Switching Lighting - Roma 240

[Zac460]

Hi y'all!

I will be switching from low-tech to high tech over the new year ( ) but I've ran into a problem.

Since I will be dosing ferts, CO2 and have a 'plant' substrate, I'm gonna need better lighting than what I have now, right? At the moment I have 2 T8s (Fluval AquaGLO and PowerGLO)

So what would be the best option for me? LED's or T5s?
It's the Fluval Roma 240 (4 ft), please also bear in mind that I'm not keen on having the tank open topped either.

Thanks,
Zac 

[TropicalFishForums]

[Stephen]

Hi Zac

I have the same Roma 240 and I too will be upgrading to CO2 in the new year.
I currently use liquid carbon with a plant substrate and add liquid fertiliser which is nitrogen and phosphate free due to having a well stocked tank.
I think my 2 x T8 tubes are sufficient for my needs.
I have 1 x Life-GLO and 1 x Aqua-GLO (both new) being used at present.
I also have 1 x Power-GLO, 1 x Sun-GLO, 1 x Life-GLO and 1 x Aqua-GLO (all new) as spares.
I also have a 18W UV steriliser.

So my upgrade will be the CO2 which saves me adding and buying liquid carbon.
So my upgrade will be "medium-tech" as I will not be doing EI dosing or using strong lights.
My fish do not appreciate too strong a light which is why I have so many new tubes so that I can try different combinations.
My plants are described as "easy" but sometimes they didn't do well and just died.
I now have plants that do reasonable well in my tank and with CO2 in the new year I feel they'll do even better.

Here is an interesting read from UKaps about setting up a "high-tech" planted tank.
 

I hope my post is useful, good luck

[dtw]

a cost effective upgrade to the roma tanks is to add one or two T5 tubes with clip on fixings to the existing T8's but using an external ballast driver.
You can more than double the light output then but retain the original lid, there's a few step by step guides on the web if you google 'Roma lighting upgrade'

[Zac460]

Thanks Stephen I've read the first few paragraphs but will read the rest tonight (as I'm on mobile at the moment).
The main plant I am wishing to keep would be HC Cuba, and apparently they need quite high light levels, which was my main reason for asking.
Cheers ftw, as you said, there are some good articles out there. Would this one be a good one to follow? http://www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/400038-fluval-roma-lighting-upgrade/

[Stephen]

If wanting T5 then you can always buy a replacement T5 for the Fluval Vicenza 260 which is exactly the same size light fitting as the Roma 240 but with T5 tubes.
Sometimes they appear on eBay for about £50/£60 second hand.
A new one costs about £160-£170 LINK just unplug the T8 unit and replace with the T5 unit.

Hope it helps

[dtw]

...
Cheers dtw, as you said, there are some good articles out there. Would this one be a good one to follow? http://www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/400038-fluval-roma-lighting-upgrade/

yep, I've read that before, I've fitted reflectors and replaced a ballast in a roma 125 before and that guide for adding t5's looks pretty good to me, if you shop around you can get twin tube external ballasts quite cheaply

[Zac460]

Ooooo I have a decision now!
Either go with the Vincenza T5 unit (second hand). Or do a DIY job on the current system!

I'll do some more research on the Vincenza lighting unit later today - when I'm on my PC.

[dtw]

I'm not sure the Vicenza unit will make much difference?? T5 tubes produce a little more light for the same length and are a little more efficient but not by a massive amount

[Stephen]

I'm not sure the Vicenza unit will make much difference?? T5 tubes produce a little more light for the same length and are a little more efficient but not by a massive amount

I have similar thoughts in respect of T5s versus T8s.

[Zac460]

So what would be the best option for me then? Run the T8 and some T5s at the same time then?

[dtw]

So what would be the best option for me then? Run the T8 and some T5s at the same time then?

I would, gives you plenty of choice of light colour then too, and you could stagger the timing of the lights on different time switches.

[Zac460]

Sound good, it looks like I'll be following the link in post #3 then!

Thanks for all your help guys

[Zac460]

How many Watts do I want for the starter unit and lights?

[Zac460]

According to Aquarium Gardens, if I were to grow a carpet of HC Cuba, I will need 0.8 Watts per litre or over.
Any recommendation for some 4ft T5s and a starter unit for them?

[Tropical_Fish_Keeper]

Hey Zac460


I have a Fluval Roma 200 and I am not good at DIY at all. I can't emphasise that enough lol.
I noticed you are following a guide to add T5 lights to the existing T8's.


This is the same guide I am looking to follow, and upon doing more research I stumbled across your thread.
I am tired of hardly getting any growth from my plants, its starting to get depressing lol, anyway I hope you can give an update to how it went?


Did you find it as easy as the guide looks? or was there some adjustments you had to make etc? I would love to know. 


Also I was planning on just running the T5's with the T8's turned off, as my main concern was the heat? so are you running all four lights?


Thanks in advance.