Is one 48" Plant 3.0 enough?

[Minanora]

So I'm thinking about replacing my two finnex planted+ crv lights with one 48" fluval 3.0

My 75 has mostly medium light plants. A few rotalas and some Taiwan lilies.

Sadly, it's likely that I'm going to need to rescape due to meds causing dieback and a hair algae explosion anyway.

Could I get away with a single 3.0? Or should I keep one of the finnex lights? Or just stick with the two?

I have a 3.0 on the shrimp Sanctuary now so I've got the bug... I want more of those lights.

[Seattle_Aquarist]

Hi @Minanora,

Conveniently I have a 75 gallon with a Fluval Planted 3.0 fixture and access to our club Apogee Model 510 PAR meter.  The Fluval should do just fine with most medium light species including the Nymphoides hydrophylla (aka 'sp. Taiwan').  You did not mention if CO2 or not but many of the foreground / ground-cover plants will do well if the tank has some CO2.  At full output the Fluval 3.0 will provide PAR@>99 at the substrate level through a clean Aqueon Versa-Top.  Below is my 75 gallon with Fluval 3.0 running at about 60% output.  You can see the Nymphoides hydrophylla in the right rear, there is also Cryptocoryne balansae, Cryptocoryne wendtii, Barclaya longifolia, Ludwigia repens x arcuata, Limnophila sp 'Curly', Nymphaea micrantha 'Gefleckt, Nymphaea micrantha 'Geflekt', Helanthum augustafolia 'Vesuvius', and in front of the driftwood Staurogyne 'Porto Velho'.  The fish are F1 Red Spot Green Discus juvies from Rio Nanay (Symphysodon aequifasciatus).  I run 'low' CO2 at about 20 ppm. -Roy

[Minanora]

Thank you for the insight, Roy ( @Seattle_Aquarist)!

Are you using anything to raise the light up off of the tank or are you using it as provided with the factory brackets?

Do you think I could get away with a max setting of 60% output from the whites for the high points of the photoperiods? If I could run the light at these lower levels that would save on electricity as well.

As for CO2, as a matter of fact I am actually planning to begin CO2 injection. I've been looking at options. My current setup plan is a 5# aluminum tank with beverage grade CO2 and a single stage regulator from GLA. Maybe a dual stage, I haven't decided if it's worth it to have a dual stage. I've only ever used single stage for our force-carbonated beer and serving taps.

For a diffuser I was thinking to use the one available from the co-op store instead of the GLA fancy diffusers. They don't really have a guide for what size to use and that bugs me a little bit.

For CO2 line I'll probably just use the GLA high pressure rated tubing. I'm sure it's just PVC tubing but I'm not going to go hunt down tubing for this.

Edited March 20, 2022 by Minanora

[JoeQ]

If this gives you any idea of the power of this light, im running mine on a 36g bow front with no co2. I am 18" from the substrate and running Bentleys Daysim fot 13.5 hours at 35%. I'll increase this by 5% (sometimes suppressing the blue spectrum) when my lower leaves seem like they are becoming over shaded. 

[Minanora]

Thanks for the info @JoeQ. I took the plunge and ordered a light.

[Seattle_Aquarist]

On 3/20/2022 at 11:45 AM, Minanora said:

Thank you for the insight, Roy ( @Seattle_Aquarist)!

Are you using anything to raise the light up off of the tank or are you using it as provided with the factory brackets?

Do you think I could get away with a max setting of 60% output from the whites for the high points of the photoperiods? If I could run the light at these lower levels that would save on electricity as well.

As for CO2, as a matter of fact I am actually planning to begin CO2 injection. I've been looking at options. My current setup plan is a 5# aluminum tank with beverage grade CO2 and a single stage regulator from GLA. Maybe a dual stage, I haven't decided if it's worth it to have a dual stage. I've only ever used single stage for our force-carbonated beer and serving taps.

For a diffuser I was thinking to use the one available from the co-op store instead of the GLA fancy diffusers. They don't really have a guide for what size to use and that bugs me a little bit.

For CO2 line I'll probably just use the GLA high pressure rated tubing. I'm sure it's just PVC tubing but I'm not going to go hunt down tubing for this.

Hi @Minanora,

I currently run my 3.0 with 100% red; 100% blue; 100% cold white; 70% pure white; and 70% warm white - this gives me PAR@65 at the substrate level.  I don't ramp up or down, I use the 3.0 on a TP-Link Smart Switch Mini on a split period of 4 hours in the AM and 2.5 hours in the PM.

I've run single stage, dual gauge, pressure regulators since I started CO2 in 2010 with no issues, even when I have let a tank go completely empty.  I've used in tank diffusers but have moved most of my tanks over to UP Aqua Inline Co2 Atomizer on the output side of the canister filter.  It reduces the flow slightly but I don't have an additional item in the tank that requires regular cleaning.  Actually I run 3 canisters on my 75 gallon and one has the inline atomizer and a Hydor inline heater on the out side while the other two run normally with full output.

