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Lighting upgrade

9K views 50 replies 9 participants last post by  Byron 
#1 ·
I'm starting to get very frustraded with my tank!!!!! It's no where close to where it should be. It should be done by now. I want my tank to have beautiful plants of greens and reds, but my lighting is too weak. I went from 6,500k to 10,000k to find out that wasn't gonna work. Sooo that was a waste of money right there. Plus I bought some plants that froze, because the heater wasn't plugged in!!! :evil: I was told it would be best to buy a new fixture to keep the plants I wish. My plants is a 55gal slipt hood, so I don't know if they make two part glass covers. I'm 14 soo it can't be tooo costly. I don't want to go over $100. Please help me make my dream tank come to live!!:-D
 
#9 ·
do you have a hood at all on the tank? on every 55g ive seen the center brace sits flush with the top and the light or hoods fit right in, or over the brace. I went nuts when I first started planting my tanks, and quantum is right. a wise forum contributor once told me many many moons ago (ill try to dig up the thread) that lighting and supplements was all about balance. High light with no co2 or supplements will fail strike, usually winding up in an algae problem. Low light with high supplements, same deal. I use low light levels (40 watts on my 110g, 30 watts on my 20L, and 36 watts on my 55g) and just a few supplements (ill have to get the name of the food he steered me towards when i get to my parents house tomorrow but i think its plant-gro) and i dose every 2nd or 3rd day with the maintenance dose of excel. Sure, some plants just dont do that well, and everything tends to grow nice and slow, But everything stays nice and green and healthy as long as im good about pruning, and plant feeding.

if you want really high light, you need supplement routine to match, and probably co2 to get the most out of it. Thats fine, but it gets costly and you pretty much need a lawn mower to keep everything cut back :p
 
#11 · (Edited)
do you have a hood at all on the tank? on every 55g ive seen the center brace sits flush with the top and the light or hoods fit right in, or over the brace. I went nuts when I first started planting my tanks, and quantum is right. a wise forum contributor once told me many many moons ago (ill try to dig up the thread) that lighting and supplements was all about balance. High light with no co2 or supplements will fail strike, usually winding up in an algae problem. Low light with high supplements, same deal. I use low light levels (40 watts on my 110g, 30 watts on my 20L, and 36 watts on my 55g) and just a few supplements (ill have to get the name of the food he steered me towards when i get to my parents house tomorrow but i think its plant-gro) and i dose every 2nd or 3rd day with the maintenance dose of excel. Sure, some plants just dont do that well, and everything tends to grow nice and slow, But everything stays nice and green and healthy as long as im good about pruning, and plant feeding.

if you want really high light, you need supplement routine to match, and probably co2 to get the most out of it. Thats fine, but it gets costly and you pretty much need a lawn mower to keep everything cut back :p
I do have a hood on it, I just want brighter lighting. Yes, the hoods, do line up with the brace. The only reason I want to upgrade is because I want plants that need brighter light. Like swords, wisteria, etc.
 
#10 ·
Thank you!! I wish they where easier to find. I'm kinda scaried they won't fit. If I do get them I'll must likely have to wait till summer when I get birthday cash. I would have to get my Mom to buy them and then pay her back. What specturm bulbs should put in those.
 
#23 ·
Would the lights be able to just lay on the glass? Would that be possbile or not. I can see this one working ok: Premium plus 2-light 49 in. Platinum Shoplight-PPS232RC at The Home Depot
I would think that will work. The fixture doesn't actually sit on the glass, but on the frame, and as this one is 49 inches and the tank is 48, it should sit on the frame easily. I'm referring to the ends; I like these fixtures near the middle of the tank but more back than front. But just the ends sit on the frame at the side ends of the tank. The glass will be lower down.
 
#29 ·
I ended up finding a decent looking fixture at wal-mart for ~$15. Lights of America dual T8 shop light. It's stainless steel with black endcaps. I took several pictures of how it sits on the tank because when I went looking I could never find any. I'm really happy with it and I don't think it looks bad at all. I'm running a GE 6500K daylight bulb and a GE 5000k sunlight bulb.







 
#33 ·
I ended up finding a decent looking fixture at wal-mart for ~$15. Lights of America dual T8 shop light. It's stainless steel with black endcaps. I took several pictures of how it sits on the tank because when I went looking I could never find any. I'm really happy with it and I don't think it looks bad at all. I'm running a GE 6500K daylight bulb and a GE 5000k sunlight bulb.







Very nice!! Is that a 55? For $15, I might get that.
 
#30 ·
Looks good to me, was that the only size they had?

I'd be interested in finding something like that for my 20g, but I'm not sure how common a 24" shop light would be since that's kind of small. I'd have to buy a glass cover though, the plastic one that came with the tank dosen't allow for anything bigger than the standard fixture it comes with.

Do you have to remove the light to feed them? Can't tell if yours is open or if it is covered with glass.
 
#43 ·
I used to have a 2 bulb 48" custom VHO rig in the canopy of my 110g. Ive since rewired it with a regular ballast and only 1 T12 but..

originally the reflector, nor anything this side of the inline ballast was grounded. I got zapped MANY times by touching my arm to the bulb/socket when I was working in the tank. The new rig got a grounded reflector and ballast, all contained in the hood. Still no glass cover though, but now everything is on a GFI at least. If you have the option, a glass top is the ONLY way to go. If not, grounded fixtures and GFI are a must, and a retention system to keep the light from falling in the water. which ive also let happen.

for a standard 55g, the glass tops arent terribly expensive and readily available (for the modern style 55g, anyway). No reason to zap yourself or your fish ;)
 
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