Light amount question

**Scuba Guy** · 01-29-2007, 03:14 PM

Is 4 X 96watt (7600K) compact Fluorescent lights too much for a 65 gallon high tank? just right? too little?
(3 feet wide)?

I have Tiger Lillie's among other plants and wonder if the extra light will be too much for them. I have plenty of CO2.

**Abbeys_Mom** · 01-29-2007, 03:59 PM

Wow, that's almost 6 watts per gallon. I know you need more wattage when it's a tall tank, but I think 3 watts per gallon is what is recommended for harder to keep plants, so 6 is enough for any plant. I would just worry about algae.

**sergo** · 01-29-2007, 04:34 PM

damn man, need to break out some shades for all of that light. you should have a problem growing anything in or, hell for that fact, around the tank. :)

**jeffs99dime** · 01-29-2007, 05:03 PM

that sounds like a coralife aqualight fixture. is that correct?

**Scuba Guy** · 01-29-2007, 07:44 PM

spot on Jeff - that's correct. It is a Coralife fixture.

I need to be more accurate....I have a 'single' Coralife fixture housing two 96 watt compact fluorescent bulbs and a 'single' fixture housing two 30 watt 7600K bulbs.

I am thinking of eliminating the two 30watt bulbs and fixture and replacing it with another Coralife fixture double housing (another two 96 watt).

Although the amount of light seems o.k. - my amazon swords are not growing like they did when I had this tank by a window with sunlight....my amazons went nuts then with leaves growing to the surface.

With the tank in its new location (dark corner), the amazons put out lots of O2 bubbles and leaves grow, but they don't grow tall anymore, just bushy.

I'm guessing here .... light?

**jeffs99dime** · 01-30-2007, 12:06 AM

Originally Posted by Scuba Guy

spot on Jeff - that's correct. It is a Coralife fixture.

I need to be more accurate....I have a 'single' Coralife fixture housing two 96 watt compact fluorescent bulbs and a 'single' fixture housing two 30 watt 7600K bulbs.

I am thinking of eliminating the two 30watt bulbs and fixture and replacing it with another Coralife fixture double housing (another two 96 watt).

Although the amount of light seems o.k. - my amazon swords are not growing like they did when I had this tank by a window with sunlight....my amazons went nuts then with leaves growing to the surface.

With the tank in its new location (dark corner), the amazons put out lots of O2 bubbles and leaves grow, but they don't grow tall anymore, just bushy.

I'm guessing here .... light?

i use the same compacts. you will be fine. mine are in the 10k range though