# Does My Fluval Vista Panoramic 23g has enough watt for plants



## peterphonic (May 9, 2018)

Hello, I bought this aquarium:

Aquarium Capacity: _23 US Gal._ 
Aquarium Size :_ 30” x 12” x 18”_
Filter Capacity: _20-50 US Gal._ 
Filter Pump Output: _200 US Gal./h_
LED Watts: _8.4 W_ 
LED Lumens: _800 LM_ 
LED Color Temp.: _8000 K_

Questions : 
1 - Is it enough W for plants like annubia, Monosolenium tenerum or Eleocharis montevidensis?

2 - In case I need more power is adding tinfoil is a good idea? 

Under the cover, it looks like that I could add another lights , but doing so, I need to buy another Touch Control Switch, which does not make sense, I have no room for that! 

Thank you


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## jeffkrol (Jun 5, 2013)

Sure you can't just plop another LED "tube" in there?
contact Fluval..


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## peterphonic (May 9, 2018)

I already contacted them monday may 7. Still waiting an answer...


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## Kaiede (Sep 11, 2017)

jeffkrol said:


> Sure you can't just plop another LED "tube" in there?
> contact Fluval..


The German version includes an LED assembly with two strips, with one connection to the touch controller. They don’t offer that part outside of Germany, sadly, but that is the reason why the lid is molded to accept two strips. It is marketed as a planted tank kit there, and it makes sense to get more wattage there.

To the OP, it is possible to hook up a second strip (I’ve done it), but it is much easier to use something other than the touch controller to control the lights. With a little work, you can run both through a TC-420/421 easily enough. You’d need a larger power supply as well, as the US version of the Vista only includes a power supply rated for a single strip. Total cost is somewhere on the order of 50$, so keep that in mind.

I posted how to do this a while back in this thread: http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/20-diy/1205026-hacking-fluval-vista-leds-tc-420-dual-strips.html 

In that thread is also a rough reading from a PAR meter of what the results are. If you don’t mind the style, it isn’t a bad way to get a bit more light and more flexibility without removing the lid and going brighter. But if you want low tech, low light, a single strip is going to be fine.


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## jeffkrol (Jun 5, 2013)

Kaiede said:


> The German version includes an LED assembly with two strips, with one connection to the touch controller. They don’t offer that part outside of Germany, sadly, but that is the reason why the lid is molded to accept two strips. It is marketed as a planted tank kit there, and it makes sense to get more wattage there.
> 
> To the OP, it is possible to hook up a second strip (I’ve done it), but it is much easier to use something other than the touch controller to control the lights. With a little work, you can run both through a TC-420/421 easily enough. You’d need a larger power supply as well, as the US version of the Vista only includes a power supply rated for a single strip. Total cost is somewhere on the order of 50$, so keep that in mind.
> 
> ...


quoted you somewhere regarding this.. must be a duplicate thread out there or I'm going senile..


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## Kaiede (Sep 11, 2017)

jeffkrol said:


> quoted you somewhere regarding this.. must be a duplicate thread out there or I'm going senile..


That thread is the one, I think?


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## peterphonic (May 9, 2018)

Kaiede said:


> The German version includes an LED assembly with two strips, with one connection to the touch controller. They don’t offer that part outside of Germany


This is really disappointing! It would be so much easier. I read what you did and this is really impressive! Nice job. On my end, I don't think I will have the patience to do all this. I finally bought a T5 (2x24w). During the day, I open the lid and put the T5. When my two children are back home, take off theT5, close the lid.

Another option would be to ask my friend in europe to order the piece and send it at my home...


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## Kaiede (Sep 11, 2017)

peterphonic said:


> Another option would be to ask my friend in europe to order the piece and send it at my home...


That would work. You'd still need a larger power supply as well, which is still pretty easy. The German version has a properly sized power supply, but the NA versions (all 3 sizes) use a power supply sized for the single 23g strip.

That said, if you are sticking with some the easier plants for now, a single strip is fine. The second strip is more useful once you start messing with plants that will use the extra light to grow quickly.


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