# Watts per gallon



## Adam79 (May 6, 2009)

I am going to be starting my first planted tank soo. I'm trying to gather as much info as possible. I want to be successful with the results I want. I've been looking at profiles of plants on this and another site. They are both listed lighting needs on a scale form very low to very high. What does this mean? I need something more specific. Is there a formula? 

Very Low= 
Low=
Medium Low=
Medium=
Medium High=
High=
Very High=

Thankyou!


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## Homer_Simpson (May 10, 2007)

Check out the post by jeremy. I believe the way he set to measure out what would constitute low, medium, or high is a far better method than watts per gallon.
http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/l...us-callitrichoides-blyxa-2-5g-lighting-2.html


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## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

Of course, when you are just buying equipment for a tank that isn't even set up yet, a PAR meter doesn't help you. (Nothing to measure yet.) At that preliminary stage you are trying, I think, to determine what lighting fixtures you should be looking at. In an ideal world the LFS would be of great help in doing that, but that isn't how it works today.

My opinion, for now, is that you need to decide first if you are going for a pressurized CO2 system, trying to grow all of the interesting plants you read about, and wanting to be sure the lighting won't be inadequate for any of those plants. Or, are you going for a planted tank that you will be able to spend an hour or so a week doing maintenance, and spend most of your aquarium time enjoying the view, maybe plucking a dead leaf or two once in awhile, and pruning the plants every 2-3 weeks to keep them looking like you want. Or, are you going for a tank you can ignore for a couple of weeks at a time, maybe fertilizing a bit when you remember to do so, and just want a lot of nice green plants to complement the fish.

Those 3 scenarios require different lighting. So, take two aspirin, and get back to us with more information about your desires.


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## Adam79 (May 6, 2009)

I'm not 100% sure on my approach. I'm trying to weigh out my options. I have been keeping fish for awhile now. Mostly south american species. Most of my fish would tear plants apart, but I'm starting fresh with a 55 gallon I have. The fish I am going to keep are compatable with plants, so I figured I would take the opportunity to expand my hobby. The focus of the tank, for me, will be the fish. I already do water changes, watch my water parameters, ect. I don't mind some extra maintanence. (I have no idea why my font just turned green.) Anyway, I had planned on doing Co2, because i thought it was nessesary, but I'm finding out that under some circumstances it isn't needed. I'm leaning more towards low-medium light for breeding purposes and power bill puposes. I can build my plants around that. I will try and paint a picture of what I'm envisioning.For substrate, I want sand. I am planning on using plant substrate underneath, but I like the look of sand and my bolivian rams and cories will prefer it as well. The onle decor will be a couple large river rocks and some beechwood with a lot of branches that will cover a good portion of the tank. I want some tall plants that will grow to the top of the water level in the back. Some medium plant in the mid-ground, 1 kind of ground cover, and 1 kind of floating plant. I would be choosing plants in the low to medium light range with easy to medium care requirements. I have the option of a biowheel filter or a canister filter. My tank is 55 gallon doesn't have a hood. It has a double lid with two strip lights with a total of 30 watts. How much more lighting would I need? Are ther bulbs that will fit my current set-up that will work? How would the lighting change if I had a co2 system? I'm looking for simple and effective. In time I may try something more advanced.


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## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

If I wanted to go with low light on a 55 gallon tank I think I would just use ordinary T8 32 watt bulbs, probably two of them separated by about 6 inches. I would put them in a simple box type hood, with the inside painted bright white. That should be enough to grow low light plants, and if it isn't, you could add a third one relatively easily.

Any bulb with a color temperature somewhere around 5-10,000K will grow plants, but you will like the appearance better if you select bulbs that give the look you want. If you end up with 3 bulbs, making one of them a pinkish bulb, like a grolux bulb will give the fish and plants better coloring. With that light level CO2 is optional - it always helps a lot, but isn't absolutely essential with lower light intensity. If you do go with CO2, don't bother with DIY CO2, just bite the bullet and get a pressurized system.


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## bartak (Feb 18, 2007)

home depot sells a 4 foot shop light for 10 bucks. and they sell 6500k t8 bulbs cheep as well. plant ready lighting for for 20 bucks also a canister filter is the way to go. HOB's are a pain IMHO and they out gas co2


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