Lighting and top less tank ?'s - Equipment

ffemt89 · 04-12-2012, 05:52 PM

Hey All,

First off not sure this is where this should be posted, if not please feel free to tell me and I'll move it.

I'm looking to upgrade my lighting on my 35 hex/tall, 24" from top to bottom, but the "window" that the stock light sits on is only 20'' long and about 3'' wide. I want to upgrade to something like this Odyssea T5 Aquarium Lighting to get the amount of light I want. However in removing the top I'm a little concerned that I will lose fish to jumping, I'm just going for a simple tropical set up, and was wondering what everyone who ran a set up like this did to help prevent loss of fish? And I just kind of want to gauge everyones opinion on open top tanks in general, worth the risk?

Chive On,

Alex

ffemt89 · 04-16-2012, 10:56 PM

Anybody know anything or ever used an Odyssea 20" 72W T5 HO Light Fixture Extendable Series (FW/Planted) light? Im not sure if the light will be sufficient to light my 24" tall tank? ANY INPUT WOULD BE GREAT!!

Aquaticfan · 04-18-2012, 01:31 PM

What's the actual height from the top of your substrate to where the bottom of the light would be?
How many bulbs does the new light have? Watts isn't the important part its PAR that we need. Hex tanks can be a challenge to light. Are you looking for low, medium or high light? Do you have pressurized co2? Ferts? This makes a difference as to what light you will want to do. To much light and not enough or any of the other and its an algae farm. Odyssea is a entry level light. Lower quality reflector and ballast vs Catalina or tek.

ffemt89 · 04-18-2012, 01:35 PM

Its about 22" from substrate to the top of the tank. The light has 4 18 watt T5HO bulbs, I'm looking for medium to medium-high light. I have no CO2 and am dosing liquid ferts once a week. As for it being entry level, I'm a beginner messing with my first planted tank so I think thats the level I'd be most interested in.

Aquaticfan · 04-18-2012, 03:34 PM

Ok, then let me recommend to not go into high light territory. If you do you will find more issues with algae then you can imagine without co2 and a daily Fert dose schedule. So I would recommend to keep it low to medium light. What plants you want to grow? Hoe big across is the tank? A 2 to 3 light fixture might do better. You can try it with the 4 bulb. I would think this light might put you around medium light at that height. If its higher light then that you could raise the light a few inches.

ffemt89 · 04-18-2012, 09:31 PM

so then this light will put me in the medium intensity? Ive currently got swords, java fern, java moss, wisteria and anubias. the tank is 20" from panel to panel.

Im getting tomorrow:
x2 DHG
x1 larger submerged crypt
x1 (dormant) dwarf water lilly tuber (nymphaea stellata)-might take months to come back, but very worth it.
x1 ludwigia glandulosa
x3 mystery reddish-pink plant, I'll post a pic later
x2 of what I believe are hygros of some sort...I think
-maybe some Myriophyllum mattogrossense if there's room.

Aquaticfan · 04-18-2012, 10:18 PM

For the most part all your plants are lower light.

Does the light your looking at give you the option to turn 2 bulbs off while having 2 bulbs on? Maybe 2 power cords or possible you could set it up for 2 bulbs on from start of your lights till mid day where you turn on 4 bulbs for 3 hours or so and then back to 2 bulbs till lights off?

If you can run 2 bulbs with the other 2 in waiting it will let you see if its to much or not. As well as room to grow so you could add Co2 and such gown the road.

ffemt89 · 04-18-2012, 11:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aquaticfan

For the most part all your plants are lower light.

Does the light your looking at give you the option to turn 2 bulbs off while having 2 bulbs on? Maybe 2 power cords or possible you could set it up for 2 bulbs on from start of your lights till mid day where you turn on 4 bulbs for 3 hours or so and then back to 2 bulbs till lights off?

If you can run 2 bulbs with the other 2 in waiting it will let you see if its to much or not. As well as room to grow so you could add Co2 and such gown the road.

http://www.aquatraders.com/20-inch-4...e-p/52302p.htm

Thats the link to the website, it says it has 2 power cords but I'm not sure what purpose they serve. If nothing else I could just just plug 2 bulbs in for a few hours a day or something to that effect maybe..

Tot3nkampf · 05-11-2012, 10:06 AM

for a tall tank like that, i think you will be unhappy with T5HO. I have a dual fixture over a 10 gallon half moon tank that is very tall and its okay for low-med light i guess but i wish i would have pulled the trigger on a LED. Going by the small window for the original fixture, you could consider one or even two of the TMC GroBeam 500 fixtures here: http://americanaquariumproducts.com/LEDLights.html
i think that is what i will end up trying.