# Another 60p lighting thread



## TexasCichlid (Jul 12, 2011)

Looking at 60p's and putting together my parts list. Tank is medium to high tech. Pressurized CO2, ferts, goal is to grow HC carpet among other things. HC carpet in mind, I am looking at a Catalina 24" 2x24w Solar fixture. 1x 10k, 1x6500k bulb. Plan to mount using the adjustable feet.

Bottom line, is this too much light? I see conflicting things being said by searching.


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## karatekid14 (Jan 16, 2011)

That should be fine with co2 and ferts.


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## Storm (Aug 7, 2011)

TexasCichlid said:


> Looking at 60p's and putting together my parts list. Tank is medium to high tech. Pressurized CO2, ferts, goal is to grow HC carpet among other things. HC carpet in mind, I am looking at a Catalina 24" 2x24w Solar fixture. 1x 10k, 1x6500k bulb. Plan to mount using the adjustable feet.
> 
> Bottom line, is this too much light? I see conflicting things being said by searching.


It's too much light if you have it resting on the rim. If you can hang it and raise it up off the tank by about 8-12" you should be fine.


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## bsmith (Jan 8, 2007)

I had a 3x24w hanging about 12" from the water on my P and it was great. Then I had the oppertunity to get a 70w MH and have been using that for 4-5 months now and it's great too. 

If you can try to set up some kind of hanging system so that you can adjust the distance the fixture is from the tank if you need to. Like I said I had 3x24w 12" over mine and I was good to go but that was with only a 7-8 hour photoperiod too. If I had just ran 2x24w I'm sure I could have had a nice 12 hour PP. 

The P I'm talking about is linked in my sig. It's a pretty detailed journal and you may be able to glean a bit of insight from my mistakes.


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## TexasCichlid (Jul 12, 2011)

Thanks for chiming in guys. I am not counting on being able to do a hanging system. Would the Archaea 36w clip-on light be sufficient? I'd love to suspend a fixture over the tank, but I just don't think the space I am using will allow me to do so.


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## samamorgan (Dec 31, 2011)

TexasCichlid said:


> Thanks for chiming in guys. I am not counting on being able to do a hanging system. Would the Archaea 36w clip-on light be sufficient? I'd love to suspend a fixture over the tank, but I just don't think the space I am using will allow me to do so.


I believe that light is specifically built for that tank, and would provide medium-high light. At that price though i bet you could find a suitable LED fixture and not have to worry about bulb replacements, and save some energy costs.

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/lighting/127247-archaea-solar-m-par.html -this might help


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## TexasCichlid (Jul 12, 2011)

samamorgan said:


> I believe that light is specifically built for that tank, and would provide medium-high light. At that price though i bet you could find a suitable LED fixture and not have to worry about bulb replacements, and save some energy costs.
> 
> http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/lighting/127247-archaea-solar-m-par.html -this might help


I'd love to do LED, but I do not have the confidence I could make a LED setup that was attractive over the tank. That thread seems to reference the 27w Archaea over the Mini-M. I've looked at Panorama and Stunner Strips but I'd need two of them for this length and some sort of enclosure to boot.


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## samamorgan (Dec 31, 2011)

Ill bet one of these would work: http://85.133.58.150/Catalog/Product/2882

I saw some sort of mounting kit here too, not sure if it would work with the GroBeam or not, but its worth looking into: http://www.americanaquariumproducts.com/images/graphics/newtmcmounting.jpg\

I'm supposed to be getting PAR values from the manufacturer for these at some point too, stay tuned.


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## bsmith (Jan 8, 2007)

What are you planning on putting in the tank flora wise, or is HC about it?

I would maybe recommend that light for someone wanting to do a low tech setup that didn't want co2 but your not planning that from the first post.


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## TexasCichlid (Jul 12, 2011)

bsmith said:


> What are you planning on putting in the tank flora wise, or is HC about it?
> 
> I would maybe recommend that light for someone wanting to do a low tech setup that didn't want co2 but your not planning that from the first post.


CO2, ferts. HC dominated mountainscape. Primary goal is a full carpet. Whatever is enough light to do that. I checked the AquaRay site and it says for a tank up to 650mm long, I would need three of those GroBeam 500's. They are 140 a piece from GLA. That's a bit more than I was wanting to spend. $420 before any mounting hardware seems pretty steep.


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## samamorgan (Dec 31, 2011)

There's no way you would need three of those. Thats way overboard. That estimate is most likely for marine flora.


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## TexasCichlid (Jul 12, 2011)

samamorgan said:


> There's no way you would need three of those. Thats way overboard. That estimate is most likely for marine flora.


Straight from their Aquaray User Guide. Tropical Planted Community up to 650mm long indicates 3 500 GroBeams. Maybe it's changed but that's just what I found.

http://tmc.purestone.co.uk/Libraries/PDF/AquaRay_User_Guide.sflb.ashx


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## samamorgan (Dec 31, 2011)

TexasCichlid said:


> Straight from their Aquaray User Guide. Tropical Planted Community up to 650mm long indicates 3 500 GroBeams. Maybe it's changed but that's just what I found.
> 
> http://tmc.purestone.co.uk/Libraries/PDF/AquaRay_User_Guide.sflb.ashx


Wow. The PAR for those 500s must be far below the 1000 models then.


