Lighting for BTA
- Thread starter travis89
- Start date
steelgluer
Member
IMO I would say no its only 4 watts per gallon
T
thomas712
Guest
I personally like to see about 220 watts at the min. for a BTA, your close, very close. Your choice though. Perhaps if you had enough rock work for it to get close to the top.
T
thomas712
Guest
Might want to get a few peices of base rock to make at least one area 2/3's of the way up.
Where were you thinking about getting your BTA and what color?
Where were you thinking about getting your BTA and what color?
27mtaylor
Member
Originally Posted by Travis89
I have a 46 gal. bow front with 196W PC lighting and I was thinking about getting a BTA but I wasn't sure if that is enough lighting to keep them alive.
Let me know what you think
Thanks,
Travis
Travis, I have the same problem as you... I have a 46 bow tank with 190 watts of VHO lighting. I just lost my BTA this past Saturday. I had him about 2 years. I think my water quality was a bigger issue with his death than my lighting. I couldn't ever get my Nitrates down to an acceptable level. I would like to add some more lighting, but it is so hard to add more on the bow tanks since you are limited on space(Without having to build another custom hood). I may try to sqeeze in a PC in my hood somewhere before I get another BTA. Now on the other hand, my brother runs 3.67 watts per gallon and his BTA's do fine. They have split many times. He has had them for 4+ years. I'm not saying he is doing the best thing for his BTAs, but it has worked so far.
I have a 46 gal. bow front with 196W PC lighting and I was thinking about getting a BTA but I wasn't sure if that is enough lighting to keep them alive.
Let me know what you think
Thanks,
Travis
Travis, I have the same problem as you... I have a 46 bow tank with 190 watts of VHO lighting. I just lost my BTA this past Saturday. I had him about 2 years. I think my water quality was a bigger issue with his death than my lighting. I couldn't ever get my Nitrates down to an acceptable level. I would like to add some more lighting, but it is so hard to add more on the bow tanks since you are limited on space(Without having to build another custom hood). I may try to sqeeze in a PC in my hood somewhere before I get another BTA. Now on the other hand, my brother runs 3.67 watts per gallon and his BTA's do fine. They have split many times. He has had them for 4+ years. I'm not saying he is doing the best thing for his BTAs, but it has worked so far.
symon
Member
As much as water conditions are a huge factor, Lighting is also as big a factor! My water was pristine w/1 260 watts of pc combo, and would not even consider putting an anomine in there! Although i have upgraded my lighting recently and will be adding some new interests real soon But slowly!
