Question: Question about lighting in Axolotl tanks

[totallyrad]

So I would like to have a heavily planted tank for my axolotl.
In order to do this and have healthy growing plants I need to upgrade
my lighting fixture from standard strip. I was thinking about getting
dual t5 lighting (for $40) but I wasn't sure if this would bother the axolotl.

What is everyone's thoughts on lighting in axolotl tanks?
I know they don't even need lights and since they don't have eyelids
would two t5 plant bulbs be too bright for them?
Should I just look for a single t5 bulb fixture? (not sure if they make them but I can look)


Let me know :] Thanks

 

[Icarez]

You seem to know the answer to your question
I think the best advice is that you should just keep it as low as possible
If your plants grow fine with 1 bulb, I'd stick with that
If they don't make a 1 bulb fixture atleast give them plenty of good dark hiding spots for during the day
Then I assume at night your lights go out and then the Axolotl can have it's nocturnal time

 

[carsona246]

are you talking about t5 HO, or just regular T5's? I would avoid HO lighting, which is what most planted tank people refer to when talking about t5's, because that would be pretty bright. If you're just going regular T5's, it really doesn't matter if you go T5's or T8's, because the light output won't be that much different, and I know for a fact there are plenty of T8 single lights out there.

 

[totallyrad]

well i have one t8 bulb in a light fixture now, and I've been reading that t5 bulbs are more efficient and work better for plants. And I wouldn't use the halide lighting just the regular t5 fixture. I know the halide would definitely be too bright lol.

And yeah i leave the lights on for about 11 hours a day and then they have a lot of night time to enjoy.
I mean my t8 bulb now keeps the plants alive and grows them at a slow rate but i would just like to see them grow better and therefore do their job better haha. i probably won't be getting a new light for another month but just wanted to research it thoroughly first if i decide to get a new one.

more comments welcome :] thanks for the advice guys!

 

[totallyrad]

and i did just look up some t5 lighting and they do make single t5 strips :] for 10 dollars cheaper. so that might work out for the best

 

[jcj57]

I'm looking at getting a double light, one white day light and one night moonlight. Any comments?

 

[yellowpebble]

i think i'm going to have to make lighting for a tank because it didn't come with one. Its not an axie tank so it wont matter. Any ideas on how to do it?

 

[carsona246]

I'm looking at getting a double light, one white day light and one night moonlight. Any comments?

Is this a double light ballast with just 2 light bulbs? The problem I see is getting one light bulb to turn on during the day, and one to turn on at night. I made my own lighting rig for my 10 gallon, and it was a pretty poor job(I'm no handyman). I would have no idea how to setup one light ballast to turn on only one light at a time, I'm honestly not sure it could be done.
If you do attempt it, make sure your light bulb isn't "white" but in the daylight spectrum(6500 I believe) so you can grow plants.

Rachel: I made my own lighting set for a planted tank by buying a double bulb ballast(although I unknowingly bought one meant for a ceiling hook up, make sure yours is not for installing into the ceiling. You'll have to rewire it to an extension cord or something, and it's not super pretty.). What was annoying was making something to hold the light, as I wanted a rimless tank with no lid. I ended up buying those emt conduit bars, and bending them. I bought the official conduit benders($50 outrageous price!) and returned them right after using them. The actual bars themselves are fairly cheap, and if you use the proper bender it's really easy to bend the bars to look fairly professional. After the bars are bent at 90 degree angles all you need is something to keep the bars clamped to the stand(I use clamps) and something to hang the light from the bars(I use a metal chain)
My setup isn't super pretty, but it totally works, and was fairly cheap. I realized after going over my receipts to see how much the whole project cost me, and the home depot clerk forgot to charge me for the light ballast, so everything all together was about $30(after returning the conduit bender), however the light ballast was fairly expensive if I remember correctly.

 

[MereB]

Personally I think as long as you provide a nice dark hide or two then the dual light will be fine.

Is this a double light ballast with just 2 light bulbs? The problem I see is getting one light bulb to turn on during the day, and one to turn on at night.

I have seen stand alone standard light units around here that have 2 bulbs/tubes with a switch for each one so it is possible but I've never been in the market for one so have no idea what they cost or who makes them etc. but they DO exist :happy: LOL it was more of a... 'oh cool each tube has it's own switch, moving along now' kind of thing. I'm sure you could track one down if you really wanted to though.
A lot of the more expensive tank combos I've looked at have a switch for each light too if you wanted to go all out on a new setup

I have 2 sets of 2 tubes on my tank. The first set is daylight and the other set is blue/moonlight and it works great. They are 2 separate units though.

 

[Jake777]

How about using t12 plant bulbs?

 

[natjobe]

You could just do different types of low light plants too!

 

[Chirple]

Thanks for this thread ! I just started with live plants and this is very interesting to me.

I pulled out my hood's box (because I hoard everything in case it's useful), and it looks like I have one T8 full spectrum bulb in it. I've been researching, but still not really sure what it means.

The guy at the pet store hooked me up with low-light plants, anyway, so hopefully I'm good. I'll mention it next time I go there to pick up more plants, now that I know what, specifically, I have.