sanj
Member
OK, I am looking to start a project with a tank dimensions: 96"x36"x28"h
if any of you have been to the Green Machine, well it is fairly similar to the middle display tank. Well I have been considering lighting options, costs, practicality, aesthetics etc. I currenly use T5 D-D ballasts (432w) on my existing set up 96x24x24. but this is a closed top tank and is against a wall, wheras the new tank will be a room divider and open top.
I was thinking along the lines of using the Arcadia Series 4 which is 60" units with 3x150w HQI and 2x 80w T5.
It would be neat and tidy, one wire, not in the way as it would rest on acrylic props about 10-12" from the water surface. I was going to also use my existing 6 tmc led strips running along the back and front. However this is alot of combined wattage.
I was wondering if this photo period schedule would work well?
LEDs (all 72 w) gradually come on: 14:00, full on from 15:00 to 23:00 then fade off to off by 00:00 ~9hrs of full led
T5 160w on: 15:00 to 23:00 8hrs
HQI 350w on: 18:00 to 22:00 4hrs
I am just wondering if the HQI period is enough and also when they are off the light provided by the T5 and led is pretty low, granted the wpg does not really follow in large tanks. Part of the consideration is cost in running HQIs for long, but it is a balance, obviously i want the plants to thrive.
my other thoughts were going down the grow beam route and suppliment with the existing leds, im estimating I would need 6 with the current leds i have (6x500s). This however would mean constructing a luminaire type frame and that could be pretty cumbersome for 96"x36" not to mention squillions of wires albeit these are long and thin wires, much easier to deal with than the thick T5 wires coming from the ballasts.
Any experts think the lighting duration is ok or would need to increase to 6hrs for HQI?
Thanks
if any of you have been to the Green Machine, well it is fairly similar to the middle display tank. Well I have been considering lighting options, costs, practicality, aesthetics etc. I currenly use T5 D-D ballasts (432w) on my existing set up 96x24x24. but this is a closed top tank and is against a wall, wheras the new tank will be a room divider and open top.
I was thinking along the lines of using the Arcadia Series 4 which is 60" units with 3x150w HQI and 2x 80w T5.
It would be neat and tidy, one wire, not in the way as it would rest on acrylic props about 10-12" from the water surface. I was going to also use my existing 6 tmc led strips running along the back and front. However this is alot of combined wattage.
I was wondering if this photo period schedule would work well?
LEDs (all 72 w) gradually come on: 14:00, full on from 15:00 to 23:00 then fade off to off by 00:00 ~9hrs of full led
T5 160w on: 15:00 to 23:00 8hrs
HQI 350w on: 18:00 to 22:00 4hrs
I am just wondering if the HQI period is enough and also when they are off the light provided by the T5 and led is pretty low, granted the wpg does not really follow in large tanks. Part of the consideration is cost in running HQIs for long, but it is a balance, obviously i want the plants to thrive.
my other thoughts were going down the grow beam route and suppliment with the existing leds, im estimating I would need 6 with the current leds i have (6x500s). This however would mean constructing a luminaire type frame and that could be pretty cumbersome for 96"x36" not to mention squillions of wires albeit these are long and thin wires, much easier to deal with than the thick T5 wires coming from the ballasts.
Any experts think the lighting duration is ok or would need to increase to 6hrs for HQI?
Thanks