# 11" cube lighting



## Garuf (11 Dec 2007)

hello, sorry to duplicate posts between forums but uptake has been slow and I know a fair few guys on here are good with nanos.
copy and paste time. 
I'm currently in the process of setting up an slightly less than 11" nano to trial the tom barr emersed growth method of planting HC and I was wondering what is the best light source once it is set up?
I was considering a single 24watt power compact or possibly a pair of AZOO or arcadia nano lights.
Also while browsing I found a nano LED luminair intended for reefs but this would be spot on, I have emailed the shop and await a reply regarding sutability, the question here really is which method of lighting would people suggest/ say would provide the best source of light?
I would like to avoid co2 injection where possible but I may sway and use diy until funds allow for pressurised if co2 proves to be essential.

For the scape I intend to have a carpet of hc with a center peice of a moss covered unipac root and also some anubias or miniature crypts, something low maintainance anyway, possibly some stems of HM as a back ground.
That or Iwagumi style layout with just HC and moss I don't know ATM, which would people suggest and what plants would you use?
Also I already own a Eden 501 which I intend to use on the tank to provide filtration, I beleive the tank comes in at just over 4.5gallons would this be suitable and provide suitable flow?
Anyway.
Thank you for any responce,
Gareth.


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## daniel19831123 (11 Dec 2007)

hmmm I thought you said you wanted to grow HC emersed? How do you inject CO2 in your water when your water column is most probably not going to be less than 1 cm tall?


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## Garuf (11 Dec 2007)

I ment once the tank is filled with water, the idea being to grow the tank "dry" then "flood" it when everything is nice and grown in, thus removing the algae stages of start up.


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## daniel19831123 (11 Dec 2007)

I see.... I should have done the same with my tank.... now I might need to get some CO2 kit for my tank and abandon the natural tank setup till I get the tank to mature.... why did I not thought of that? stupid me


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## Ed Seeley (11 Dec 2007)

BTW you can still inject CO2 into an emersed set up to boost growth.  A professor of mine at uni was doing just that in sealed greenhouses to see what the effect of raising atmospheric CO2 would have on photosynthesis.  He found the levels of atmospheric CO2 limited growth in terrestrial plants and adding more CO2 produced significantly more growth.  Maybe in a tank you could seal around the cover glass with something (Cling film???) to keep the CO2 in?

Or just run DIY CO2 in so at least you're not wasting money by letting the CO2 escape???


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## ceg4048 (11 Dec 2007)

Hi Garuf,
                There is no "best" light. Get what your finance allows and what looks good to you. As you so rightly point out though, you want to avoid too much light otherwise CO2 becomes mandatory. 24 watts T5 is an _awful _lot of light for an 11 inch cube. Arcadia make the "Arcpod" http://www.charterhouse-aquatics.co.uk/ ... 4_274.html

Seems to me the 9 watt version would do quite nicely. Even with this you might still need to supplement Excel. HC is a Carbon hog in my tank...

Cheers,


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## Ray (12 Dec 2007)

I think 9w or maximum 11w would be OK.  I have a 13w T5 compact flourescent with reflector on a 25L and unless I dose liquid carbon I grow green spot algae.  With 13w I get redening of my Echinodorus Tenellus which suggests its strong light.


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## beeky (12 Dec 2007)

Not much to add, except that I'm guessing emersed grown plants would require less wattage than submersed due to the lack of water allowing more light through.

I was searching around yesterday for CO2 bits and bobs and stumbled across a couple of sites that had CO2 equipment for growing terrestrial plants/crops.


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## Garuf (12 Dec 2007)

Thanks everyone, I'll look into the plug and play options 11" is well within nano territory though so surely I should need a whole lot more light to ensure good growth of the hc?
I Might yet go for injected co2 as soon as I can find a reg that will fit 20oz paintball tanks.


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## ceg4048 (12 Dec 2007)

Garuf said:
			
		

> Thanks everyone, I'll look into the plug and play options 11" is well within nano territory though so surely I should need a whole lot more light to ensure good growth of the hc?
> I Might yet go for injected co2 as soon as I can find a reg that will fit 20oz paintball tanks.



Hi,
     I think you might be underestimating the power of T5 lights as well as the inverse square law of light falloff.  A plant leaf 11 inches away from the surface of the bulb is receiving 4 times the light energy as a leaf 22 inches away. That's probably the main reason why the WPG rule breaks down for small tanks. Guess what that does to the CO2 uptake demand...  

IÂ´m not familiar with the paintball bottles. There are only two choices in regulators as far as IÂ´m aware; The ones that have the industry standard hex head 11/8 inch diameter coupling nut (refillable bottles) and the ones that fit only the smaller non-refillable proprietary bottles.

Cheers,


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## Garuf (12 Dec 2007)

I'll post a picture of the thread as soon as I get chance, I've not got a working camera atm. 
Your probably right about t5 lighting, the arcadia unit is lovely but the colour rendition is gross any idea where I could get something abit more white?


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