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Bought a used 55gallon, do I need any other hardware?

996 Views 6 Replies 3 Participants Last post by  CptanPanic, 
C
Hello,
I am planning on putting together a 55 gallon Low-tech tank, maybe with weekly/biweekly ferts, and want to know if what came with the tank will work, and if I need anything else. For the filter I have a Marineland Canister C220 filter, and lights coralife 2 bulb light that currently has 2x28watt bulbs. I was going to buy 2 new Coralife T5 High Output 6,700K Aquarium Lamp 54Watts. Do I need a air pump? I live in south florida so may not need a heater.

Thanks,
CP
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H
Don't use the T5HO lights. That will get you into the very high light category, with all of the problems that go with that. The two T5NO bulbs will provide plenty of light, if not a bit too much, for a low light, non-CO2 tank. If you have the legs for that fixture, using them will lower the light intensity a bit, and help a lot.

I don't see any other equipment that you absolutely need - a 50 watt heater would be a good idea, but isn't essential. That is a low enough wattage to avoid any problems with overheating the water, but high enough to help keep the temperature from dropping much at night. That's the size I use in my 65 gallon tank, and the temperature remains very steady.
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C
Hoppy said:
Don't use the T5HO lights. That will get you into the very high light category, with all of the problems that go with that. The two T5NO bulbs will provide plenty of light, if not a bit too much, for a low light, non-CO2 tank. If you have the legs for that fixture, using them will lower the light intensity a bit, and help a lot.

I don't see any other equipment that you absolutely need - a 50 watt heater would be a good idea, but isn't essential. That is a low enough wattage to avoid any problems with overheating the water, but high enough to help keep the temperature from dropping much at night. That's the size I use in my 65 gallon tank, and the temperature remains very steady.
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I meant to say I was going to replace the current 24w bulbs with 54 watt bulbs. Is that still too much light? I need to get new bulbs since I think they have never been replaced.
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OverStocked
Also, you can't put higher wattage bulbs in a fixture and expect more light. The ballast will set the wattage, not the bulb like in incandescent fixtures.
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C
over_stocked said:
Also, you can't put higher wattage bulbs in a fixture and expect more light. The ballast will set the wattage, not the bulb like in incandescent fixtures.
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How can I tell how much wattage the ballast puts out, there is no markings on fixture except "Coralife" I would say the light is 3-4 years old.
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H
4 foot T5NO bulbs are 28 watts, and that is what Coralife used at that time. Now they use both the T5HO and T5NO in various fixtures they make.

This is a low light forum, so to have low light, just use the 2 28 watt bulbs, maybe replacing them with new bulbs.
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C
Thanks for the responses.
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