[almightyshux]

hello all,

my first thread EVER.

I've scowered the lighting section and can't find anything about my situation so i now ask your for your expertise.

I scored a 50g ADA rimless on craigslist and for the life of me can't figure out how to light it because of the depth and volume and logistics of what i'm trying to do.

It will be heavily planted with some fishies and shrimp.
i will have pressurized co2.
i will add fertilzer.
i don't want to be sweating the maintanance though i know it will involve some. but i travel quite a bit. low maintanance/high light? :hihi:

i want to grow some cool stuff HC/GLOSSO/hair grass for the carpet effect, red plants. but at the same time want to do some low light plants like anubias and java ferns.

I was thinking 200w of t-5 HO x 4bulbs. is this too much?
but this seems impossible to find in 1 fixture with the measurements i need.
i don't want to go the route of halide from what i've read they seem expensive on the electric bill and you have to replace the bulbs more often. and T5 seem cheaper then PC bulbs.

one other thing and it's very important to me - i don't want to have the BIG BLACK MONOLITH hovering above my tank if at all possible. i want something silver and sleek. aesthetic is very key to this endeavor.

so far i've found:

these all total 156w is that enough for what i want to do?

fishneed it 36" with 4 light bulb fixture (4X 39W) by far the sexiest and silver.
Catalina 36" solar (4x39) (this one is black but they have silver in other measurements but not what i need!)
Odyssea 36" 156w (4x39) but this is black

i figured 4 bulbs would help cover more area in the width department.

guide me sensei's!

thx so much for the time.

 

[riverrat]

FWIW. I have a Tek 4x39watt above a 40 gallon (same footprint as 50gal). I really only run 2 bulbs most of the time. I have 4 run for an hour at most. Right now I have the fixture 24 inches above the substrate.


This light allows me to grow anything I want as long as co2 ferts ect.... are in check. T5's are pretty powerful. It is a black monolith hanging gracefully above my tank. I really do not realize it is there. I look into my tank and not at the light fixture. I do not think they are bad looking anyway.

If I were to go truly for aesthetics I would prefer two 70 watt MH maybe.

To each his own though. I love my Tek. Well built nice looking. Tons of light with the option to run 2 or 4 bulbs. Money well spent in my opinion.

Good luck with your search.

River

 

[BruceWatts]

18 inches really isn't very deep. After you add the substrate it will be more like 15 inches. The 4 x 39 watt T-5 would be fine for your tank.

 

[almightyshux]

18 inches really isn't very deep. After you add the substrate it will be more like 15 inches. The 4 x 39 watt T-5 would be fine for your tank.

and after the light is setup 3-4 inches above the tank we're back up to 18-19" again. still cool? thanks

FWIW. I have a Tek 4x39watt above a 40 gallon (same footprint as 50gal). I really only run 2 bulbs most of the time. I have 4 run for an hour at most. Right now I have the fixture 24 inches above the substrate.


This light allows me to grow anything I want as long as co2 ferts ect.... are in check. T5's are pretty powerful. It is a black monolith hanging gracefully above my tank. I really do not realize it is there. I look into my tank and not at the light fixture. I do not think they are bad looking anyway.

If I were to go truly for aesthetics I would prefer two 70 watt MH maybe.

To each his own though. I love my Tek. Well built nice looking. Tons of light with the option to run 2 or 4 bulbs. Money well spent in my opinion.

Good luck with your search.

River

tek's are nice but $$ and BIG & BLACK. i hear you about it's what's in the tank and not above it, but I can't neglect the chi of the entire room it sits in. not everyone see's the magic in an aquarium like we do. Thank you for the insight about the amount of light you are using. I'm feeling comfortable about 4x39.