# How many T5HO bulbs for a 75 gallon tank?



## solarz (Aug 31, 2010)

Assuming dimensions are 48x18x18, do I need 2 bulbs or 4 bulbs?

I plan to use DIY CO2, for what it's worth, and don't plan on growing high light plants.


----------



## zfarsh (Apr 7, 2011)

no high light plants, then why do you need a T5? You can get a 4 feet shop light from home depot for 30 - 50 $, plus 2 lights for 9$ (daylight 6500K), do your mounting. That's what i did. I was afraid at first not enough light, but honnestly, i have more than needed for low light and medium too probably.


----------



## Rmwbrown (Jan 22, 2009)

I have 48" coral life power compact I would like to part ways with. Bulbs come with it but they could use replacing. I'll part with it for very little money and MOPS has replacement bulbs for a great price. 

Not sure what you want to grow, but it does great with with easy/low light plants - ferns, anubias, crypts, val, hydro and so forth.

This would bring you just a little shy of 2 watts per gallon. I'm switching this over to a high tech tank, so i'm replacing it with HQI.


----------



## solarz (Aug 31, 2010)

zfarsh said:


> no high light plants, then why do you need a T5? You can get a 4 feet shop light from home depot for 30 - 50 $, plus 2 lights for 9$ (daylight 6500K), do your mounting. That's what i did. I was afraid at first not enough light, but honnestly, i have more than needed for low light and medium too probably.


I've never been able to find 6500K tube fluorescents at home depot. Their "aquarium and plant" lights are all 2800K


----------



## Will (Jul 24, 2008)

Solarz, or 75 gallon tank uses a Hagen GLO 48" 2x54W T5HO (65K + Full Spectrum). With DIY CO2.

More than 2 T5HO bulbs on this tank would probably require us doing Pressurized co2 and aggressive ferts.


----------



## solarz (Aug 31, 2010)

Will said:


> Solarz, or 75 gallon tank uses a Hagen GLO 48" 2x54W T5HO (65K + Full Spectrum). With DIY CO2.
> 
> More than 2 T5HO bulbs on this tank would probably require us doing Pressurized co2 and aggressive ferts.


Thanks! That's what I thought too, but I went to AI today and they showed me what the tank was like with only 2 bulbs, and it seemed pretty dark. However, they had one pink bulb in the dual-bulb fixture, so that might have been the reason.


----------



## Will (Jul 24, 2008)

My full spectrum bulb, is a rose (pink) bulb. So there is one in our fixture also. You don't need to use the combo I used. Maybe a 10K bulb in combo with another type would amp it up to the brightness you prefer.

Perhaps it looked dark because other tanks in the store appeared brighter?


----------



## zfarsh (Apr 7, 2011)

Solars, just in case you ever consider it for a non strict only plants tank that doesnt require super fast growth with CO2 one day, Home Depot does have 6500K T8 light, but they do not advertise it as such. Have a look next time at the "daylight" bulbs, either spiral or the long ones (T8), and see if it is written 6500K on it. That is what i have done, and can grow low light plants on low tech (no CO2, no high lights). Java Fern, mosses, Wisterina are growing quickly in it and well. But this will never come close to of course doing it the high tech way.

JFYI, i use this one:
http://www.homedepot.ca/product/4-diamond-plate-work-light/972629

After thinking about it last night, i figured yea, T5 and CO2 is better for you if you want super fast growth and higher light plants, specially if you want to resell them.


----------



## solarz (Aug 31, 2010)

zfarsh said:


> Solars, just in case you ever consider it for a non strict only plants tank that doesnt require super fast growth with CO2 one day, Home Depot does have 6500K T8 light, but they do not advertise it as such. Have a look next time at the "daylight" bulbs, either spiral or the long ones (T8), and see if it is written 6500K on it. That is what i have done, and can grow low light plants on low tech (no CO2, no high lights). Java Fern, mosses, Wisterina are growing quickly in it and well. But this will never come close to of course doing it the high tech way.
> 
> JFYI, i use this one:
> http://www.homedepot.ca/product/4-diamond-plate-work-light/972629
> ...


Do you use it hanging from the ceiling, or mounted on the aquarium? or some other way?


----------



## zfarsh (Apr 7, 2011)

see here
http://s1177.photobucket.com/albums/x349/zfarsh/light setup/

password = lights


----------



## solarz (Aug 31, 2010)

zfarsh said:


> see here
> http://s1177.photobucket.com/albums/x349/zfarsh/light setup/
> 
> password = lights


Thanks, that's a pretty creative setup!


----------



## zfarsh (Apr 7, 2011)

this is only one example. Actually, in the begining, i made another setup, which was adjustable. I was using the hooks that came with it, and had two long 2"x2" wood pieces where i would attach the hooks, and thus the light (of if you have something else like a shelf on top). Then i was able to adjust the level of where the light is, and maintenance was easier too. However, it looked like a "guillautine" (something to hang people, as my personal design was ugly), so i did this to please my wife, and have a smaller footprint. 

So this design has two pieces of wood i bought from home depot and had cut to size i want to raise the light, the i found some metal pieces (with a not too big of thickness), which i also got from home dept, which will connect wood to the specific shop light (it secures it actually), and from the aquarium to the wood pieces, i use some metal pieces (also from home depot) that came with screws, which go into the wood. This will fit snugly, and thus the light cannot fall. 

I am sure there are other possible variations, such as how it was meant to be use, which is the easiest. Honnestly, i am not the only one to use shop lights, many people in other forums also use it. It depends on your budget and how much light you want. I feel i have plenty to be honnest, but maybe not serious enough for high light plants and super fast growth.


----------



## solarz (Aug 31, 2010)

So I ended up getting a 130W Power Compact with one 10,000K bulb and one 6700K bulb. Over a 75-gal tank, what level of light would this put me in? More specifically, would I have problems growing dwarf hairgrass?


----------

