lopez_316us

Hello everyone!

I'm about to buy new light for my aquarium and I found that there are many options. Everything depends on the numbers off watts that you want. I wonder how many watts I need to light a 60 Gallon tank? I will like to plant my tank (heavily).


Thanks!

Isabella

You will find a detailed answer in this article: http://www.fishlore.com/Forum/index.php?topic=12673.0 ENJOY!

If you have any questions after reading this article, feel free to ask

lopez_316us

Thanks!! That was really helpfull. I'm going to buy 2 single compact fixtures at 65 each total of 130 watts for a 60 Gallon tanks. From

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Produc...&N=2004+113345

Let me know what do you think?

Isabella

I am glad the article was helpful to you. Before you buy any fixture, tell me how tall and how long is your 60 gallon tank?

130 W of light over a 60 gallon tank will give you about 2.15 wpg. I guess that would be OK, although to tell you the truth, many people with lighting above 2.0 start using CO2. Are you going to have CO2 injections in your tank? Or do you want it to be a low-light tank without CO2?

Also, what plants will you have in your tank? Will the entire tank floor be planted or just a little bit of plants? Will you have regular gravel or nutrient-rich substrate?

I need the info on all of the above in order to tell you what lighting level would be best for you.

lopez_316us

Isabella thanks for helping me!

Now going back to the tank. I'm planing to add a CO2 system, but later on. I will start with the lights and see the reaction on the plants, fish and water. The side of my tank is. 48 inch. long, 25 Inch Toll and 12 Inch Width. Actually, here is a picture to give you a better idea. I will really appreciate your help!

Thanks!

http://www.fishlore.com/fish-picture...ge-287-12.html

jsalemi

Nice looking tank!

sirdarksol

You're going to want to be careful with adding the light. It looks like you've got water wysteria (or something similar) in your tank. I had a tank that had a lot of light, but no steady source of CO2, and got an algae bloom that coated my water wysteria, forcing me to chop it off at its base.
You also should use bulbs made for freshwater (I think the 10000k bulbs are for saltwater tanks), as, in my experience at least, the saltwater bulbs can burn plants (I have anubias that is still recovering from one of the "blue" bulbs burning anywhere that it was exposed).

lopez_316us

O.K. I make sure that the bulb are for freshwater. Also, you recommend to get the CO2 system at the same time? and you where right the plants I have are water wysteria. Thanks for the tips!

Please let me know what do you think? Oh!! Also, I have some alge growing up, the color is brown. And the other plants started to look not good. Here some pictures. Thants why i planning on getting some light and CO2. Let me know! Thanks.

sirdarksol

Not sure about the CO2 system. I actually don't have a CO2 system. I just think you should be watchful. As long as you brush the algae off the plants periodically, they'll probably do well (I'm a very lazy person when it comes to my plants )
You also have more plants than I do, and they might do a better job of using up nutrients before the algae gets to them.
Plus, now that I'm thinking about it, it may be possible that the actinic light had something to do with the algae bloom, as I haven't had to clean my plants since I chopped them off, and I replaced the bulb before that.

Isabella

I can't see the picture for some reason (though the forum has been down today so maybe that's the reason). Anyway, if you're planning to use CO2, you can go above 2.0 wpg as much as you want. Also, if you will use CO2, it's best to have a nutrient-rich substrate. Plus, the plants that I have listed in my article are mostly low- to medium-light types. With lighting above 2.0 wpg, you can use many more plants than the article enumerates. For medium- to high-light plants, please go to PlantGeek.net, especially this page: http://plantgeek.net/plantguide_cat.php?category=1. Also, if you have any questions regarding medium to high lighting and CO2 injections, it's best that you ask them on Plant Geek as I am not very familiar with high-tech tanks.

Since you'll have CO2, a lighting level of 2.15 wpg is fine. You can go even higher if you want to. Just remember, when you're buying a fixture for a planted tank, don't buy the one with lightbulbs that have blue spectrum (actinic one). A spectrum of 6,700K is best for a planted tank. Your tank is 48" long, right? Coralife company has great fixtures for planted tanks that are 48" long. This Coralife fixture: http://www.bigalsonline.com/BigAlsUS...pactlight2x65w is perfect for planted tanks, as it has lightbulbs with 6,700K spectrum. It also gives you a total of 130 Watts ( 2 x 65W). I personally use this one over my 75 gallon tank, and I love it.