Looking for comments on sun burst lighting strategy

[mike]

I'm in the process of setting up a 125G tank (72x18x22) and I have the following light available to me:

2 x 48” 54w T5HO (2 separate stips)
1 x 36” 96w PC (AHSupply kit)
2 x 36” 39w T5HO (1 fixture)

Total wattage of 282 watts. I believe this is too much light for a 10 hour period but could I do the following

I was going to stagger the 48” strips so they will overlap 2 feet in the middle and I was going to put the 2 36” fixtures end to end, so the length of the tank. The 48” strips will be on for 10 hours and the 36” fixtures will be on for about 4 hours in the middle of the lighting period. Will this too little or too much light? Is the sun burst period too long or too short?

Thank you

Mike

 

[Biollante]

Less At First, More Later

Hi Mike,

One trick is to use less light in the beginning, as the plants grow in, especially if you are injecting CO[SUB]2[/SUB], increase the lighting, just as you will need to increase the nutrients and CO[SUB]2[/SUB] (if you are using it).

Your lighting really is not unmanageable, it really depends on the plants and what you wish to accomplish.

Biollante

 

[mike]

Biollants, thank you for your response.

I will be using pressurized CO2, EI Dosing and I will also be starting the tank with DSM.

When you say less light in the beginning, do you mean for the entire 10 hours meaning no burst at the beginning? When I introduce more light as growth increases should it be in a 3 to 4 hour burst or for the full 10 hours.

Thank you,

Mike

 

[Biollante]

On Average It May Be Fine As Is...

Hi,

Yes I was talking about the entire lighting period, for tropical plants, I like 10 to 12-hour lighting periods.

I am not a fan of high light bursts, but that is just me.

How are planning to arrange the light fixtures?

Biollante

 

[mike]

The lights will be in a canopy and arranged like in the diagram.

[attachment=1028:name]