Lighting a Planted Tank

[jcardona1]

here's a new spin on the PAR chart I posted. This one is very easy to follow as well. Please note that this data has NOT actually been measured using a PAR meter, it was put together using the information that's already in the original chart.

Assumptions: this is using T5HO bulbs ONLY!!

Example: let's say you want 100 total micromols of PAR, putting you right in the middle of the high-light category. Using 4x bulbs youll need to have the fixture 34" from the substrate. 3 bulbs, 29". 2 bulbs, 22". 1 bulb, 14".

Say it with me, 'that was easy!'

I took VaughnH's Par chart and did my best to pull accurate numbers from it. I went to ZunZun.com and pluged the data into a cubic curve fitting program and then set up a spreadsheet based on the coefficients it gave me. Turned out like this.

I'll be checking it for accuracy as soon as the survey begins.

FWIW

Pat

 

[Rayne]

Very interesting read.

I've never had a planted tank before but I am seriously considering transforming my 38G (36x12x18) tank into one. Just going to go low tech / low light for my first time and try and ease into it and this info is going to help alot.

Thanks for all the great info jcardona1.

 

[Bhack91]

Alright I got a good question for you I have a tank Im interested in buying for a planted discus tank. The tank is nearly four feet tall, according to this chart Im looking at 20 T5HO bulbs am I correct (to get highlight)? If so is there any suggestions in making this work or should I just move on to a normal tank?

 

[jcardona1]

Alright I got a good question for you I have a tank Im interested in buying for a planted discus tank. The tank is nearly four feet tall, according to this chart Im looking at 20 T5HO bulbs am I correct (to get highlight)? If so is there any suggestions in making this work or should I just move on to a normal tank?

4ft tall tank good lord! I didnt do that math, but it will take a lof of lighting to have a good amount of PAR at the bottom. I would suggest maybe aiming to be in the medium light category. medium lighting along with good co2 will give you great results, and there wont be too many plants that can't do well with medium lighting.

for what it's worth, this is a 10x4x4 tank. Not sure of the exact lighting, but I see quite a few fixtures up there

 

[jcardona1]

Also, I don't think it would be 20 bulbs. If you go by this chart, you'll see that 48" isn't listed there. But drawing a path of the green line I would estimate it to be about 10-15 PAR. High lighting starts at 80 total PAR, so it will take 6-10 bulbs at 48" to give you a total PAR of 80 at the substrate.

**this is assuming the bulbs go from one end of the tank to the other**

 

[Bhack91]

Alright thanks for the help, yea this tank is awesome, it needs some work but if I could set it up planted I don't see me wanting much else. It is a custom built corner tank, in the range of 130 gallons, its deminsions are hard to calculate from the picture and I forgot to measure exactly in person. The tank is easily close to four feet tall though from seeing it in person, it has a nice 3d rock work background that I want to java fern/moss/anubias up to make it look even more awesome.

 

[jcardona1]

very nice, that's a sweet setup. A huge branchy centerpiece would look great. but be warned, my experience with anubias and java fern is that they dont do well with high light. mine started getting lots of algae so i pulled them out and sold them. since they grow so slow, it's hard for them to keep up with intense lighting and algae takes over. i'd stick with low to medium-low lighting if these are the plants you want

 

[Pyramid_Party]

Does anyone know what light category I get with (2) T5 NO bulbs at a depth of 18 inches??

 

[jcardona1]

Here's yet another nice visual chart i found on plantedtank.net

 

[jcardona1]

Does anyone know what light category I get with (2) T5 NO bulbs at a depth of 18 inches??

see post #49