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## TexasCichlid (Jul 12, 2011)

I'd love to do a LED setup. I've been looking at the 12 LED solderless kit from RapidLED but I just don't know what I would stick the HS into.


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## samamorgan (Dec 31, 2011)

What are your available mounting options? You can mount it to just about anything, just takes a little ingenuity. Can you take some pictures of the space where you want the tank to be?


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## TexasCichlid (Jul 12, 2011)

When I say I am limited on mounting options, it's not truly because of the space, just my lack of DIY skill. I suppose I could bend some pipe for whatever stand I pick up and do an ADA style hanging mount. Right now I am looking at having to get a stand made, or buy several hundred dollars in tools to make one myself. And after all was said and done, it'd probably look terrible.


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## samamorgan (Dec 31, 2011)

TexasCichlid said:


> When I say I am limited on mounting options, it's not truly because of the space, just my lack of DIY skill. I suppose I could bend some pipe for whatever stand I pick up and do an ADA style hanging mount. Right now I am looking at having to get a stand made, or buy several hundred dollars in tools to make one myself. And after all was said and done, it'd probably look terrible.


Go to IKEA and find a tall nightstand that you can sit on without it collapsing, that will fit your tank's dimensions. Seriously, just sit on the thing and wobble your ass a bit and see if it flexes. If so, you don't want it. That tank is going to weigh about 160 lbs full. Footprint is 24"x12"

Beyond that conduit bending is easy, the tool for it doesnt cost much either. $20 or so at home depot.

Could also just hang it from the ceiling with a couple of hooks. Dont need very large ones, just use drywall mount stuff. Small holes are easy to cover if you remove them, just a little bit of putty and paint.

I have mine wall mounted, with two arms that stick out above my tank, then the fixture hanging from those arms.

You have tons of options.


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## TexasCichlid (Jul 12, 2011)

samamorgan said:


> Go to IKEA and find a tall nightstand that you can sit on without it collapsing, that will fit your tank's dimensions. Seriously, just sit on the thing and wobble your ass a bit and see if it flexes. If so, you don't want it. That tank is going to weigh about 160 lbs full. Footprint is 24"x12"
> 
> Beyond that conduit bending is easy, the tool for it doesnt cost much either. $20 or so at home depot.
> 
> ...



Closest fit is the Birkeland but it's only 23 1/4 inches wide. That's the only one they have that has a door near the size that will fit the 60p. I will also have to repaint it. A sink cabinet may work, but most of those are higher priced and most are in the 23 5/8 range. The Flaren is 32 wide and may be a candidate, just need to repaint. Wall mount sounds good on the lighting, just need to pick my fixture.


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## samamorgan (Dec 31, 2011)

Oh you want it to fit the exact dimensions? If it isn't exact, but a little smaller (not too much smaller), you could just add a piece of 24"x12"x3/4" plywood and fasten it down to the top of the cabinet/nightstand/whatever. Then finish the wood and cabinet as you see fit.

Edit: Also, the inch width given by ADA is approximate. The actual width of 60cm = 23.6in. So the aquarium would only hang off the sides by about 1/6". Thats not even the width of the aquarium glass. The only downside to using a nightstand like this is height. I personally prefer taller stands (but im 6' 5", so i hate bending over to look at stuff).


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## bsmith (Jan 8, 2007)

TexasCichlid said:


> CO2, ferts. HC dominated mountainscape. Primary goal is a full carpet. Whatever is enough light to do that. I checked the AquaRay site and it says for a tank up to 650mm long, I would need three of those GroBeam 500's. They are 140 a piece from GLA. That's a bit more than I was wanting to spend. $420 before any mounting hardware seems pretty steep.


You could go with a 2x24w t5ho with the legs from Catalina Aquarium. 

Here is the link, click it!

I had a 3x24w hung over my 60-p and it was great. With this one right on top with the legs, it should be just about perfect with one less light.


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## Storm (Aug 7, 2011)

TexasCichlid said:


> Closest fit is the Birkeland but it's only 23 1/4 inches wide. That's the only one they have that has a door near the size that will fit the 60p. I will also have to repaint it. A sink cabinet may work, but most of those are higher priced and most are in the 23 5/8 range. The Flaren is 32 wide and may be a candidate, just need to repaint. Wall mount sounds good on the lighting, just need to pick my fixture.


I have a 60P and it is exactly 60 cm wide, which is about 23 5/8 inches exactly. Check out Petco.com - I picked up a stand made by Aquatic Fundamentals for my 60P. It is 37" wide, which is too wide, but it's the right depth, and I'll just use the extra width to put some decorative plants or bowls. I got it for only $99 shipped during their 20% off sale.

http://www.petco.com/product/101394/Aquatic-Fundamentals-303845-Gallon-Upright-Aquarium-Stand.aspx

It's pretty good quality and is water resistant due to the laminate-like finish.


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## Storm (Aug 7, 2011)

So, the for light bar, what I plan on doing is going to Home Depot, buying some steel bars and some mounting brackets that will screw into the back of the stand. They will bend the bars for you there.


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## TexasCichlid (Jul 12, 2011)

I'm going to see about having a forum member build me a stand in all likelihood. Current plan is a 2x24w Catalina Solar fixture. I figure if I hang it, or set it on the rim, I should be in good shape.


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