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I have a 55 gallon that I want to plant. What kind of lighting should I use, and are there any modifications to the hood that I need to make. Our current lighting is two 23" hoods with one flourescent tube in each side by side.

If you want planted you'll likely want to upgrade your lighting. What you have currently gives you under 1 watts per gallon. Moderate light plants need about 2wpg. Upgrading your lighting now will likely be the easiest thing. Check [link=big als]http://www.bigalsonline.com" style="COLOR: #EB4288[/link], or [link=that fish place]http://www.thatfishplace.com" style="COLOR: #EB4288[/link] for premade lights. And [link=AH supply]http://www.ahsupply.com" style="COLOR: #EB4288[/link] or [link=hello lights]http://www.hellolights.com" style="COLOR: #EB4288[/link] for DIY kits. You'll likely need a new cover for the tank as most that come with tanks only have space for one bulb along the back. If you can get an all glass or clear top to the tank you'll be able to have more than one bulb = more light = more plants :88). DIY lights can also sometimes be found @your local DIY/home improvements store, however a 55 gallon is a bit large to try that with IME (I had trouble getting enough light for a 30 gallon tank ).

If you're fine with only low light plants your current lighting will be okay (plants are like fish though...once you get caught up you always need more :%)). You may want to check the kelvin on the bulb however. Plants do better and IMO look nicer with a 6500K daylight bulb than with a warm white or actinic bulb that some tanks come with. Additionally bulbs, even though they havent burnt out, should be replaced yearly (make sure you dispose flourescent bulbs properly).

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two 24" fixtures are only going to give you about 30watts. I wouldn't try growing plants in that tank with that. If you get a 2 bulb 48" shoplight from walmart, home depot, lowes, etc... You can accomplish nearly 1.5wpg which if you go much beyond that you'll want to add co2. You can grow alot more plants with 80w than 30w and a shoplight is only $8 at walmart. If you don't have a glass canopy though you won't be able to increase the lighting any without buying compact fluorescents.

You could also only go
for select low light plants
such as:
Wisteria (grows best with less than 1 wpg)
Anubias (any type just about)
Java Fern
Java Moss
Banana Plant
Some Cryptocornes
Vallisneria Gigantea (americana)

Also, if you do want to update your lighting, Compact Flourescents are the best choice.
You will need to buy a glass top (between 15-40$) either sliding or flip.
Then purchase your light.
I would recommend this one in the following link,
it is the same as my light on my 75g, its 135w so it gives me 1.8 wpg, allowing me to grow a ton of different plants.

I paid $219.99 CAD for this light.
Sorry I lie i didnt - This one is 270W, it has 4 bulbs
of 65w each. I bought the next model down with 2 65W bulbs.
This one here would probably retail at about 450 USD.

http://www.esuweb.com/cardfile.asp?ItemNumber=53116&IDProductRelationship=254

Last edited by sneaky_pete at 22-Jun-2005 20:01

Last edited by sneaky_pete at 22-Jun-2005 20:02

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http://games.atari.com
Http://www.myleague.com/yahtgames

One more question, is hood size counted from one of hood to the other or from one end of light to the other. The lights are 18" I think.
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=3800&N=2004+113177

That work?
or
http://www.thatpetplace.com/Products/KW/F52/Class/Fish+Supplies+Lighting+Fixtures/T1/F52+0159+0001/EDP/31308/Itemdy00.aspx

Last edited by kankushok at 24-Jun-2005 11:51

http://www.thatpetplace.com/Products/KW/F52/Class/Fish+Supplies+Lighting+Fixtures/T1/F52+0047+0849/EDP/36787/Itemdy00.aspx


Last edited by kankushok at 24-Jun-2005 11:57

when they give you the size of the light it is just the light.
The 65W light which is by the way a very good price, would give you 1.8 watts per gallon which would be substantially better than what you have now.
The other light, while much higher in wattage, would need to have the actinic bulb replaced with a daylight 6700K bulb, and those bulbs run around 69 bucks a peice here, i am not sure about where you are.


Come Play Yahtzee With Me!
http://games.atari.com
Http://www.myleague.com/yahtgames

Can I just use one 24" 65 watt fixture for my entire 55 gallon, or do I need two fixtures side by side like I have now. I think currently they are 15 watt bulbs. Also can I just upgrade my current hood with new lights of a higher wattage?

Last edited by kankushok at 24-Jun-2005 19:27

Last edited by kankushok at 24-Jun-2005 19:30

Hi, if you have just a regular flourescent bulb hood,
you said they are 15 W, unfortunately no.
They do not make bulbs of T8 or T10 size in that length higher than 15w.
Well, if you got a single fixture, I would go for one
the length of your whole tank.
A 55g is 48" is it not?
If so, I would go for a 48" fixture that spans the whole tank. It is likely cheaper than buying 2 seperate smaller ones.
If you got the one there that is 65Ws, that would give you
1.8WPG, and you would be able to grow "medium" to "medium -low" light plants such as:
Anubias (any)
Cryptocornes (any)
Vallisnerias (corkscrew, spiral, gigantea/americana)
Cabomba (all but red)
Asian Ambulia (has a new name now, Limnophilia Aquatica)
Lotus (even red tiger would do well)
Bacopa (green, carolinia, most others)
Wisteria (though i find it does better in lower light)
Marimo Balls
Many others see www.tropica.com for more info on plants.

1.8wpg would certainly give you about 10X the choices in regards to plants, as well as giving you pretty good light.
I have 1.8WPG over my 75g, and all the plants I have named I have, they all do well.
In order to get that particular light fixture though,
it would be much better over top a glass top (either sliding or hinged), as this reduces the evaporation a lot,
and allows more light through, as well as not possibly
melting under the hot lights.
A Compact flourescent is not as hot as most other lights, but I think would still be hot enough to melt the soft plastic most hoods are made of.



Come Play Yahtzee With Me!
http://games.atari.com
Http://www.myleague.com/yahtgames

ok thanks.

Like this?
http://www.thatpetplace.com/Products/KW/F52/Class/Fish+Supplies+Lighting+Fixtures/T1/F52+0037+0048/EDP/24364/Itemdy00.aspx

Last edited by kankushok at 25-Jun-2005 14:13

Yay, just bought two 65 watt 24" aqualights!! Just have to wait for them to arrive, and plants are going in. I also changed the water and rearranged the plastic plants in a corner. Now to get rid of the platy, and the angelfish. Planning to get 3 Corydora trilineatus, 6 brilliant rasboras (boraptensis), 6 of some other tetra, hockeystick, lemon, black neon ect, and a pair of rams or some other dwarf chiclid. Planning to keep our to Aeneas cories, and a flying fox. Just hopes our old wal-mart filter thing is up to the job, seems to be failing recently(lots of debris in the water).

Last edited by kankushok at 13-Jul-2005 14:17