[Jsack12]

So I currently have a 55 that I've had setup for a few years. Bought an aquatic life t5 ho dual fixture for it about two years back that I wanted to use when I did a high tech setup. I've tried growing plants in it with no co2 and it was just a fail. Algae, the weekly 50% water changes..it all got old. I've been focusing on my 10 and 20 gallon planted tanks for the past year and haven't gave the 55 much attention. Right now it's got bba hair algae and spot algae in it and it's becoming a big eye soar. I want to clean it up and turn this into a low tech tank and the bottom line is the dual t5s is just too much light(algae). As most people are today I would like to do led for sure but am on a tight budget as I'm wanting to get a planted plus for my 20. What fixtures do you guys recommend? Is there anything I can do with my current fixture to get a lower set up out of it? At least till i can get an led fixture. My substrate is sand and I would like to not have to dose any ferts but am ok with root tabs, flourish, excel, etc. For plants I for sure will have 1 or 2 Amazon swords and some anubias. Just any help would be great as I'm mainly wanting to clean the tank up and get rid
Of Algae

 

[Nlewis]

So I currently have a 55 that I've had setup for a few years. Bought an aquatic life t5 ho dual fixture for it about two years back that I wanted to use when I did a high tech setup. I've tried growing plants in it with no co2 and it was just a fail. Algae, the weekly 50% water changes..it all got old. I've been focusing on my 10 and 20 gallon planted tanks for the past year and haven't gave the 55 much attention. Right now it's got bba hair algae and spot algae in it and it's becoming a big eye soar. I want to clean it up and turn this into a low tech tank and the bottom line is the dual t5s is just too much light(algae). As most people are today I would like to do led for sure but am on a tight budget as I'm wanting to get a planted plus for my 20. What fixtures do you guys recommend? Is there anything I can do with my current fixture to get a lower set up out of it? At least till i can get an led fixture. My substrate is sand and I would like to not have to dose any ferts but am ok with root tabs, flourish, excel, etc. For plants I for sure will have 1 or 2 Amazon swords and some anubias. Just any help would be great as I'm mainly wanting to clean the tank up and get rid
Of Algae

I have the Finnex 24/7 on my 55 and it works great. Did you ever try floating plants to help diffuse the light from the t5's? That's what I did before I got the Finnex.

 

[Jsack12]

So I currently have a 55 that I've had setup for a few years. Bought an aquatic life t5 ho dual fixture for it about two years back that I wanted to use when I did a high tech setup. I've tried growing plants in it with no co2 and it was just a fail. Algae, the weekly 50% water changes..it all got old. I've been focusing on my 10 and 20 gallon planted tanks for the past year and haven't gave the 55 much attention. Right now it's got bba hair algae and spot algae in it and it's becoming a big eye soar. I want to clean it up and turn this into a low tech tank and the bottom line is the dual t5s is just too much light(algae). As most people are today I would like to do led for sure but am on a tight budget as I'm wanting to get a planted plus for my 20. What fixtures do you guys recommend? Is there anything I can do with my current fixture to get a lower set up out of it? At least till i can get an led fixture. My substrate is sand and I would like to not have to dose any ferts but am ok with root tabs, flourish, excel, etc. For plants I for sure will have 1 or 2 Amazon swords and some anubias. Just any help would be great as I'm mainly wanting to clean the tank up and get rid
Of Algae

I have the Finnex 24/7 on my 55 and it works great. Did you ever try floating plants to help diffuse the light from the t5's? That's what I did before I got the Finnex.

No I have not tried floating plants, which plants would u recommend I might try that. Does your 24/7 put out low, medium or high light in your 55?

 

[Nlewis]

No I have not tried floating plants, which plants would u recommend I might try that. Does your 24/7 put out low, medium or high light in your 55?

Well I leave mine on the 24/7 mode so it's only at full blast for about 3 hours a day. With that said I guess that would be considered low light. You may put yourself into the lower end of the medium light range if you set the light to max while on a timer. I am in no way an expert with lighting and there are a lot of others that may chime in and give you some better info. As far as floating plants go I prefer either red root floaters or frog bit. Whatever you do don't get duckweed.

 

[Jsack12]

From what I've read I can agree that the planted plus would probably be a medium light on a 55 and hopefully someone else will confirm this. I know for a fact the finnex stingray is a low light fixture and it's also a lot cheaper so I'm kinda leaning that route. Just depends. The stingray might be too low just by itself. What's the setup on your 55? Are you using co2 or dosing or anything

 

[touch of sky]

You could diffuse the light on your current fixture by using window screen. Here is a link to a thread on the forum about this issue:
http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/10-lighting/501361-light-diffuser-question.html

 

[Jordan5150]

I have a two bulb t5 on my 55 with zero co2 and excel every so often. I have some algae but only really on the filter. I do have some duck weed and some hornwort floating though.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Kylesaltandpepper]

The finnex stingray is useless for a planted tank. The planted plus and the 24/7 are good lights, but a bit pricey for some people. On my 55g low tech, I have a Beamswork light fixture which is much cheaper than finnex (80 bucks for 48 inch LED!). Even though it's cheap, it gave more than enough light. That's why I raised it above four inches from the surface. Unfortunately, I think Beamswork discontinued the model LED I had. But there are plenty of others to choose from for a low tech. Check out the Beamswork club in the lighting section.

