# Lighting Question for Planted 75g tank



## zfarsh (Apr 7, 2011)

Hi All,

I have a new 75g tank that will be setup for low light. Light is that of a shop light with 2 bulbs that i originally put 6500K daylight. To save money, i bought play sand over tahitian moon black (say 20$ vs 100$). That said, the play sand looked very bad under the light condition, lost its warm tan/brown color for a light color. Yet i knew the sand looked good when i was cleaning it. I bought some soft white bulbs, that is 3,000K, and the sand looked pleasing again. What i finally did is have 1 x 6500k daylight bulb, and 1 x 3000K soft white, and i still have the nice warm color i wanted. I would have put 2 x soft white, but i want my plants to grow as well. 

Question is, will this be enough light for low to medium light plants, specially when one of the bulbs is 3,000K ?? I would add liquid fertiliser to the tank.

See pics attached for difference between the 2.


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## coldmantis (Apr 5, 2010)

what kind of lights? T12, T8, T5? how many watts? how high is your tank, how is the fixture mounted.


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## zfarsh (Apr 7, 2011)

T8 
22 to 26 inches from the sand floor (i made it adjustable), normally it is set to 25"
The 4ft shop light are 32W each bulb.


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## coldmantis (Apr 5, 2010)

how much did you pay for the shop light and can you return it lol, also did you add your own diy reflectors? because that is kind of low for 75g, your going to have to stick with all very low light plants unless you want to spend a little extra and I mean a little, you don't have to go to big al's and pay $250+ for a 4ft light, remember the fixture on my 45 gallon tall when you came earlier, that's 3fT 156w t5ho with blue led moonlights and I payed a little less then $115 brand new, I think a 4ft 108w will cost less then $90 and a 4ft 216w with blue led will cost less then $130. pm me if you want link for lights.


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## george (Apr 11, 2009)

I am interested in the link for the lights as well. Are you selling them as I saw you have bulbs for sale as well..?


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## ameekplec. (May 1, 2008)

Try it out with low light plants. Here's my 75g (albeit an old picture), lit by nothing more than 2x 28w normal output T5 tubes.


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## coldmantis (Apr 5, 2010)

I think I should retract my statement about changing your lights, I forgot when you were over that this is for a goldfish tank, so I doubt in the future you'll be getting plants that require better lighting and that are compatible with goldfish just stick with the shop lights and try to make the reflectors better if it even came with one.


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## coldmantis (Apr 5, 2010)

george said:


> I am interested in the link for the lights as well. Are you selling them as I saw you have bulbs for sale as well..?


www.aquatraders.com
fixtures are pretty good for the price you pay, bulbs however are eh, could be better but your not paying much at all for HO fixtures, mounting legs are crap imo unless you buy something that is shorter then your tank you can't really raise it at all.


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## zfarsh (Apr 7, 2011)

i got my shop light from at home depot, it came with reflector, and yes, only low light plants such as anubias, java moss, java ferns, vals (i forgot if this is low light or not). Woudl like Pennywort as well in there, though i would probably keep more in my 10g tank just in case it all gets eaten. When i got it, i was able to pay 33$, now it is showing at 45$, and the aluminium inside is very reflective, so right now it feels very bright:

http://www.homedepot.ca/webapp/wcs/...artial&Ntx=mode+matchall&N=0&Ntk=P_PartNumber

Maybe what i could do is either add later on a second shop light for two more bulb (will have to think about a way to add to current system, or simpler, use a desk lamp which would be directed at one of the sides with the spiral bulbs 43W = 100W 6500K.

Also, i need to get some timers, anyone know where to get those for cheap?

Hey Amipek, i am not sure, but i think T5 are stronger than T5, but nevertheless, do you use 2 x 6500K (cause i really cant use that with current substrate, too ugly)


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## Will (Jul 24, 2008)

If you have bulbs to mix, then good combinations are;

2-5000K + 6500/6700 (dim)
2-6500/6700 + Rosate Full Spectrum (between dim and bright)
2-6500/6700 + 10,000K (bright)
3-6500/6700 + Rosate + 10,000K (bright+)

Some people like the look of the Zoomed bulbs that are like 

Bulbs of 6700K and lower tend to be really really dim, and not as helpfull for the plants, so if you are going to have light with a spectrum and kelven that does not target plants specifically, it might aswell be a bright bulb, such as a 10K.

I have plenty of sugar-fine white Silicate Sand if you need some more, or want to lighten your sand colour. Live in Burlington, work in Oakville.

Timers are normally $13 for two prong, $16 for three prong. Anything cheaper is a deal, anything around there is average. Those are analogue timers. Digital are ideal but more pricey.


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## Greg_o (Mar 4, 2010)

Will Hayward said:


> Timers are normally $13 for two prong, $16 for three prong. Anything cheaper is a deal, anything around there is average. Those are analogue timers. Digital are ideal but more pricey.


Dollarama has $2 two prong digital timers.(!)


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## coldmantis (Apr 5, 2010)

yes dollarama has 2 dollar timers and they work well, if you can find an adapter that goes from 2 prong male to 3 prongs females that will save you some money


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## BillD (Jun 5, 2006)

Lights are guaged by their lumen out put not their K rating. A 5000K tube is not dimmer than a 6500K or a 10000K, unless their outputs are different. Plants grow extremely well under 5000K lights.


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## Will (Jul 24, 2008)

Greg_o said:


> Dollarama has $2 two prong digital timers.(!)


Thats awesome, I shop there all the time.


BillD said:


> Lights are guaged by their lumen out put not their K rating. A 5000K tube is not dimmer than a 6500K or a 10000K, unless their outputs are different. Plants grow extremely well under 5000K lights.


I'm not saying their Kelvin is a measurement of brightness. I'm saying that the light from a 10K visibly appears brighter than the light of certain other bulbs. Tanks lit under just soley plant bulbs tend to appear dimmer to the eyes, than mixed bulb light. And of course 5000K to 6700K is great for your plants.

Lumens, Par, Lux, it's a shame more light manufactures don't put this info on their products.


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## BillD (Jun 5, 2006)

Pretty much every manufacturer puts a lumen rating on the tube or package as well as K rating and CRI. So called plant/aquarium lights have a very low lumen (around 2/3s of regular tube) output hence they look and are in fact dim. It may in fact appear to the eye that the higher K lights appear brighter, but the light output may be the same and the plants are more concerned with the amount of light than it's appearance. Personally, I have had my best luck with plants under 5000K tubes.


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## zfarsh (Apr 7, 2011)

Bill, thanks for sharing your experience, really appreciated here. Was so stressed about this whole thing.


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