4x39w for a noob

[FastFreddy]

Hello again everyone. Here I go again. With more questions. I promise I'll stop eventually lol. Anyway, I'm nearly ready to set up my 90cmx40cmx45cm planted which will be my first planted tank. I have decided that the style I enjoy the most aquascaping wise is definitely the nature aquarium style (perfect for somebody just starting out in planted tanks right?) So I've opted for a few stem plants primarily the easy species of rotala and micranthenum. I am yet to decide on a foreground plant but I do really like Eleochairs belem. While I was browsing through the profile's of various aquariums that I am inspired by, I can't help but notice that perhaps the most popular lighting configuration in this style, is 4x39w T5HO. I had planned to only use 2x39w however I do have another Identical lighting unit from another tank that I could use. The lighting unit's though T5HO, are not individually reflected (they have one large reflector covering both bulbs). My question is, for a noob with his first planted tank, running pressurised CO2 and full EI ferts regime, is this too much light? Asking for trouble with algae? Any guidance I could get guys would be great. Thanks again!

 

[fplata]

Check out hoppy's sticky under the lighting section, it has a chart that will help you determine your light requirements, I have 4 t5ho bulbs on a 60p

 

[FastFreddy]

Thanks for directing me to that excellent thead. It took me a little while to find but well worth it. So by using the graphs I found on the aforementioned thread. I came to the calculation that my Hagen GLO 36" fixture with 2 T5HO bulbs would give me more than 50 micromols of PAR at the substrate. Placing it in the 'high light' category. Does this therefore mean that, assuming all other variable such as co2 and ferts are adequate, that I should be able to grow pretty much whatever I wanted?

 

[dutchy]

Yes, it will. might you find out that some plants have problems not related to CO2, then do a small increase.

The categories low to high light are a bit unclear and based on personal opinion. I think 50 mmols of PAR is still in the low light category, while 50 - 75 is medium light and everything more is high light. Why 50 mmols low light? I can keep a non CO2 tank healthy until 50 mmol.

If you're newbie, start with low light and your life will be a lot easier

 

[FastFreddy]

Hi dutchy. Thanks for the advice. I have decided that I will start the tank with the 2x39w fixture alone as well as with easy to keep plant species. It's just very easy to get carried away on this site with all the amazing tanks that people have and they make it look so easy. I think I will start with the basics and build from there. Thanks again.