Please help me choose lighting for 75g

1082 Views 6 Replies 4 Participants Last post by sowNreap, Sep 15, 2012

todd532005

Discussion Starter · Sep 13, 2012

I am trying to figure out my lighting for a 75 gallon tank, 48" x 18" x 21". I am going to have about 3" of substrate, the light will be about 20" to 24" from the substrate. I want a low maintenance setup.

Which of the following lights would work best:

"http://www.ebay.com/itm/48-108W-6500K-T5-HO-Pink-Fluorescent-Aquarium-Light-Hood-Freshwater-Plant-Reef-/370618627208?forcev4exp=true#ht_2448wt_982"

or

"http://www.ebay.com/itm/300724669677?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649"

I dont want to have to fertilize very much, I will have a dirted substrate. Any other suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

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sowNreap

· #2 · Sep 13, 2012 (Edited)

Not sure if you go for the "industrial look" but this fixture would work for you. http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showthread.php?t=185893

Hoppy made a PAR vs distance chart located in that same thread.

I'm using it on my 75 gal hanging about 22"-23" above substrate. I also use plastic bulb protector tube and 1/2 window screen to tone down the light & overspill. I wanted it a bit higher for better light spread. May be a bit high using both the screening and plastic protector but seems to be working out pretty good.

Edit: You can also refer to the chart PAR vs Distance located here: http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showthread.php?t=184368

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todd532005

Discussion Starter · #3 · Sep 14, 2012

Another question about lighting

sowNreap said:
Not sure if you go for the "industrial look" but this fixture would work for you. http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showthread.php?t=185893

Hoppy made a PAR vs distance chart located in that same thread.

I'm using it on my 75 gal hanging about 22"-23" above substrate. I also use plastic bulb protector tube and 1/2 window screen to tone down the light & overspill. I wanted it a bit higher for better light spread. May be a bit high using both the screening and plastic protector but seems to be working out pretty good.

Edit: You can also refer to the chart PAR vs Distance located here: http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showthread.php?t=184368

Thanks for your reply. Is your tank heavily planted? I want a light fixture to grow low light/maintenance plants. Would a single t5 bulb be equivalent to the 2 t8 bulbs. I really want to go with t5 bulbs. I figured I needed 2 t5 bulbs, I have about 12" to play with when setting the light fixture in my diy canapy.

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Hoppy

· #4 · Sep 14, 2012

I think I would get a pair of these, http://www.aquatraders.com/24-inch-2x24W-T5-Aquarium-Light-Fixture-p/52121p.htm and put them about 6 inches or more apart, about 24 inches from the substrate. That should give you good low light, and uniform light over the whole tank, at a low price. You could grow a lot of different plants, especially if you also use DIY CO2.

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herns

· #5 · Sep 14, 2012

Aquatraders have good selection of lightings and the price is very reasonable.

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todd532005

Discussion Starter · #6 · Sep 14, 2012

thank you

Hoppy said:
I think I would get a pair of these, http://www.aquatraders.com/24-inch-2x24W-T5-Aquarium-Light-Fixture-p/52121p.htm and put them about 6 inches or more apart, about 24 inches from the substrate. That should give you good low light, and uniform light over the whole tank, at a low price. You could grow a lot of different plants, especially if you also use DIY CO2.

Thanks for your response.

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sowNreap

· #7 · Sep 15, 2012

My tank is only moderately planted .. I have big fish (Bluegills) so can't plant to heavy or they can't swim around. LOL I've mostly got Anacharis, Green Cabomba, Water Sprite, Water Wisteria which are growing like weeds now with this light but only had T12 light on them before. Also have Lugwigia repens (Broadleaf) and Ludwigia Glandulosa (Peruensis). Glandulosa is doing better than Broadleaf .. thought it would be the other way around when I bought it. Or course it doesn't get as red as it should but I liked the plant shape/structure and was hoping for at least a hint of red. Both do have a bit of reddish color to them but not like you'd see with high light, co2 injection. Both are Medium to high light plants depending on where you read.

I'm assuming Hoppy meant to link to the 48" fixture here: http://www.aquatraders.com/48-inch-2x54W-T5-Aquarium-Light-Fixture-p/52123p.htm

It seems a decent price for T5 x2 fixture now that we have PAR data for it. But if cost is a factor it's still twice as much as the HD diamond plate fixture. Plus T8 bulbs a lot cheaper to replace than T5's. But not everyone goes for that shiny look.

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