Best Light For Plants 6 Gallon Nano Long

[The Goatee]

I just picked up an Ultum Nature Systems 6 gallon long. I intend to do a fairly low tech planted shrimp tank. It is basically 24 inches long, 8 inches tall and deep. What sort of light or lights would or have you used in this kind of shallow setup?

I’ve got a bunch of finnex stingray lights on my tanks and could probably double up the small clip on on each end to give equal coverage (12 inch on each side). With such a shallow tank, my main concern is the gooseneck doesn’t give it enough height to reduce some intensity. I’ve struggled with algae on 2.5 gallon tanks (similar depth) but maybe the amount of time the light was on just needs to be reduced in that context. Appreciate any thoughts or success stories.

[Isaac M]

Hi, given that you already have some lights that you can use, I would say use what you have. If you are concerned about it being too much light, I actually will reduce the light intensity by adding plastic canvas to the bottom of the light(or it can be added to the top of the aquarium cover if you prefer). Here is a finnex light I have over a 5 gallon that I added plastic canvas to:

I mostly covered the sides because I would get a lot of algae on the glass. I cut the middle open in the portion of the tank I wanted the full intensity on. 

I hope that helps! 

Edited February 28, 2022 by Isaac M

[BettaHomesAndGardens]

So Hygger lights are the highest tech low budget lights I've ever used and a dimmable have a built in timer, are size adjustable and so on. They are pretty inexpensive and I've liked them quite a bit. I struggled with algae with my old light and I put one of these on and dimmed it and set the timer for 6 hours and I have no issues anymore. 

 

https://www.amazon.com/Hygger-Spectrum-Extendable-Controller-Freshwater/dp/B07X9T9PV6/ref=asc_df_B07XBSY32G/?tag=&linkCode=df0&hvadid=385191879806&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=6040828051655960627&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9016180&hvtargid=pla-837646189911&ref=&adgrpid=78564976036&th=1

[Patrick_G]

I have one of these on a three gallon. It has a higher gooseneck and adjustable intensity. It might work with one on each end. 
Lominie Aquarium LED Light, Dimmable Clip on Fish Tank Light WiFi Controllable with Manual Timer Gooseneck for Nano Coral Reef Tank (B10-Saltwater) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08Y8B8J1D/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_i_54VY71ETSJ2KHF39CZTX

EDIT: comes in a freshwater version

Here’s the tank, I think it’s a nice looking spectrum

Edited February 28, 2022 by Patrick_G

[The Goatee]

On 2/27/2022 at 11:31 PM, BettaHomesAndGardens said:

So Hygger lights are the highest tech low budget lights I've ever used and a dimmable have a built in timer, are size adjustable and so on. They are pretty inexpensive and I've liked them quite a bit. I struggled with algae with my old light and I put one of these on and dimmed it and set the timer for 6 hours and I have no issues anymore. 

 

https://www.amazon.com/Hygger-Spectrum-Extendable-Controller-Freshwater/dp/B07X9T9PV6/ref=asc_df_B07XBSY32G/?tag=&linkCode=df0&hvadid=385191879806&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=6040828051655960627&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9016180&hvtargid=pla-837646189911&ref=&adgrpid=78564976036&th=1

I’ve actually got that exact light as a spare. I tried it on a 10 gallon and liked everything except the “off” cycle was still running the lights at 10% or slightly less intensity if I used the automatic settings. I eventually replaced it with a Finnex Planted+ HLC (I have these on four tanks and love them). Is there some setting I missed, or do you just manually control? Or is the very low intensity just not enough to grow algae? I am genuinely curious with continuous low light since it seems so weird that Hygger just didn’t turn it all the way off.

On 2/27/2022 at 11:18 PM, Isaac M said:

Hi, given that you already have some lights that you can use, I would say use what you have. If you are concerned about it being too much light, I actually will reduce the light intensity by adding plastic canvas to the bottom of the light(or it can be added to the top of the aquarium cover if you prefer). Here is a finnex light I have over a 5 gallon that I added plastic canvas to:

I mostly covered the sides because I would get a lot of algae on the glass. I cut the middle open in the portion of the tank I wanted the full intensity on. 

I hope that helps! 

Do you recall or have a link to what type of canvas this is? New concept for me, looks like some kind of grid that is solid or opaque between the squares? I see the cutout.

[BettaHomesAndGardens]

That's so strange mine shuts all the way off during the off cycle. I don't know if maybe i have an updated model or a different model or something because mine definitely shits all the way off. As far as the intensity I played with it until I had an intensity that I felt like would suffice. the lack of Algae growth I suspect has more to do with my reduced lighting duration than with the light intensity itself. I've not tested it with a PAR meter so I'm not sure how much of a difference the intensity adjustment  is making.

[Isaac M]

@The Goatee

Here is the link to the canvas:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00KHAYGJO?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title

Edited February 28, 2022 by Isaac M

[Ben_RF]

If it is long enough, I am loving my fluval aquasky on my nano tanks. I'd swear you'd think it was a planted 3.0 for how good these plants are growing. 

[The Goatee]

On 2/28/2022 at 1:29 AM, BettaHomesAndGardens said:

That's so strange mine shuts all the way off during the off cycle. I don't know if maybe i have an updated model or a different model or something because mine definitely shits all the way off. As far as the intensity I played with it until I had an intensity that I felt like would suffice. the lack of Algae growth I suspect has more to do with my reduced lighting duration than with the light intensity itself. I've not tested it with a PAR meter so I'm not sure how much of a difference the intensity adjustment  is making.

I got mine in May of last year. Other reviews at the time had expressed the same observation. If they adjusted it to shut all the way off, this really is a great budget light with that flaw resolved. As cheap as they are, maybe I will role the dice again.

On 2/28/2022 at 4:30 PM, Ben_RF said:

If it is long enough, I am loving my fluval aquasky on my nano tanks. I'd swear you'd think it was a planted 3.0 for how good these plants are growing. 

Looks like a good alternative to the Finnex Planted+ HLCs that I’ve got. Will keep it in mind.

[BettaHomesAndGardens]

On 2/28/2022 at 6:31 PM, The Goatee said:

I got mine in May of last year. Other reviews at the time had expressed the same observation. If they adjusted it to shut all the way off, this really is a great budget light with that flaw resolved. As cheap as they are, maybe I will role the dice again.

Looks like a good alternative to the Finnex Planted+ HLCs that I’ve got. Will keep it in mind.

This is the exact model I got. I got mine about 2 months ago so perhaps it has been updated. Hope it works well for you!

https://www.amazon.com/hygger-Sunrise-Daylight-Moonlight-Adjustable-Brightness-Extendable/dp/B08N197NGW/ref=sr_1_5?crid=2S4F5ZASQRV2K&keywords=hygger%2Baquarium%2Blight&qid=1646096602&sprefix=hygger%2Caps%2C96&sr=8-5&th=1