Is this any good or worthless?

[edmlfc]

I just replanted and changed the substrate in a couple of tanks. I'm not posting pictures because it looks wayyyyy to bare for now. But my question is I purchased new bulbs last night and want to know if these are any good or worthless. I didn't have much of a choice so I got what they had. All the lights are 15w.
1-Aqua-glo 18,000k - on the 28 gallon bowfront. It sort of gives a yellowish-orange tint to the tank. Almost looks like tannis in the water. Not sure if I like it yet.
1-Aqua-glo 18,000k & 1-Flora-glo 2,800k- on the 44 pentagon. With the 2 different style bulbs it gives the tank an evening look. Not bright but not too yellowish-orange either.
Now don't yell but the bulbs I had on the 44 pentagon were very very old. I never changed them because: I never had any plants in this tank before. Now that I want real plants I want to do it right, well sort of right. I try to get only low light plants that don't need co2. I contacted a guy that sells lots of plants and he sent me a list with pictures. I just picked out the plants I liked and he mailed them to me. I don't really remember the names. I also purchased a few from petsmart. After reading the forums the substrate I choose was the Aquatic soil from home depot. I didn't want to spend a ton of money on substrate just yet. I want to see how things go first. I guess you could say I am just dipping my toes for now.

[Mzungu]

Re: Is this any good or worthless?

The Aqua-Glo should do well with plants, at least it always has for me. Same with Flora-Glo, but I think (if I remember correctly) I like the Aqua-Glo a tiny bit better. But that's only personal preference, I think.

The only problem I see is that you're probably going to want to get another fixture or two for each of the tanks, just because that's really not a lot of lighting, even for low-light plants. You say they're 15W each, so is that a few 20" fixtures you have?

[edmlfc]

Re: Is this any good or worthless?

On the 28 gallon I only have 1 light. The light I had in it before was a Eclipse Natural Daylight I don't see how many watts but it has 46K on it. I had the same two plants in this tank along with some java fern and the plants have almost tripled in size.

On the 44 Gallon I had the same light in one fixture Eclipse Natural Daylight, and the other fixture was a very very old corallife bulb, can't read any other writing on it, it's all peeling off. I don't the watts on either of the bulbs that were on it before. I always had two lamps on this tank because if I use one it was too dark. All the bulbs are a 18" bulb and it's really hard to find that size with more wattage around here unless I order it. I just made a couple of orders this week but forgot about lighting so it will be a while before I order again.

[Mzungu]

Re: Is this any good or worthless?

Yeah, you probably won't be able to find any 18" bulbs with more than 15W. Unless they're high outputs, and then you would need a different ballast.

I was just asking if the fixtures were 20", sorry.

But, if your plants were growing well before, then you should be fine with the Aqua-Glos.

[edmlfc]

Re: Is this any good or worthless?

Sorry I misunderstood.

[Mzungu]

Re: Is this any good or worthless?

How do you mean?

I think I did, too!!  

[edmlfc]

Re: Is this any good or worthless?

I thought you were saying I needed more light fixtures on the tank. But there's no room. The 44 gallon has a black lid with two spots for a light. I have two lights on it for a total of 30 watts. I know it's probally not enough light but I am planning to upgrade it to a 75 - 100 gallon in the next few weeks. Should I have just got a plain white light, like from home depot or something. The 28 has a spot for only one light.
If I put a larger light on the 44 I would have to hang it from the ceiling and take the hood off. Same thing with the 28. Although the 28 does have a glass lid. Now my other tanks there's plenty of room for more or larger lights but there is also fish in those that will tear apart any plant that I put in it.

I really don't want to go all out and get expensive lighting right now. I just want to see how things go first. Maybe later I will upgrade to T-5 or something not quite as expensive at Metal Halide's.

[edmlfc]

Re: Is this any good or worthless?

Mzungu,
Thanks for pulling up that old post, I never noticed it before. I guess the bulbs I have on it now should be ok. I was so confused when I first started to read it. I am not that technical yet.   Anyway thanks again.

[Mzungu]

Re: Is this any good or worthless?

Oh, sure thing!!  :)

I think another 15W on either tank would be good, but if there's no room, then I wouldn't worry about it. I guess I'm just trying to visualize what sort of fixtures you have on the tanks. Are they just normal strip lights? As in, you have 3 strip lights? Or maybe 2, one single and one double? Or are they all-in-one hoods, like for Eclipse systems? If they're just normal strip lights, then (depending on the dimensions of the new 75-100g you're getting) you might be able to transfer them over to the new tank.

Hmm, I think I just answered my own question... Is this the pentagon aquarium you have?

http://www.elmersaquarium.com/h109masterkit44pentagon.htm

And this 28g bow?

http://www.elmersaquarium.com/h109masterkit28euro.htm

If you wanted to, you might be able to add another fixture to the 28, but one of the 16" or 12" fluorescent fixtures. I guess adding one of the fixtures from your 44 won't work, it probably wouldn't fit, like you said.

If anything, they're good to have around just in case. And I do really like the Aqua-Glos, so I think it was a good purchase.  :)

[edmlfc]

Re: Is this any good or worthless?

Yes my pentagon is similar to that but it has a place for 2 light strips. Both strips have a single bulb. And yes that is what my 28 looks like. Thanks for the advise. I'm going to leave it as is until I can upgrade. Hopefully it will be real soon. I am looking foward to combining 3 tanks into one. Less work for me.