Current Satellite Freshwater LED+ Fixture on 125 gallon planted plus pressurized CO2

honestly, if you have pressurized co2, you can go much higher lighting. A single satellite + is relatively low lighting. If I were you, I'd do one of the two options

1. get some high quality LED's like a RayII and a satellite+ (you're going to want more than one LED on a tank this tall and wide, RAYII is a very powerful one but it has difficulty on its own getting the colors aside from green out of the plants)

2. invest in a 4 or more bulb t5ho fixture, you can get amazing colors out of your plants this way and can have a combination of different lighting spectrums.

Also, if you are going co2, and going high light, you can theoretically grow near any plant you want, so you wouldn't need to limit yourself to just those plants. Unless of course the fish you have is an issue.

I would agree that one current satellite+ is not going be high light. If I remember correctly, a 60in fixture is really only 48in with extendable arms. If that is true, then I have three of these lights on my 125g tanks - 1 light per tank. I love the look of these lights, but I don't grow plants. You might be able to do low light plants, but if plants are your focus for this tank then I would suggest more light (like the ideas HybridHerp gave you).

I love the lights for some of the normal reasons (light control, fun settings, etc.), but also because it leaves the ends of my tank a bit darker than the rest of the tank. It is still plenty of light to see the fish, but if the fish don't want the bright light, they have somewhere to go rather than just hide in rock work or driftwood.

I had the 48" sat+ on a 125 without co2 and my swords, anubis, onion plant and tigrr lotus all did great. If I had co2 I would have done something along the lines of what hybrifherp is suggesting, no point in spending the money for co2 and not take full advantage of it.

well that is awesome bbortko, definitely wound not have expected that but it's a good result

The current sat+ 48 inch has been on my 110g 28in tall since the summer. The anubias are ok. However I had problems growing other plants since the light isn't strong. My fish making a mess of the plants was an additional challenge. You wouldn't need co2 with that light, its not bright enough for high light needs. If you added a ray2 or even the new finnex planted plus as a second light you'd see a lot of growth. I've had both of them on my tank and have seen more growth in a few weeks, without co2, than in the last five or six months. I also use pps pro ferts and root tabs.

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The marineland single bright led fixture doesn't have any plant growing capabilities whatsoever! And if your CFL'S are 5-7k then that's fine.

The above members have given great advice already. If you have cash flow then a planted led is great but if your on a budget that's when the lhs comes in handy

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swims alot said:

ok thanks for the replies, but my main goal is to get just one fixture im looking at quad t-5 HO but i cant find any that would fit. do you guys know any good brands?

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My brand of choice is Catalina. Not the highest end mind you, but it's good and the price is right. I'm using the 4 bulb fixture.

Just keep in mind that you want to replace the bulbs like once or twice a year. And don't bother getting 10000K bulbs...also mix different K rating bulbs to get the best colors in your tank. I'd say, since you have co2, go for 4 or more bulbs


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HybridHerp said:

My brand of choice is Catalina. Not the highest end mind you, but it's good and the price is right. I'm using the 4 bulb fixture.

Just keep in mind that you want to replace the bulbs like once or twice a year. And don't bother getting 10000K bulbs...also mix different K rating bulbs to get the best colors in your tank. I'd say, since you have co2, go for 4 or more bulbs


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Yes I have also researched lately that blues, greens and reds are better for plants then say just greens. Helps growth and looks better. I still run an old school single t8 GE eco lux which has a great spectrum and looks almost orangish, this bulb is on a separate timer and turns on 1st so it almost mocks a sunrise, then my mains turn on 20 minutes or so after which also gives a decent ramp up to light. Trust me when 100+ Watts comes on all at once it tends to freak skittish fish out, almost blinding them!

Still wish I could afford a nice led fixture and get that fancy ramp up timer. but my setup was built on a budget which quickly exceeded my limits!



×Go S. Vettel #1 Infiniti Redbull! 4x WDC!!! Congrats on another flawless title× <GET BETTER SCHUMI>
__________________________________________________________________
Cheap way to decrease nitrates and keep your fish healthy: http://monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=504763