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50 gallon lighting help please

993 views 7 replies 4 participants last post by  mmelnick 
#1 ·
lighting question


i read online that the standard 2 hoods on a 50 gallon won't be able to support the required lighting plants need. i assume the standard (?) 2 18in 20watt bulbs will not be enough. if this is the case and i need 100w for the 2w per gallon rule, what is it i need to do? do i need to buy a new hood that can support a long light or can i get away with certain lights that will fit in the standard hood. iprefer that i don't buy a new hood.

sorry i am kinda clueless bc i am getting a conflicting opinion from my father. he states i should not pick lights solely on wattage.

what is the best and easy setup? thanks so much
 
#2 ·
a single row of T8 bulbs will be pretty weak, yes. Your dad is right about wattage, as efficiency varies greatly depending on type and reflector quality. For example, a 3 foot T5HO bulb is 39 watts, but because of the greater efficiency of T5 vs T8/12, and the parabolic reflectors used in quality fixtures, it will be far more efficient than a 30W standard fluorescent.

2 or 3 rows of T8 bulbs would probably be adequate though. How deep is the tank?
 
#4 ·
48 1/4"L x 12 3/4"W x 20"H <- i guessing this is the dimensions. so 20 in deep.

one of the light fixtures i bought was this:
http://www.petco.com/product/5707/Coralife-10,000K-High-Intensity-Purified-Super-Daylight-Lamps.aspx

i didn't buy another one for the other fixture bc i didn't want to invest in them then be told i need to buy a differnt light.

when you suggest 2 or 3 rows of lights do you mean like maybe 4-6 lights because the reflector(?) can only fit 1 bulb each therefore 2 lights can only fit on the 2 piece aquarium hood?
does that mean i have to buy a new glass hood top or a perhaps a larger reflector to house more lights?
 
#8 ·
awesome. i will buy those those till i can afford something better. but because of the stock hoods, are you also suggesting to get rid of them too and get 1 large light though. or get 2 small coralife lights that will in the stock hoods.
The stock hoods usually have a T8 ballast and bulb. If you want to use the stock hood you would ahve to gut it and put in a new ballast and bulb sockets. You might be able to reuse the reflectors though.

Or you MIGHT be able to find a fixture that would fit entirely inside the old light housing.
 
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