I will be starting my tank soon and I am curious as to some opinions on what is the best lighting? I have 2 canopies that both allow 1 light....would you recommend that I get something that is all in 1 instead of 2 separate? There are simply too many options out there...I want something that will be best for bringing out the color but will help keep algae to a minimum. I will be using some sort of sandy substrate.
55 Gal Cichlid Lighting
- Thread starter dskrpncs
- Start date
You can use one piece or keep the separate. The bulbs are what matters really. I like using 2bulb canopies with one white and one actinic bulb one each side (total of 4 bulbs). You could do an LED setup and have separate switches for regular and lunar light (if you want lunar). The DIY section is a goldmine.
The problem is that I dont know what bulbs are best for which situation....as with many of the options of having a 55 gallon there are too many options, combinations, etc...I will not have any live plants
If you don't have live plants then you don't need 10k watt lights. You can purchase 2bulb light canopies that have lower watts with an actinic bulb behind them for your 4 bulbs. I find the actinic lights (even though the spectrum is neutral) seems to make the colors pop more.
I really like Hagen Powerglo 18,000K bulbs for pretty much anything but they really make south american and african cichlids look great especially. they are white with a hint of blue. sort of like "50/50" bulbs.
I currently have 2 hoods that only allow 1 bulb each...is it recommended to just use a 50/50 bulb in each or should I get 2 double light hoods?