39 watt T5 lighting for 1.3m tank

Hi Guys,Would a 4 x 39 watt T5 lighting unit work on a 1.3m long tank? Will th spread be enough on the sides?

 

It will work however you will get shade on the sides and your plants will grow towards the centre of the tank


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Check if the 54w globes fit. They might be a better option.

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39w is 90 cm, so if you put it in the center you have 20cm on each side that the tank will be longer than the unit, you won't see any shadows, promise. If the tank has bracing it will also intefere if you get a 54w unit, so go 39...

 

Hi G FysterThanx for your reply. Your reply is what I was hoping for. It just seems more logical to use 4 x 39 watt bulbs as it uses les elec than 3 54 watts and should give more par except on the edges. T 5's do give quite a good spread and I'm hoping by using the shorte bulbs there will be less light spill/ waste and intern less algae growth on the glass sides of the tank.This may seem like a stupid thread but with electricity prices every bit helps. I used to run a reef system and just the lights were 432 watts so I'm trying to set up a system that is sestainable in the long term.What bulb combination do you recommend that will give good plant growth and will be pleasing to look at?Regards.

 

I am assuming you have some good reflectors fitted to those lights .. that give you ++% more light on the substrate ...

 

It will be a diy or a store bought unit but will have individual reflectors. Will prob diy then ill put a fan in for active cooling as well. The depth from water surface to substrate will be 45cm.

 

So what plants are you planning on growing ?

 

I must be honest, I don't know plants at all. I want to set up a planted tank with amazonian fish. It will prob be low and medium light plants. What can I use for ground cover. Any and all help and avice will be very much appreciated. Will the amount of light in question be adequite in your opinion?

 

I would start of with two tubes in the 45cm deep .. then see how that looks with substrate and the rest, then once you know have plants you can always add the 3'rd etc ..

So before you go foreground plant hunting .. your plans for a substrate ?

 

Do you think that 2 or 3 39 watt tubes on a 120 gallon tank would work? That is less than 1 or 1.5 watt per gallon?I already have my substrate its ada aquasoil amazonia 2.

 

Get 54w tubes. Ive seen 39w on a 4ft tank before and it had dark spots on the side.

 

Agree with Ryno. Ive had to put 6 x 39 watts into my 4 foot to get decent spread purely beause the 54w didnt fit in my hood. Lighting is also negligiable on your electricityr dude.

And if you going Ada soil plus T5's I trust you are saving up for a CO2 unit.

My suggestion... Get 2 x 54w tubes onto a dual ballast. Space them so that you could add more in the future when the bug has bitten hard.

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OK, I'm putting in 3 x 54 watt bulbs with individual reflectors and a fan to cool the lights which should up the brightness a bit to. I am going CO2. I need recommendations for plants. Will have some spiderwood which will simulate roots. I am thinking of lots of Vallis in the back and something to cover the substrate and then moss on the wood. Then only about 2 amazon swords and I still need recommendations. There is a plant that also grows tall with a fine bottle brush look that is reddish brown green that I also want to make a forest with maybe. Don't know the name.

 

Sounds good to me.

Im not good with plant names... but I can visualise what you talking about. Maybe look at getting some crypts. Always look good. And bolbitus as a main focal plant.

 

If you are going with 3 tubes, maybe make sure you can run them on at least two timers or individually switched ... last thing you want is algae.

BTW vallis, moss amazon sword can all do well in lower light tanks, might not even need CO2 .. best is to get started but be willing to change plans halfway.

Later Ferdie

 

Amazon swords grows huge. Vallis will look nice but when ou get co2 it will spreed very quickly and you will hae lots of maintanance. Maybe check willow leaf hygro. Looks nice. Thr bottelbrush plant sounds like cambomba. Its BL. Chevk glosso maybr for ground cover. Blyxia japonica is also a great plant

 

I'm running a dual 54w ballast in my 1.2m tank and there is plenty of light...and algae. The tubes are 1150mm long so they will work well with the length of your tank. The tubes in my system are currently 8000k and 10000k which I'm downgrading to 6500k bulbs to see if that reduces the algae growth.

 

@MarcHawke try 1x6500k and 1x8000k.

 

Agreed. Get rid of the 10,000

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