# lighting a deep tank ?



## benjamin (30 Nov 2011)

hi all just a note !!im very very new to the idear of keeping plants so if this seem's a silly question sorry  :? 
i need to start thinking about lighting for my tank. and if i can id like to use the lighting i already have to save me expense and hassle .
the tank is deep at 36 inch and i have to hand 2 sets of twin arcadia series 3 metal halide .currently  runing 2x 20k 250 wat bulbs in each set 
any advice would be realy helpfull .
iv asked a few pepole about this but not got any real reply 
thanks all 
ben.


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## danmil3s (30 Nov 2011)

Hi ben welcome along. That's a lot of light mate even for a very deep tank. You might be better off with t8 tubes  for no c02 low maintenance  route or or t5 if you want a c02 high mantinace tank


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## benjamin (30 Nov 2011)

thanks for welcome dan .  
i trust what you say fella .and im in no position to think i know better .
if i go for t8 im thinking il need maybe 5-6 tubes ?? or could i change the 4 halide bulbs down to say   14k 150watt ?
if needs must i will change over light sets .im just wondering if i can keep my current sets .
cheers dan
ben.


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## danmil3s (30 Nov 2011)

Have a read up of this mate it might answer some of your questions. MH lighting is an option but there are issues with high lighting.


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## benjamin (30 Nov 2011)

thanks again mate ......did you mean to post a link? lol
ben.


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## foxfish (30 Nov 2011)

That is a deep tank   
A lot depends on what you want to achieve - yes you could use 500w of MH if you inject loads of C02 & are prepared for the high maintenance involved.
You really need to first of all decide on how fast you want your plants to grow & what type of scape you would like?


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## benjamin (30 Nov 2011)

ok err wer do i start lol 
maybe if i list some of the stuff i have already ?
and she tank spec and hardwear i have. someone can give me some idear's as to what i should be looking to achieve as a newbi in the planted tank world ? 
ps im not against going with co2 !! 
shall i post in this thread or is there a more appropriate place ?
cheers 
ben.


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## foxfish (30 Nov 2011)

Well tell us the size of tank would be a good start, does it have a sump?
I am guessing this was once a marine set up?


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## benjamin (30 Nov 2011)

nice one thanks fella !!
ok the tank .well it has only been setup as a tank for big fish .ie oscars, ali cats, bala sharks and so on for the last 6 yrs 
the tank is 84x39x36 and is/was runing on 2x fx5's with 2 x power heads 1500 ltr ph to keep the water at lower levels moving up .
some bits i have for use 
150.ltrs of aquasoil 
100-150kg of sand
50 kg of fine 6-8mm rounded gravel 
loads of big bogwood some bits 3-4 ft long 
the light i have above the tank at the moment are 4x 6ft tubes t5 and are just the normal bulb like you whould have in the kichen (had no need for any special bulbs before)
lol oh yes i have ambition !! but no clue how to put things into practice  
what ya thinking mate ??


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## Alastair (30 Nov 2011)

2 sets of twin 250 watt halides or one set with twin 250 watts? Two lots would me massively excessive, that's a thousand watt. Just one set should be fine on a tank that big. Would need raising a bit to go get good spread. You can't put a lower wattage bulb in than what's already in them. 
Halides penetrate very deep but with halides you definitely would need co2 or you'll end up with an algae bath. I run halides on mine and spend a lot of Time trimming and pull


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## benjamin (30 Nov 2011)

2x sets of twin 




ps iv been looking at you'r fx5 reactor thread cracking read   
think the next thing on my list is to look at co2 setup for my tank by the sound's of it   :? 
cheer's Alastair
ben.


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## foxfish (30 Nov 2011)

You dont need to go the C02 route, you might want to look at the low tech section on the forum.
You will need to make a decision though before we can help much more.
Anyway, you already have some nice equipment.
I would study the forum a bit first though as it will not be so straightforward to operate a huge tank like yours compared to a 200lt tank fed by a fire extinguisher  :?


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## benjamin (30 Nov 2011)

point taken mr fox !! i did think that starting of on such a big scale would complicate thing's but that's the tank i have so i guess that's the way i have to start .i will look around the forum .iv already found tons of great info and idears in the short few hours iv been on !! i think i will post a thread on idears for what i have and let the forum mull it over .
its funny some things now look far simpler and other way more complicated than i was thinking since iv been looking at other threads .but im realy looking foward to geting into a new area of aquatic,s .
.have to say a thanks for the help iv had from all you guys in such a short time !!!! well imprest   
thanks all ben.


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## foxfish (30 Nov 2011)

Thats OK Ben I love the big tank scene, its not that difficult to source a big pup C02 cylinder & if you are prepared to foot the electric bill then lighting will be easy enough too.
However you could design the tank for low light plants with loads of roots & wood plated up with the plants near the suface attached to the wood...Anything is possible.


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## danmil3s (30 Nov 2011)

Sorry Ben i did mean to post a link to the tutorial section, I'll try again I was at work on my phone. http://ukaps.org/forum/viewforum.php?f=34 if you read this it all starts to become clearer.

there is loads of great info on ukaps. wish id found it before i set up my tank. Even with a huge tank like yours high tec complicated is doable.
 This is a good read if you have the time, it shows with proper planing it can be straight forwordish.http://ukaps.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=10171 still the tanks not as big as yours not sure there are many to be honest maybe sanjays. here.http://ukaps.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=11386 also a good reed. As was pointed out loads to learn in the journal. and there are not many stupid questions.


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## benjamin (30 Nov 2011)

il look into the low tec low light setups .but since iv been on this forum  and seen some of the setups im hooked lol 
and want things to go right and look good so maybe i need the idears and then i can get going and source more of the hardwear i need .
top man mr fox your a credit to the forum mate cheers for ya help fella .  
ben.


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## benjamin (30 Nov 2011)

danmil3s said:
			
		

> Sorry Ben i did mean to post a link to the tutorial section, I'll try again I was at work on my phone. http://ukaps.org/forum/viewforum.php?f=34 if you read this it all starts to become clearer.
> 
> there is loads of great info on ukaps. wish id found it before i set up my tank. Even with a huge tank like yours high tec complicated is doable.
> This is a good read if you have the time, it shows with proper planing it can be straight forwordish.http://ukaps.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=10171 still the tanks not as big as yours not sure there are many to be honest maybe sanjays. here.http://ukaps.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=11386 also a good reed. As was pointed out loads to learn in the journal. and there are not many stupid questions.


thanks dan !! lots to look at eh!! and look at it i will .thanks for your help fella ..your a star


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