calculating watts needed with t5's

[dearis]

Hi there,

are watts needed for t5's the same formula used for fluros? would 6x54watt t5's be enough/too much for a 4x2x2?

Regards Darren

[Woodsy]

Should be plenty mate. I doubt you'd be able to fit more than that over the top of it anyway :P

[dearis]

G'day woodsy they are quite small the particular lights in width i mean.

these are what I want to grow

Microsorum pteropus narrow leaf
Microsorum pteropus

Nymphea lotus “red tiger lotus”
or
Nymphea lotus “green tiger lotus”
or
Nymphaea lotus “malay red”

Echinodorus “Devils eye”
Echinodorus “red flame”
Echinodorus martii
Echinodorus tenellus

Anubias Nana

Cryptocorne Becketii
Cryptocorne Wendtii “brown and green”
Cryptocorne Petchii
Cryptocorne Undulata

Blyxa japonica

[Woodsy]

Aside from the blxya, and depending on how deep your tank is, the Nymphea, the other plants you have mentioned only require low to medium light. Quad T5's in that case, may even be overkill.
On a side note, I have found that Nymphea with Echinodorus and Cryptocoryne does not work well. The Nymphea appears to out-compete and even inhibit the growth of, particularly Echinodorus species. I would recommend a very highly enriched substrate if you want to attempt this, with very little liquid fertiliser added in order to prevent algal growth on these relatively slow growing plants. However, by doing this, you may struggle with the Blyxa.