# lighting?



## clubbs (Nov 20, 2007)

okay so the guy at the pet store told me i need 500 watts of lighting for my tank because i have a 90 gal tall and the light source will be 30 inches from the gravel.? do they even make bulbs with that many watts? what do you think ill really need for planting the tank?? and also with that much lighting wont that make my p's freak out or will they get used to it?


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## ryanimpreza (Jul 19, 2006)

the guy at the pet store is smoking CRACK. you will need 130 watts w/o co2 and anything above that with co2. 500 watts would give you 5.5 wpg which I think is fine just way over kill.


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## clubbs (Nov 20, 2007)

haha yea it sounded a little extreme to me. he said i needed that much to beacuse its so high not all the light rays would make it down there. i thought he was full of sh*t just makeing sure! so 130 watts with co2 and i should be fine?? how much co2? if i do a diy co2 out of a 2 liter bottle will that be enough or should i do 2 of them for that size of a tank??


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## ryanimpreza (Jul 19, 2006)

clubbs said:


> haha yea it sounded a little extreme to me. he said i needed that much to beacuse its so high not all the light rays would make it down there. i thought he was full of sh*t just makeing sure! so 130 watts with co2 and i should be fine?? how much co2? if i do a diy co2 out of a 2 liter bottle will that be enough or should i do 2 of them for that size of a tank??


now wait a minute. is your 90 gal a tall 90. Because the light does go to crap after about 16 to 20 in. but I still hold firm with my first comment Dudes smoking crack


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## clubbs (Nov 20, 2007)

yea in my first post i said it was a 90 gal tall and the light sorce will be 30 inches from the gravel.


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## jestergraphics (May 29, 2007)

then you may want to up your wattage even more due to the distance, I've run into the same problems on my 150, I can't grow anything like swords the leaves just wilt and die but I have some success with other plants so maybe if you up it to 2wpg you could pull off planting some lower light plants. Maybe also start thinking about pressurized Co2 as well. 90gal with diy c02 would be tough and a pain. I think you could do it but I'd say you'd need 4-6 2L bottles minimum or better yet get some 1gal juice jugs and hook like 4 of them up all in line and see how it goes. It will be a hassel but if your short on cash thats the only way. But I will say once you get passed the initial set up cost of a pressurized system the costs are minimal; just refilling the tank which is cheap.


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## traumatic (Jan 29, 2003)

this is another case where WPG is a poor and very unscientific way to rate your tanks lighting requirements. Please don't fall into the habit of believing it's a worthy system for your tanks lighting needs.


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