I recently purchased a Coralife Compact Fluorescent Fixture that just sits right over my glass top. The lighting is fantastic, I shouldn't have any problem growing plants with this. Its a 2 light strip over a 33 gallon tank, gives my 192 watts. My only concern is that it seems to get very hot. Its has 2 small fans and 2 other areas that the LFS said were air intake ports and assured me that this was normal. Its not too hot that I can't put my hand on it, but its very warm. I was wondering if anyone else had these and what their comments were on them.
That is a very high light tank.. I hope you have CO2 going on it!
If the fans are spinning, you're fine. I have one with the fans that have failed... and when it is up and running, you can't touch the thing for more than a couple of seconds (and yes, I'm getting replacement fans)
If memory serves, the fans are intake fans, and the openings at the other end are exhaust, so you should feel hot air coming from them. Could be the other way around though... I remember I tested with a tissue to see which side was the intake... pretty sure it was the fans
That is a lot of light. From your post I can't tell whether you purchased the stand off legs that are specific to CL CFs (~$10). If not these are cheep, attach right to the fixture in the slots on the front and back and allow air circulation all around and limit the heat transfered to the tank. The feet sit in the side rim of the tank. I found this was the bigget advantage as it limited the temp swings in the tank.
I use the CL legs or make my own stands and while the fixtures are warm, I can put my hand on them with out a problem.
BD is correct the fans draw air in, and heat rises out of the other two ports.
No, I don't have CO 2. Is it necessary, and do I now have too much light? I saw the stand up leg things but didn't buy them. Would they make a lot of difference?
That is a ton of light - I had a Coralife 65W on my 29 gallon with CO2 and it was lovely - are you growing plants?
Yes, I wanted something other than Java Moss and Fern, those were the only plants I could grow with any success. LFS sold me this and said I would be able to grow any kind of plant I wanted to now. Is it too much light, and do I have to have CO2? They never mentioned anything about CO 2.
I'm no expert, but I think you will have algae problems if you don't have co2.. You can almost do SW with that much light (Probably need different k ratting bulbs then you have)
I'm wondering if I would be better off with just the single strip, at 96 watts. Could anybody tell me the formula for finding out watts per gallon? I think you need at least 3 to grow plants well. with 192 watts on a 33 gallon, how many wpg do I have? I certainly don't want an algae problem.
192/33 = 5.82
Thats a lot of light, but with the single strip at 96 watts, I would get 2.91 wpg. Would this be enough to grow high light plants successfully?
Yes, even at that light level, you will still need CO2. If you don't want to go the CO2 route, then just get a normal double fluorescent strip light or a T5 double setup... both will provide enough light for low to medium light plants and won't require CO2.
If you want to grow high light plants, you NEED CO2.
Thats what I have now, the T5 double strip, which is giving me the 192 watts. Is the C02 to prevent algae formation?
As an example, I have a 96w PC on my 30g (3.2w/g) with CO2 and ferts and grow plants like crazy – even with the limitation of the high temps I run (~30C).
As you provide more light to the tank your plants productivity goes up (@ 5.8 w/g its going to go way up) and carbon becomes one of the main limiting growth factors and can only be effectively and affordably supplied with CO2 and at your levels I would argue you would need a pressurized system. You can flood the system with ferts, but without the building block carbon, the plants can not grow effectively. As your plant growth slows for want of carbon, algae can then capitalize on the available ferts and abundant light and bloom.
There are people out there who run super high light tanks to grow some of the more challenging species, but there are a lot of supplemental issues that go along with that.
Quote from: neon on January 22, 2007, 01:15:44 PM
Thats what I have now, the T5 double strip, which is giving me the 192 watts. Is the C02 to prevent algae formation?
The 192 watt 36 inch Coralife is a FT55 bulb, not a T5 bulb. They are 96 watts each.
The T5 model is only a 42 watts of light. Here is a link to it
http://www.esuweb.com/cardfile.asp?ItemNumber=58122&IDProductRelationship=336
This will provide you with the equivalent of 2 WPG
I think I'm going to exchange it for the single strip, which is 96 watts, which will give me 2.90 wpg, which should be enough to grow up to moderate light level plants. Putting all this aside, I don't like the look of it, its way to bright in my living room, it looks like a mini-sun. Before, I had 1.51 wpg, and I grew java fern and moss successfully. So 2.90 should be a sufficient improvement. 5.82 is too much, and I don't want to get into C02 and having to deal with an explosive algae population. Thanks for the input everyone.
Neon , like others have said already that is a lot of light, if you go with a single ( 96 watt) you will still need CO2 as mentioned by big daddy, have you considered the option of just running one bank of lights ( the fixture has 2 switches , 1 for each bank of light) which will be the equivalent of the single, this will give you the option later to grow higher light plants with the aid of more co2. Here is a link that will explain it all better than i can :).
http://www.rexgrigg.com/
Regards
Charlie,
You've read my mind because now that I'm home and see it again, I've turned off one of the switches and its not so bright. Still much brighter than what I had before, but better than 5.82. I think I'll just leave it, and like you said, just run one light. And have the option for 2 when I want. I have a C02 setup that I dismantled a long time ago, I might just set it up again and see how that goes. Thanks again everyone .
Quote from: neon on January 22, 2007, 12:00:29 PM
Yes, I wanted something other than Java Moss and Fern, those were the only plants I could grow with any success. LFS sold me this and said I would be able to grow any kind of plant I wanted to now. Is it too much light, and do I have to have CO2? They never mentioned anything about CO 2.
What kind of no-brain LFS would sell this for a 33 gallon? It's WAY too much light. And it costs a lot more too...
Adam
Umm... Adam... I have one over a 33 too ;)
If you want that high light, its a great fixture :)