# low tech lighting?



## err76 (Feb 15, 2007)

Am new around here and i was wondering,, when you all say low tech lighting, how much WPG are you talking about to be considered low tech?



I have a 29 gallon tank and i am wondering what kind of plants i can put into it, would like some nice ground cover, a medium size broad leaf plant and a tall plant to cover my filter intake and heater.

The tank currently has the stock hood, i have been thinking about upgrading to the AHSupply 55w retro kit but am not sure as funds are short. If i do go with that kit any suggestions on the intensity of the bulb?


Thank you all,,


Eric


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## epicfish (Sep 11, 2006)

The AHS 55W retro over a 29 gallon would make it moderate lighting.


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## err76 (Feb 15, 2007)

ok, but if i stay with the stock hood could i grow anything?, and which would be the best intensity if i went the ahsupply route,, 10k?


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## epicfish (Sep 11, 2006)

No, you won't be able to grow anything with just a stock hood. 6700K or 10000K would be good for growing plants.


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## err76 (Feb 15, 2007)

TY very much epicfish!


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## epicfish (Sep 11, 2006)

Sure. 6700K is more yellow while 10000K is bright white.


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## err76 (Feb 15, 2007)

will one last longer than the other?


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## Youjin (Mar 15, 2006)

How long it last is not dependent on the color rating, 6700k or 10k.

What do you have currently in the stock hood ? When i got my tank from Petco, it come with a 15 Watts T5 which is good for my use and i only need to change the bulb (from Walmart - GE 9325k). But it is for my low tech / light 10 gallon tank.


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## err76 (Feb 15, 2007)

it is a stock 22w light from the petsmart 29g tank.

I really want to get a nice flourishing carpet type plant with mabey a few more larger plants for mid ground and back ground. i am in the middle of doing a water change atm and as soon as i can i will post a pic if i can figure out how. the tank has been cycling for about 3 weeks and is still a little cloudy so i am trying to think for about three weeks into the future.

THX again for all the experiance and advice =-)


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## aquamoon (Jul 26, 2004)

With 22w your not going to get a flourishing forground. Plants that will live at this level are few. Java ferns,moss, Anubias, and Nymphaea lotus sp. are a few that I've got to grow with a stock light. Most stem plants are out of the question, and the ones that will live are a Class A Noxious weed.


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## err76 (Feb 15, 2007)

So my best bet is to go with the 55w retro kit i am gathering,, thanks for the advice all, will be ordering one soon!

Eric


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## epicfish (Sep 11, 2006)

Even with the 55w retro setup, your carpet will grow in very slowly.


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## bravofleet4 (Feb 25, 2007)

unfortunately lush forest like growth is not really synonymous with low-tech tanks where lighting is around 1.5-2.0 WPG. With a 55 Watt you're not even reaching 2.0 WPG btw. I would try to be more realistic about your expectations unless you go with even more higher lighting but then you'll get into much more complicated things like CO2 and fertilizers.

I can understand though if you feel like a lot of us are kicking you when you're down. However, we're just trying to help you and unfortunately desire does not substitute well for reality. Stick with the plants other ppl have suggested. It is true that you may have plants that may survive and even grow very slowly but it's more disappointing than successful.


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## yoko (Mar 16, 2007)

Hey Eric :0)
I don't know what your budget is like or how much you are willing to spend, but I'm going low-tech, because I have another hobby (money pit) and that is my car. Very expensive.

Have you thought of starting smaller?
Like a 2.5 Gallon?

Maybe this will cheer you up :wink: Plenty of good looking tanks, low lighting and no CO2!!!! :biggrin: 

http://www.plantgeek.net/forum/album_cat.php?cat_id=4


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## err76 (Feb 15, 2007)

Thank you all for your advice and your experience, you are not kicking me when i'm down just showing the reality of things and that is great!

I have had many tanks in the past so most of the equiptment is leftover from them, that is the reason that i bought a 29 gallon is because i already had a bunch of the stuff.

I realize that i will not have the Growth and beauty that alot of the people on this forum have and i am perfectly fine with that, as i stated i am on a budget and that sets lots of limitations in any hobby.

As this is my first "Planted Tank" being on a budget i am just looking to get my foot into the door with a few plants and then mabey work my way up. I am a very patient man and if it takes months and months that is all the more fun as i can watch it grow.

I will be posting probly in the plant forum to find out about a few starter plant options, as i stated above i am looking for some nice ground cover and mabey a medium broad leaf and some other tall plant to hide my heater and such. All of this to come after i get my light kit installed and such:biggrin: 


ON A SIDE NOTE

I have been surfing this board for a few weeks and learning all i can from you all. Just want to say thank you much for all of the knowlege! And there are so many awesome looking tanks out there, i hope i can get to where you are at some day!


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## Youjin (Mar 15, 2006)

Hey Eric,

there are many of us started this hobby with a "tight" budget

A low cost / low tech / low light tank is still a very do-able option; albeit working with the world of low light plants eg. moss, java fern, P. Gayi, Crypts, anubias and even HM or Marselia for a foreground.

I did exactly that...see link below. It remains the lowest cost / maintenance tank i ever have. Looking forward to seeing your tank pics soon.... 
http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/photo-album/38645-new-oceanic-33-low-tech-tank-2.html#post360633


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## err76 (Feb 15, 2007)

HEHE, WOW!!!

Just got the 55W retro kit and installed it, WOW

The tank is so bright i cant believe it, now i just got to get some plants and fish, lol.

Not sure how you guys with 200 and higher wattage can even look at your tanks without sunglasses, lol:icon_mrgr 

Anyways thanks for all the help and suggestions,, much is appreciated!


