T-5 lighting

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inkedmoney

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Mar 31, 2012
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NJ
I have a 48 inch 4x54w T-5 HO fixture that i had from my 90 gallon saltwater tank i currently have been using the same lighting on my freshwater tank and i think the lights are too bright since they were used on a reef tank. I was just wondering what bulb suggestions are good for the tank its 48x18x24. The current lights right now i think are currently making algae grow faster than normal. Im going to be putting plants in shortly ive been reaearching and heard pretty good things about geismann bulbs midday and aquafloral also anything in the 6500-6700 range also so any input would be grea thanks.


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HybridHerp

HybridHerp

Fire Eel
MFK Member
May 18, 2012
1,192
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New York
well, on my 75 gallon I use a 4x54w T5HO fixture, with two bulbs on for like 9 hours and the other two on for like 3 hours or so.

You could keep your current lights but just get different bulbs (anything from the color range 5000K-10000K or just says planted grow bulb or whatever). If you do that though, pressurize co2 injection is almost a must, because that kind of lighting will create algae without co2 helping to boost plant growth.

You could always put a screen over the light to lower the intensity, or just raise the lighting fixture itself to be higher up from the tank....which would be cool if you where to grow things out of the top of the tank but it wouldn't work if you needed to keep the top covered for whatever reason.

What kind of plants are you thinking about doing? I can help with planted tank stuff pretty well
 
I

inkedmoney

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Mar 31, 2012
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Im def gonna keep the fixture im gonna change the bulbs cause the think there 10000 and up including an actinic light which i want to get rid of and get some a little less intense the fixture itself is as high as it can go on the stands unless i get mounts to hang from the ceiling its currently at least 5 inches from the surface with no lid. As for plants im not too sure yet im open to any suggestions


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bbortko

bbortko

Polypterus
MFK Member
Mar 3, 2010
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I just swapped my aquaticlife lamps for a geismann midday and aquaflora on Friday and my rotala already changed from green to red. I would use one of each unless you have co2.
 
I

inkedmoney

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Mar 31, 2012
26
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NJ
bbortko said:
I just swapped my aquaticlife lamps for a geismann midday and aquaflora on Friday and my rotala already changed from green to red. I would use one of each unless you have co2.
Click to expand...
should i just run the 2 lights instead of all four?
 
bbortko

bbortko

Polypterus
MFK Member
Mar 3, 2010
3,163
214
96
Northwest, Indiana
inkedmoney said:
should i just run the 2 lights instead of all four?
Click to expand...
Yes, unless you have enough plants with co2 and ferts the extra light will lead to algae.
 
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