T5HO lighting

[Radioactive]

Just wanted to know what people thought of this light http://www.aquatraders.com/24-inch-4x24 ... /52303.htm . This would be for my 29 Gallon brackish setup with 1F8 and 4 BBG's. Would this be too much light for my puffers eyes? I want to start trying different plants in my tank and was looking for good lighting. My anacharis are nice but I really want to try new stuff. Thanks for any input.

[Pufferpunk]

I have T5s over my reef tank. IMO, it's overkill for anything else but it does bring out nice colors. Bulbs are pretty $$$ to replace, compared with regular fluorescents. I'm glad to see it comes with bulbs.

[Radioactive]

Yeah for the money and what I have read about them its a good light. My biggest concern is if it is too much watts per gallon on my 29. I am still looking into it but am so inspired by japanese style aquascaping. I know as a beginner with freshwater plants I wont come close to what some of those guys acomplish but for many plants it seems more lighting is better. My first goal and what I am currently looking into is growing some kind of carpetting plant. I have my homemade structure that I built from slate tile (sanded down) that is a bunch of small caves. This along with my large peiece of malaysian driftwood would look amazing covered in a bright green mosslike plant.

[Tim]

I have this exact same one at home . I quite like it, though I haven't used the LEDs yet, since I dont have a scaredy cat puffer anymore that is afraid of the dark. I think these are well worth it, I did replace the blue lights with ones good for plants as the one I bought was setup for marine aquariums and my tank is freshwater atm.

Still can't get myself to put a new puffer in the tank . It's just a few amano shrimp & otocinclus to keep the tank clean.

[Radioactive]

Thanks for the reply. May I ask how long you have had the light for? Do you find it at all loud?

[Tim]

Thanks for the reply. May I ask how long you have had the light for? Do you find it at all loud?

hmm don't know how long I've had them for, 2 months maybe? I originally got them for my GSP because of the blue LEDs, the gsp was afraid of the dark . But he decided to jump out right before I got them.

It doesn't seem to make any noise if that is what you are wondering about, though in fairness I do have 3 computers running day & night in the same area and my workstation is far from quiet due to the videocards.

[RTR]

I have to agree w/PP. T5HO is way overkill for BW. Most puffers are not candidates for Amano-style tanks, and BW is going to be a nightmare. Can you say algae heaven? Not in my BW fish tanks, not ever for puffers.

[Iliveinazoo]

With that amount of lighting you would need CO2 injection and a strict and heavy fert. regime. CO2 injection does not lend itself to Brackish since it lowers PH and what you want is hard alkaline conditions. You could always get a surface plant like Ceratopteris Thalactroides (spelling?) to provide plenty of cover but then you would have to ask yourself why you were paying the electricity bill for a lighting unit that you're effectively blotting out.

There are plenty of Brackish tolerant plants that will grow with 1.5-2W/(US)G.

[Pufferpunk]

I have to agree w/PP. T5HO is way overkill for BW. Most puffers are not candidates for Amano-style tanks, and BW is going to be a nightmare. Can you say algae heaven? Not in my BW fish tanks, not ever for puffers.

Yes, I am using an old reef tank for my GF & it has that light on it. I have to dose with Flourish, to keep the algae at bay. Yhe colors of the GF really pop though!

[Pufferpunk]

I have to agree w/PP. T5HO is way overkill for BW. Most puffers are not candidates for Amano-style tanks, and BW is going to be a nightmare. Can you say algae heaven? Not in my BW fish tanks, not ever for puffers.

Yes, I am using an old reef tank for my GF & it has that light on it. I have to dose with Flourish, to keep the algae at bay. The colors of the GF really pop though!

[Radioactive]

Thanks for the input guys and gals. Algae was certainly a concern. I will keep looking into other options. Thanks