Lighting hubub ...or necessity?

[Ferryman]

I just want to know, i've been asking around, got a tip from henk about tubes in Jhb that are grolux and affordable, got a tip from slojo on t5's in boksburg i think that are affordable...

now, for my tank-in-the-making, i'll be making a wooden canopy, so i was thinking, are people making a big fuss about lighting and that you need grolux, and you need red light, and you need this and that, or do you really need actual "fish lighting"

In other words, why cant i just buy a normal two tube carrying, two ballast light fitting from builders or light spot or whatever, and just stick two normal cool white tubes in there? like the normal kitchen or driveway or tuinhuisie lights?

I know that red light is beneficial for plant growth, i know different lights and wattage values arguements exist and good light is like 3w per liter etc etc, but is it being an enthusiast to buy those types of lights, or is it because it is necessary and needed.

Like, i didn't need a mini typhoon copper coiled heatpipe cpu cooler for my pc, the normal intel fan would be fine, but being an enthusiast, i pimped out my pc box... that kind of thing?

I'm just asking, cause currently i'm checking all alternatives, and passing lots of quite cheap lighting solutions because i have it stuck in my head that the tank just wont function properly without grow lights and you need blue, and you need red, and you need white etc?

[Laure]

Are you going to grow plants or just keep fish? If the latter, then you can use whatever looks good to you. Something with a nice colour balance and reasonable brightness so YOU can see the fish. They don't care much themselves for light or no light. Keep in mind certain species are scared off by really bright light, and they will spend all day in hiding.

If you are going to grow plants, then will you be concentrating on slow growing low-light plants or ones that require high light?

If the former, then possibly a couple standard daylight flourescent tubes will be fine. Try to stay away from cool white. It looks too yellow and green and doesn't give a very natural colour to the human eye. As it turns out, plant don't like it much either.

If you are serious about growing nice plants, then you need decent light. It all starts with the light. It is not a "nice to have", but an absolute basic requirement. This is where the trouble starts. Because now you may need CO2 injection, heavy fertilizer dosing, etc.

Check out these links. I've learned quite a lot from them. I hope they don't get blocked by the forum, but if they are blocked, then PM me and I will email them to you:

http://www.aquabotanic.com/litg.htm

http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/lighting/38014-lighting-spectrum-photosythesis.html

http://www.theplantedtank.co.uk/lighting.htm

http://www.aquabotanic.com/lightcompare.htm

[Ferryman]

Okie doukie. Thanks! Sal bietjie hoor.

I do want to keep some plants, but i dont know which yet.
Possibly some red variety as well, so i'm guessing like above water plants they need more light than green.
If i can find lamp house in jhb and their t5's are reasonable, ill go t5 then. Less tubes needed more light than t8 it seems

[rogerrabbit]

I think Laure explained it very well, the different lighting requirements for different occupation options. But nothing stops you from using the standard light fitting you are revering to in your custom made canopy, tou can even get all the loose components from Builders' and connect everything yourself if you not to dumb with your hands. You could even get electrinic ballasts and t5 endcaps and go for the t5 option if you want to primarily keep plants.
nie seker van watter klub nie, maar praat met Org, Moolis kan jou ook sy nr gee as hy nie in jou bonsai klub is nie.(ancistrus)

[SauRoN]

I actually have 2 x 10w submersible lights in the new tank.

It was the easiest option, since they have their own ballasts that also sit outside the tank, ran them into a timer switch and bob's your uncle.

Granted 20w between two lights doesn't go all that far, so I took one of those external ballasts with the switch on, with the long extension cords and the rubber end caps, ran the tube over the two struts in the tank and wrapped the cord around the tube, so it doesn't hang in the water.

30W T8 AquaGlo or something in there, that adds more than enough soft light to make the Oscars look pretty, but not overbearing so it pisses them off.

That being said it's a temporary solution because I want to build a lightbox in perspex or something more stable and permanent that I can just remove easily and that I can put switches in the canopy for.

But I'm also not a planter, which is why I just want to put some low maintenance floating plants in, and throw some in the water feature outside hoping they will grow into an endless supply.

Between Oscars and Malawi's plants aren't really an options, although I want to buy a load from Fish Nook and try and see if the Oscars will leave them well enough alone if the tank is planted from their current young and tender age.

The whateveritis plant I got from Zafgak the last time seems to be doing pretty well around them so far.

[Zafgak]

hey Sauron - the whateveritis plant is a Fallopian Tubus or something :)