, I'll have to start taking clippings from some of mine soon and I'd gladly pass em on to a fellow Dunedin fish person (don't seem to be many around) instead of tossing them out. Also where did you get your black background from is it a single piece? I had a look at stationary warehouse for some black card and couldn't find anything big enough in a single piece. Yes please. I would really appreciate that. Well I was having the same dilema with having a join in my paper, when my husband came up with the brilliant idea of asking our friend who is a builder for some of that black building paper that they wrap houses in. It was perfect. The roll is 1250 long and my tank is 1220, so no joins and then we just cut off a piece deep enough for the height. I'm sure he wouldn't mind giving me some more, if you let me know how much you need. Assuming that your tank is not wider than 1250? The paper is nice and thick too, which may be insulating like intended for houses (to a small degree anyway). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Floater Posted January 14, 2010 Report Share Posted January 14, 2010 Yes please. I would really appreciate that. Well I was having the same dilema with having a join in my paper, when my husband came up with the brilliant idea of asking our friend who is a builder for some of that black building paper that they wrap houses in. It was perfect. The roll is 1250 long and my tank is 1220, so no joins and then we just cut off a piece deep enough for the height. I'm sure he wouldn't mind giving me some more, if you let me know how much you need. Assuming that your tank is not wider than 1250? The paper is nice and thick too, which may be insulating like intended for houses (to a small degree anyway). I'll send you a pm/email when I have some clippings (might be a few weeks). And my tank is 1510mm long haha, oh well the search continues! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zev Posted January 14, 2010 Report Share Posted January 14, 2010 You should be able to buy short rolls of it at a building merchants, I use for some of my tanks, it is waterproof to some degree and quite a good thickness to handle without it all turning to custard! Dimensions for the small roll are 1m wide by 25m long, cost is approx $33 per roll, it is called Bitumac Breathable Building Paper and is made by Tasman. So providing your tank is not more than a meter high, you should get plenty off one roll. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
js Posted January 15, 2010 Author Report Share Posted January 15, 2010 I'll send you a pm/email when I have some clippings (might be a few weeks). And my tank is 1510mm long haha, oh well the search continues! Sorry, I was really stupid putting about the 1250. The width of the roll was 1250, but there is a whole roll of it and I only needed about half a meter off the role. But we can just run it longways, so I will see if I can get him to give me a couple of meters in length for you, which will be 1250 wide. Hope that makes sense. I will check with him this weekend and then PM you. Pics of your tank looked great by the way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Floater Posted January 15, 2010 Report Share Posted January 15, 2010 Oh that would be awesome if you could ask! The area I need to cover is 1510mm x 520mm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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