 

[Nlewis]

From what I've read I can agree that the planted plus would probably be a medium light on a 55 and hopefully someone else will confirm this. I know for a fact the finnex stingray is a low light fixture and it's also a lot cheaper so I'm kinda leaning that route. Just depends. The stingray might be too low just by itself. What's the setup on your 55? Are you using co2 or dosing or anything

I have DIY sugar/yeast co2 and I only add potassium after I do a water change.

 

[Hoppy]

I have a two bulb t5 on my 55 with zero co2 and excel every so often. I have some algae but only really on the filter. I do have some duck weed and some hornwort floating though.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Not all two bulb T5 lights are the same. Some are T5NO, some are T5HO, some are T5HO with good reflectors, etc. The Aquatic Life light is T5HO and has good reflectors, so it would give you about 110 PAR. A Coralife T5HO light would give about 30 PAR, a very big difference. 110 PAR is very hard to use without being overrun with algae. 30 PAR would be good low light.

 

[Jsack12]

I have a two bulb t5 on my 55 with zero co2 and excel every so often. I have some algae but only really on the filter. I do have some duck weed and some hornwort floating though.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Not all two bulb T5 lights are the same. Some are T5NO, some are T5HO, some are T5HO with good reflectors, etc. The Aquatic Life light is T5HO and has good reflectors, so it would give you about 110 PAR. A Coralife T5HO light would give about 30 PAR, a very big difference. 110 PAR is very hard to use without being overrun with algae. 30 PAR would be good low light.

Yes I totally agree with you. I think I'm gonna try blocking the light out first with some window screen or I actually have some of that plastic screen that goes on a fluorescent ceiling tile fixture. I think that would do the same thing as window screen.

 

[Jsack12]

Just put some of that plastic screen on and it didn't seem to help much still seems like I have solid medium light

 

[goodbytes]

The finnex stingray is useless for a planted tank.

This statement is categorically incorrect and reflects a complete lack of experience with this fixture. All 3 of my tanks run Stingrays only and you can't argue with these results.

 

[Jsack12]

The finnex stingray is useless for a planted tank.

This statement is categorically incorrect and reflects a complete lack of experience with this fixture. All 3 of my tanks run Stingrays only and you can't argue with these results.

Is that a single stingray fixture on your 55? And is it a low tech tank?

 

[Bill K]

The finnex stingray is useless for a planted tank. The planted plus and the 24/7 are good lights, but a bit pricey for some people. On my 55g low tech, I have a Beamswork light fixture which is much cheaper than finnex (80 bucks for 48 inch LED!). Even though it's cheap, it gave more than enough light. That's why I raised it above four inches from the surface. Unfortunately, I think Beamswork discontinued the model LED I had. But there are plenty of others to choose from for a low tech. Check out the Beamswork club in the lighting section.

I'm running this one on my 55G

with daily Flourish Excel. So far so good plants are growing and no algae problems.

 

[Kylesaltandpepper]

This statement is categorically incorrect and reflects a complete lack of experience with this fixture. All 3 of my tanks run Stingrays only and you can't argue with these results.

My bad. It's just I was once going to get one for my 55g. Everyone said not to get one. I guess it can grow easy plants like water wisteria which is in your tank.

 

[jeffkrol]

Just put some of that plastic screen on and it didn't seem to help much still seems like I have solid medium light

Those are made to focus and diffuse light down and a bit out. not cut it..
One thing you could do is sputter black paint on it...
Or use it to hold up black window screen..or shade cloth..

Bump:

My bad. It's just I was once going to get one for my 55g. Everyone said not to get one. I guess it can grow easy plants like water wisteria which is in your tank.

RayII PAR:

T5 PAR:

W/ medium reflectors one RayII is equiv to 2 t5ho bulbs..2 t5's w/ quality reflectors are better.. t5's w/ poor reflectors are worse..

Catalina t5HO 2 bulb is about the cutoff point..roughly 68PAR at 18"

 

[Jsack12]

How long has your tank been set up? Says that light is 5500 lumen. That sounds like quite a bit for low light but maybe someone can confirm that. I'm not really caring on brand, I mean of course I don't want a pos but I am just wanting a low light led fixture. That beams work and the stingray are about the same price. So that puts me in more of a bind to pick one over the other. I do like that the beams work has 6500 k instead of 7000 like the stingray. Don't really like that bluish look

 

[Hoppy]

Gray window screen drops the light intensity to 60%, based on my testing. Two layers would drop the intensity to 36%. Three layers would drop it to 22%. You may need 3 layers, but 2 layers might be enough. That plastic panel is something I have not tested.

 

[Jsack12]

What about a current sattelite fixture like this one? Current USA Satellite Freshwater LED Plus Light for Aquarium, 36 to 48-Inch https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00C7OTEVS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awd_BuQXwb37629BT

Will this be too bright? Will it be bright enough? It does have a dimmer built in which is nice. I also like that it's full spectrum. And that I can get a 36" one to fit my 48" length. I like the look it gives in the water leaving the top corners kinda dark