Lighting Question

[sidra]

I have a 75 gallon planted discus tank. Right now just anubias, amazon sword and a couple other types of plants. The plants are doing pretty well, but I know they could be even nicer. I also have a minor problem with brown algae.

The lighting is the standard 40 watt flourescent that came with the tank. I've been looking into replacing the lighting, but there's so many different types and I don't know what's what. I know 3-5 watts per gallon, but more questions:

1. What type of lighting do I need? Compact flourescent?

2. The tank has an oak canopy over the top...what type of lighting is safe to put under there (heat-wise)?

3. What type of bulb should I have?

I want enough lighting for the plants to thrive and the algae not to, but I don't want it so bright the discus aren't happy.

Thanks,
Kristen

[ItsGeoff]

here is what i would do. if you can afford the PCs then go with them. you can get alot of alight in a semi small space but they do get hot which may be bad with your canopy.

i would look into the coralife T5 fixtures. Big Al's has them in 48" for about 48 dollars. they are SUPER NICE. if you have glass tops on the tank i would buy two of the freshwater T5 strips and be good to go. you will only have 112 watts with them but they will be very very bright and intense. you could even leave your stock light strip in on there to get an extra 40 watts. the T5 stay pretty cool and are uber thin. like 3 inches wide, 1 inch tall. i have one on my 20 long and one on my 55. i am soon to be getting another one for my 55 and i cant wait. since we started showing them on display at work they are flying off the shelves.

[pcsb23]

Kristen,

Ok lets not get carried away with 3-5 wpg, That is one helluva lot of light and you will need to go high tech to stop probs with allsorts of algae. You are currently under 1wpg, I'm guessing that your tank has been running for a few months only, maybe even 6 weeks?? Brown algae is normally associated with new tanks.

Your plant choices are fine for low light levels. The good news is if you up the light levels some, the plants will still be good. I would aim to go for soemwher in the region of 1.5 to 2.5 wpg. Thgis will allow you a nice range of plants, no expensive high tech equipment like CO2, and no srious dosing and measurement of fertilisers. You will and should add fertilisers even in low light tanks, just small amounts on regular basis. Things happen slower in terms of algae and growth so you have more time to react with lower tech planting schemes.

So I would recommend T5's. Not doubts they are the best allround lighting available. I'm guessing you 55 is around 4ft?? so a twin T5 will give 2x54w of exceptional light. Always fit reflectors. They are also cheaper to run longe term than other florry lights. A T5 tube will be good for a minimum of a year, at 9 hours a day 15 months is do-able. A good allround fert, seachem flourish and a good carbon adding fert seachem flourish excel, lightly dosed 2x week and your plants will bloom and your algae won't. Its all about balance, light, nutirents and trace elements. T5's are 80% more efficeint than T8's std 1 inch tubes, and about 40 -60 % more efficient than compacts.

On my display tank I have 4wpg (high tech) the discus don't care one jot!

Paul.

[Alight]

I'd go with Paul's suggestion. Until you start getting greedy and want all those red and other color plants, the low tech set up will work very well. Get some otos to take care of the brown algae. About 4-6 will do the job in short order. I know some have had some species of otocinclus suck onto Discus, but most have never had a problem with that, and they're cheap enough that if you do, you can get rid of them.

[sidra]

Thanks for the replies.

Not only are the pc's expensive, but run too hot to put under the canopy and this is a beautiful oceanic oak cabinet and matching canopy so I don't want to remove the canopy.

Paul and Alight, do you agree with Geoff that the T5's run cool enough to put under a wooden canopy? (I had a house fire 20 years ago due to a fish tank (electrical cord) so I'm a little paranoid).

I do currently add trace elements and fertilizer. The tank has been running since Dec 15 and planted since New Year's weekend. The algae is very minor luckily. I did have to Ottos that sucked on my discus so I'm afraid to get more of them. I want to try those Olive Nerite snails.

Alight, yes, I'm greedy and want the fancy red plants but that will have to wait for "some day". LOL I did buy some pretty green and purple ones but they must've been tasty because the discus stripped 'em clean while I was away for the weekend.

Awww...geeeeeezzzzz! I gotta go...my pair is laying eggs on the heater again. I gotta unplug it-luckily there are two heaters. I keep saying I'm going to turn this one horizontally so they stop doing that. They are preparing their dinner for tomorrow night: caviar LOL.

Kristen

[pcsb23]

Kristen,

T5's run cooler than compacts for sure. Provided there is some air moving underneath the canopy there should be no problems. T5's run about the same as T8's (normal flourescents) maybe a smidge hotter but not significantly.

Paul.

[Alight]

T5's even T-8's won't cause a heat problem at 108 watts.

I have a shoplight with two 37 watt T-8's, 4 feet long, and it's quite cool. You can pick it up without your hands getting hot at all. Doubling that would not be a problem for heat.

You won't need much venting to reduce the heat either.

[Dood Lee]

I run a 96 watt power compact under my wooden canopy, and it's doing fine. The setup only cost me about $100. I don't see any kind of heat issue so long as there is some place where the heat can get out.