# 5 Gallon lighting.



## big b (Jun 3, 2015)

I am going to plant my 5 gallon and I am will need medium to high lighting. Does anybody know of a light for a 5 gallon that can do medium to high lighting? I have kept plants before but all easy plants. I am going for a densely planted look.


----------



## mwei (Mar 31, 2013)

I'm using a wavepoint LED light on my 5 gallon fluval chi and I think it's considered high lighting.


----------



## AquaPeanut (Apr 28, 2012)

Finnex Planted+ will give you high light. The Stingray will give you medium-high light depending on your tank dimensions. It's giving me the high side of medium I think on a 6.6 gallon tank that I planned to go low-medium light with, so I'm battling algae. 

the Finnex lights look great and are priced great.


----------



## big b (Jun 3, 2015)

Wow that was fast, thanks. I am looking up the lights now.


----------



## mwei (Mar 31, 2013)

Here's some photos of the wavepoint LEDS on my Aqueon Evolve 2 and Fluval Chi 5 gallon tanks (latest post in thread): 

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showthread.php?t=369585&page=2


----------



## big b (Jun 3, 2015)

What do you think of this light? http://www.amazon.com/Finnex-FugeRa...?ie=UTF8&filterBy=addOneStar&showViewpoints=0


----------



## AquaPeanut (Apr 28, 2012)

Since it's Finnex, it's a good light.  you can use the 7th PAR chart down on this post to determine how much light you'll get down to your substrate: 
http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showpost.php?p=2003727&postcount=1


----------



## big b (Jun 3, 2015)

Ummm I'm 14, I don't really understand that at all. Could you explain it?


----------



## AquaPeanut (Apr 28, 2012)

Sure, this sticky explains it in detail: http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showthread.php?t=184368

Basically, using watts per gallon to measure light is an outdated practice. These days we measure light in PAR. According to the sticky:
Low light is 15-30 PAR
Medium light is 35-50 PAR
High light is 50+ PAR

Different sources list different ranges, but it's all just a ball park range. Ultimately, you gotta watch your tank and adjust accordingly. If you look at the graph I referenced in the previous post, you can see how much PAR the light you chose would give off at various distances. For example, if there is 12 inches between the light and the bottom of your aquarium, you would have 30 PAR, which is at the low end of medium light. But, of course, your substrate will be 1-3 inches deep bringing your light closer to the plants so now you're looking at close to 40 PAR. And then if there's a cover over your tank, that takes away a little PAR... plus if you have any floating plants, etc etc etc. That's just an example to give you an idea of how to figure out how much light you're getting from any fixture.


----------



## big b (Jun 3, 2015)

That confuses me, the thing about depth and distance I mean. My tank is 8 inches wide, 16 inches long, and 10 inches high. So my depth would be 8 inches and my distance is 16 inches? If I am right, then how does that fit into that picture?


----------



## AquaPeanut (Apr 28, 2012)

if your tank is 10" high, then the light will be about 12" above the bottom of your tank since the light sits on legs that are about 2" high. Subtract 2-3" for the height of your substrate (sand, rocks, etc), and your light will be about 10" above your substrate.

The PAR graph of the 16" FugeRay shows height (same as depth) in inches down the left side of the graph. At 12" directly below the light, you'll have 30 PAR. The numbers across the bottom of the graph show distance away from "center"/directly below your light. In your case, since your tank is only 8" wide, you'd look at PAR at 4" on either side of your light; so along the front and back walls of your tank, you'll get about 25 PAR (at 12" below and 4" off center from your direct light stream). Make sense?


----------



## big b (Jun 3, 2015)

Oh yeah that makes sense, thanks for explaining that . So I actually have low light? What if I got 2 of the lights, would that make my PAR go up by twice that?


----------



## AquaPeanut (Apr 28, 2012)

Or just go for a Stingray or Planted+, but you better have your CO2 ready to go or you'll have a tank full of algae!


----------



## big b (Jun 3, 2015)

A stingray or planted+, I am looking them up now. As for the algae I was thinking about getting 2 otos.
Amazon.com : Finnex FugeRay Planted+ Aquarium LED Light Plus Moonlights, 16-Inch : Pet Supplies I don't know why it is doing this to me but it won't come up. Just type this into amazon.com "Finnex FugeRay Planted+ Aquarium LED Light Plus Moonlights".


----------



## AquaPeanut (Apr 28, 2012)

I typed "finnex planted" into Amazon's search box and found it pretty easily.


----------



## big b (Jun 3, 2015)

I am now not sure if I want to skip the 5 gallon and go with a 10 gallon. I already have a 10 gallon, actually about 5 sitting around empty. What do you think?


----------



## capt.dru (Nov 13, 2014)

Depends on what you want to do.


----------



## big b (Jun 3, 2015)

I want to plant it and put some shrimp in it with a few ottos to deal with the algae.I really want to have a few different shrimp in if possible.


----------



## klibs (May 1, 2014)

I run a planted + on my 5 gallon. Use a screen to avoid having high light. It will be too much as-is (on the rim) without CO2 and lots of plants and good ferts.


----------



## big b (Jun 3, 2015)

I wanted high light... But I suppose I can get away with medium lighting for the plants I picked out. So I would need to put a glass top on it to get it down to medium lighting? Would I have to do dry ferts? Forgive me if these are stupid questions for I am a plant newb...


----------



## mwei (Mar 31, 2013)

I don't think you'll be restricted to just dry ferts...any type of ferts should do. 

I've personally never used dry ferts, as of yet...planning to give it a go once I run out of the current liquid ferts that I have now, and I've been doing pretty good with the liquid ferts (seachem line) thus far.


----------



## chicken (Aug 22, 2007)

I'm using a Planted+ on a 2.5 gallon. It's a LOT of light on such a small tank, but I'm using both Excel and DIY CO2. Except for a bit of algae on the rocks, I'm not having any algae issues yet. Tank has been running with this light for about 6 weeks now. I figure if this level of light becomes unmanageable, I will reduce the lighting with a screen of some sort. I think a lot of people use mesh window screen. You can get it at Home Depot; it comes in a roll. 

I use dry ferts, but only because that's what I happen to have on hand. In the past, I've used the Seachem line of ferts on my nano tanks, and been happy with the results. 

Do you plan to use CO2? DIY CO2 is very easy to do, and works quite well on small tanks.


----------



## big b (Jun 3, 2015)

Well if I am honest with myself, I am not planning to do diy co2 because I am.... kinda scared that I will mess it up. I have seen many threads on how to do diy co2 but I just feel like I will mess them up in someway. Do you think that it will be better for the tnak if I do diy co2? Will the plants grow better and faster?


----------



## chicken (Aug 22, 2007)

Plants will definitely do better and grow faster with co2. Even at low or moderate lighting levels co2 is beneficial. With high light, I think it's pretty much essential. 

DIY CO2 is actually pretty easy to do. There's really not much you can do to mess it up. And I'm speaking as someone who is not usually much of a DIY person. If I can do it, anyone can!


----------



## big b (Jun 3, 2015)

Well I guess I will have to try it once i set up the tank.


----------



## capt.dru (Nov 13, 2014)

Here is my 7.5gal with a clip on planted+ occasional excel and ferts. It seems to do fairly well. This is after 6 months of starting the tank.

Before:









After:


----------



## big b (Jun 3, 2015)

will diy co2, high lighting, and dry ferts cause algae?


----------