I use CO2 tubing as well.  -Roy

Edited March 21, 2022 by Seattle_Aquarist

[anewbie]

On 3/20/2022 at 6:40 PM, Seattle_Aquarist said:

Hi @Minanora,

I currently run my 3.0 with 100% red; 100% blue; 100% cold white; 70% pure white; and 70% warm white - this gives me PAR@65 at the substrate level.  I don't ramp up or down, I use the 3.0 on a TP-Link Smart Switch Mini on a split period of 4 hours in the AM and 2.5 hours in the PM.

I've run single stage, dual gauge, pressure regulators since I started CO2 in 2010 with no issues, even when I have let a tank go completely empty.  I've used in tank diffusers but have moved most of my tanks over to UP Aqua Inline Co2 Atomizer on the output side of the canister filter.  It reduces the flow slightly but I don't have an additional item in the tank that requires regular cleaning.  Actually I run 3 canisters on my 75 gallon and one has the inline atomizer and a Hydor inline heater on the out side while the other two run normally with full output.

I use CO2 tubing as well.  -Roy

Why do you not ramp it up and down (for the fishes) and why do you use a smart switch over the fluval's internal clock?

[Seattle_Aquarist]

Hi @anewbie

Good question, unfortunately I do not believe the Fluval 3.0 clock resets to current time via the blue tooth so whenever there is an outage so it "loses" the time and needs to be reset.  Where I live we get some great storms with strong winds and the lights "blink" and outages occur which causes loss of memory (just like my damn microwave, stove, and coffee maker).  By using the smart switch (which resets to my wi-fi / phone I avoid having to reset all my 3.0 lights but it means I forego the ramping.  If people chose to 'ramp' that is fine if they don't mind resetting the 3.0 every time the lights flash. -Roy

[anewbie]

On 3/21/2022 at 12:06 AM, Seattle_Aquarist said:

Hi @anewbie

Good question, unfortunately I do not believe the Fluval 3.0 clock resets to current time via the blue tooth so whenever there is an outage so it "loses" the time and needs to be reset.  Where I live we get some great storms with strong winds and the lights "blink" and outages occur which causes loss of memory (just like my damn microwave, stove, and coffee maker).  By using the smart switch (which resets to my wi-fi / phone I avoid having to reset all my 3.0 lights but it means I forego the ramping.  If people chose to 'ramp' that is fine if they don't mind resetting the 3.0 every time the lights flash. -Roy

That is correct; the light has no memory for settings and requires that you reconnect via the phone to restore settings after a power outage. The smart switches seem to either keep this or use nttpd to keep their clock accurate (including day light savings). I've been lucky that our power only goes out once every 12 or 18 months; though the clocks have to be reset twice a year (but there is a rumor that is about to change).

[sumplkrum]

On 3/20/2022 at 1:01 PM, Minanora said:

Could I get away with a single 3.0? Or should I keep one of the finnex lights? Or just stick with the two?

The light is strong enough, but you would want to raise to over the tank so it covers more area. They sell risers on Etsy.

[Minanora]

Thank you for the info @sumplkrum! I am a crazy person and have a 3D printer so I may make a set.

[Streetwise]

@Seattle_Aquarist, here is an idea for your power situation that would still allow you to use the internal programming:

Set your timers to go off and on at midnight. The light clocks start at midnight when power-cycled.

[Seattle_Aquarist]

On 3/21/2022 at 1:34 PM, Streetwise said:

@Seattle_Aquarist, here is an idea for your power situation that would still allow you to use the internal programming:

Set your timers to go off and on at midnight. The light clocks start at midnight when power-cycled.

@Streetwise, I may try that with one of my Fluval 3.0's and see if it works, unfortunately if the power flashes they will still lose their programming but let's see how it works. -Roy

[Streetwise]

They keep all the programming. I only have to touch each light in the app to sync the time. You would only be offset temporarily if you had an outage before a midnight reset.

I used to intentionally combine external timers with the internal programming to achieve siestas before we got pro mode.

This was from a @Bentley Pascoe tip back in the day.

[Minanora]

All good info. @Seattle_Aquarist, I am curious if you recommend raising the light up above the 75G. My tank has a glass versatop style lid I just worry about blocking light with the black hinge if I raise it up.

[Seattle_Aquarist]

On 3/21/2022 at 2:19 PM, Streetwise said:

They keep all the programming. I only have to touch each light in the app to sync the time. You would only be offset temporarily if you had an outage before a midnight reset.

I used to intentionally combine external timers with the internal programming to achieve siestas before we got pro mode.

This was from a @Bentley Pascoe tip back in the day.

LOL, @Streetwise, Bentley is a club member and I have known him since he joined the club.  Nice guy, very busy.

 

On 3/21/2022 at 6:18 PM, Minanora said:

All good info. @Seattle_Aquarist, I am curious if you recommend raising the light up above the 75G. My tank has a glass versatop style lid I just worry about blocking light with the black hinge if I raise it up.

Hi @MinanoraIf you raise the light up it will reduce the extreme PAR levels from near the surface to the substrate - they will be more even.  Of course, you want to insure that you can still attain the PAR intensity you want for plant growth.  I have not tried raising the fixture but would be curious as to your results if you do. -Roy

[Minanora]

I'll probably leave it on the frame.

My current rear light is raised and all it really does is distract me when I'm sitting on the couch.