# Lighting question needs answer asap please



## The Baron (Aug 25, 2009)

Hi all.

I have a standard 55 gallon with dual 24" canopys which holds 18" bulbs.

Obviously there are dark spots front to back and side to side.

Will the Coralife Freshwater Aqualight T5 Series - Double Linear Strip NOT ho fill in the gaps if I remove the original canopy and use these?

I would be going from 1/2 wpg to 1 wpg with this fixture. I know it will be brighter, but will the 2 bulb setup and the fact it is now a full 48" fill the aquarium from the darkspots?

Thanks,

Dan


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## Darkblade48 (Jan 28, 2008)

Depends on the spacing of the bulbs from front to back, but from side to side, there should be fewer dark spots (maybe just at the extremes).


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## waj8 (Jun 30, 2010)

A double 48" T5 fixture is the perfect fixture for that tank. Really doesn't get an better than that. 18" lamps are not very good. They are not as efficient as the longer lamps. You just don't get much bang for your buck. I find that keeping the fixture toward the front of the tank produces a better look. The top back of the tank will be less well lit but won't very noticeable.


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## The Baron (Aug 25, 2009)

Please keep in mind that I do have plants, (not growing very fast) and most of the plants are obviously in the back so I want to make sure I have even coverage of light front to back. It is a 55 gallon so only 12 inches.

I have small fish in there now...

6 GBR

6 Julii cory

10 bloodfin tetra--half full grown

10 redeye tetra-- half full grown

When they swim around, unless they are directly under the lights, you cant hardly make them out.

I figured that with dual bulbs and double the wattage of what I have now, I should at least be able to see the fish properly and get some plant growth.

Oh yea. I am using the original canopy so I will remove the fixtures from the bank of the canopy where they normally sit and place the new fixture on top of the glass..I hope this makes sense. I will keep the part of the canopy that has the 2 little flaps for feeding.

So this means only 1 fixture and it will sit towards the back like the original.

HO is not an option..This will be low tech, I just dont want dark spots and to have plant growth.


Thanks,

Dan


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## Zebrapl3co (Mar 29, 2006)

I have doubts about any plants growing well under such a low light setup. If anything, it will be a slow death. Like taking 1/2 year for the plant to slowly wittle away.
Perhapes mabye java fern might survive for a while.
You will most likely need to replace the canopy and go with a HO if you are serious about havig plants in the tank.

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## The Baron (Aug 25, 2009)

Appreciate your comments!

I;m hoping that this would be sufficenent to grow a few swords, vals, etc.

I dont want to go HOt5 as the cost involved as well as algae growth, co2, 
etc.

I just want to see the fish without darkspots and grow a couple of plants.


Dan


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## BillD (Jun 5, 2006)

A shop light with t8 tubes will light that tank and allow a fair bit of plant growth.


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## The Baron (Aug 25, 2009)

Shoplights are out as it is a show tank and cant find any decent looking ones.
Hanging form a ceiling is out as well as we are in an apartment.
I;m thinking those Coralife double t5no should be fine as I can sit them on top of my stock canopy where the original lights are.

Dan


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## Philip.Chan.92 (Apr 25, 2010)

You need more lighting for a planted tank. As for the layout, put the plants that require the most light in the middle and hardier plants requiring less light at the extremeties.


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## The Baron (Aug 25, 2009)

Well I am looking at the Coralife Freshwater Aqualight T5 Series - Double Linear Strip NOT ho, Im hoping this will be enough.


Dan


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## KhuliLoachFan (Mar 8, 2008)

Nope. Go HO or else go T8. Spend the $$$ on HO and you will be happy. Unless you are growing your plants in less than 3" of water you need HO.

W


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## Darkblade48 (Jan 28, 2008)

Philip.Chan.92 said:


> You need more lighting for a planted tank.





KhuliLoachFan said:


> Nope. Go HO or else go T8. Spend the $$$ on HO and you will be happy.


I think the original plan was to keep this as a low light, low tech tank, was it not?

Putting T5HO bulbs over the tank would likely put the lighting into the medium to medium-high range without much trouble, meaning it would no longer be a low light setup.

T8 or even T5NO bulbs will be fine for a low tech setup.

Alternatively, if you are adamant on a T5HO setup, you will need to raise the lights quite high above the tank to achieve low light.



KhuliLoachFan said:


> Unless you are growing your plants in less than 3" of water you need HO.


I disagree with this statement. It is possible to grow plants using T8 and T5NO bulbs.


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## KhuliLoachFan (Mar 8, 2008)

Maybe everybody else gets different results, but without HO, in a tank with more than 12" depth, I get no growth at all, and everything melts.
YMMV.

Low tech is fine, I have a low tech planted tank doing very well with powercompact flourescents and no CO2. The traditional coralife T5 non-HOs I have are not doing very well for me on the one tank I have them on, and the T8 48" shoplights inside my adhoc hood work great for growing plants, although right now I'm not using plants in that tank. 

That T5 non-HO isn't working for me could indicate that I have been ignoring bulb life too long. The bulbs are a year old. 


W


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## BettaBeats (Jan 14, 2010)

For affordability the Coralife T5 series is a perfect buy. The bulbs aren't too expensive either - $20 for the each of the bulbs for the 24" model.. I have the 24" T5 dual strip on my 10 gal and it works amazing. I also had used this one on my 20 Gal tall and I just had to plant high light plants under it along the back. I had some nice growth.

The growth in my 10 has been diminishing due to the bulbs life, but plants still grow. 

But the dual strip will allow for great growth under the lights, and a nice coverage of light from front to back without it seeming like there are dark spots. You could grow anubias and crypts in the front, but not HC Cuba, etc.

Plus the price is right.


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