Lighting

[Eli_The_Eel]

So I fashioned myself some plant lighting. I went to Lowes and picked up a fixture with 2 24" fluorescent lights. I put in a couple of 20watt GE aquarium gro lights. These two are coupled with a single florescent 18" daylight (dont know the wattage, probably 15-20). Is this enough to start growing some high quantities of plants?

[aquaboy]

for what size tank

[Eli_The_Eel]

Its a 47g

[aquaboy]

Hmm. Tangster would know this better, but im thinking you should be okay for now.

[reef_guru]

it depends on what the kelvin is. 2700k,5100k,6500k work good for growing plants

[Eli_The_Eel]

I think they're 3000k... Is that variable really specific, or is that close enough? A friend of mine said he bough similar bulbs (they weren't grow lights like these are) and he ended up with little/no growth and a ton of algae bloom in his FW tank.

[reef_guru]

Melevsreef.com - Refugium Bulb

[ReefPlayground]

Thats not close to being enough imo. 40w of lighting on a 47g (bow front I take it?), at 20" hight is not enough for growing a lush system. Invest in either VHO's or PC's. The kelvin will depend on what species of plants you desire to keep.

[aquaboy]

If its T12 in the fixture, couldnt you rewire it to be VHO?

[Tangster]

This will work well for a fuge the plants need the yellow to green end of the spectrum more then they do the blue .. You should be good to go is this on a refugium of 47 gal ? Its rather tall But as long as its not to large you should be fine. I find a set of Red LEDs made mine really do better as for the plants growth rates . And for off the shelf fluorescent tube the warm white works as well as the plant grow-lux bulbs do and just a bit cheaper..