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## epicfish (Sep 11, 2006)

lol. I started with a regular 10 gallon hood. Went up to an AHSupply 36w retrofit and thought that was pretty bright. BAM! Went and got a Tek fixture. Damn, that's bright stuff....and now, I'm thinking of retrofitting 2x70W MHs into my 40 gallon tank canopy. It just keeps getting brighter and brighter and brighter!


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## err76 (Feb 15, 2007)

wow,

well this is gonna be it for now for me, jsut looking around for some plants for that light and get some fish. I am looking for a couple Angels and Cardinal tetras and also a couple other long fin species and mabey some sort of clean up crew.

The plant aspect was thinking about some riccia, anubias and mabey a java fern if they will grow!

we will see:icon_smil


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## epicfish (Sep 11, 2006)

You have 55 watts and all you want is anubias and java fern? =P

You can grow more than that!


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## err76 (Feb 15, 2007)

LOL, not really too sure of all the options, I have alot more research to do, will see if i can find some other's out there


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## Nix (Mar 7, 2006)

bravofleet4 said:


> unfortunately lush forest like growth is not really synonymous with low-tech tanks where lighting is around 1.5-2.0 WPG. With a 55 Watt you're not even reaching 2.0 WPG btw. I would try to be more realistic about your expectations unless you go with even more higher lighting but then you'll get into much more complicated things like CO2 and fertilizers.



I'd like to correct those numbers, if you don't mind.

In my expirience it's not right that 1,5 - 2 WPG is "low-tech". That, actually, is "medium", with the 2 WPG already scratching at the high light section. If you have 1,8 - 2 WPG -- and of course reflectors, which is a given -- you can grow almost anything in that tank. Every watt above that is overkill and mostly not needed (if you don't like to prune twice a week or have your sights on Tonia belem).

I have a 14 Gallon tank with 11 Watt CF lighting. Alright, ground cover is difficult and very slow (L. brasiliensis). But Cryptocorynes, Echinodorii, Rotala, Ludwigia, Limnophila is all growing good enough for a "jungle".
This is a real low tech. Without real waterchange, without filter just a weak pump, of course no CO2. I put a miniscule bit of ferts in it each week when the other tanks got "feed" too. Very sparsely populated though.

My 75 Gallon is a jungle that grows every ground hugging plant that there is -- at 1,9 WPG (T8). But this a a high maintanance tank with a lot of CO2 and a ton of ferts, it doesn't work without.

Sorry, I'd say 1,8 - 2 WPG is what should be standard for growing light loving plants in tanks above 29 g - if going high tech.

Or less if one likes Cryptos and all the stuff mentioned above - going low tech.

Meaning: in my experience 55 Watt/ 29 Gallons should be alright for _anything_.

Best,
Nix


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## CrazyMidwesterner (Oct 19, 2006)

I would have to agree that just under 2 watts is ideal in a low tech. Much more and you'll have algae problems or sad looking plants due to the light over driving co2 uptake. I have 2.1 watts per gallon on my 75 gallon and I had to start dosing excel because the plants were suffering. Ever since I started with excel plant growth has drastically improved. The lights I use are standard t-12's 4x40 watt bulbs in shoplights. The plants I'm growing are Ludwigia Repens, Wisteria, rotala rotundifolia, dwarf sags, green Hygro, various cypts, and others. I know all those are low to medium light plants but they require too much co2 under that light to go entirely low tech and my rotala and ludwigia are red as they should be. 1.8 watts of well reflected light should grow you just about anything. It'll be slower then with 4 watts of light and co2, but it will grow.


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## andrew14 (Mar 22, 2006)

Sorry to hijack this, but I'm in a similar situation. I have a 38 gallon tank (36" long, 20"H), and I don't really need to plant much more than java fern, anubias, vallisneria, and maybe a couple of other types because I will be stocking it with lots of African cichlids (mbuna, to be exact). Because of this, I definitely want to stick with low-tech, but I don't think the 36" 30watt stock light that came with the setup is going to cut it. I wanted 36" of light, and I was going to get the 96watt setup from AHSupply, but after reading this, I think I might go with the 2x36watt setup from there instead (it's about the same price) and set the two bulbs up end to end (they have an option to get the kit so you can do this). Do you think this is a better idea than doing the 96w?


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## p3purr (Nov 11, 2006)

Doesn't the height of the tank affect how much WPG you need? For example wouldn't a 20H would need more light to reach the bottom and have the same affect than a 20L?
Patricia


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## Wingsdlc (Dec 9, 2005)

p3purr said:


> Doesn't the height of the tank
> Patriciaaffect how much WPG you need? For example wouldn't a 20H would need more light to reach the bottom and have the same affect than a 20L?


The depth of the tank does play a roll in how much or type of light you need. Some bulbs like Aqua-Glo have a high K value (18,000K) to help get light down through the water. 

I am keeping plants in a pretty big range of lighting at the moment. 

55G ~ 30W -- .55wpg
29G ~ 35W -- 1.21wpg
40G ~ 226W -- 5.65wpg
2G ~ 18W -- 9wpg

Each tank the plants are alive and growing. I am keeping a lot of the same plants in all three of the tanks. The big difference is the amount of growth it get from each tank. 

The 55G is very slow while theh 40G can be out of control. 

With a 29G with 55W, gives you 1.9wpg. You should be able to grow quite a few different plants. Crypts, Anubias, Vals, Java Ferns, Java Moss, Sunset Hygro and probably many more. If you stick with easy growers like the onces I listed you should do just fine. It will keep your fert dosing simple and life will be good. 

If you want to speed up growth then I would add either DIY CO2 or Flourish Excel. 

Good luck!


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