55 gallon planted tank lighting

[tiger15]

What is the output wattage of your light?

Before you invest in more light, you have to find out how much light you currently have. There are many reasons besides insufficient light that plants don't grow, and if plants are unhealthy, algae will take over.

I would suggest that you educate yourself in this wonderful web guidance before making changes.

https://www.advancedplantedtank.com/

If you have questions, it's best to get answers from planted tank dedicated forums such as planted tank net or Aquatic Plant Central

 

[Lilyann]

What is the output wattage of your light?

Before you invest in more light, you have to find out how much light you currently have. There are many reasons besides insufficient light that plants don't grow, and if plants are unhealthy, algae will take over.

I would suggest that you educate yourself in this wonderful web guidance before making changes.

https://www.advancedplantedtank.com/

If you have questions, it's best to get answers from planted tank dedicated forums such as planted tank net or Aquatic Plant Central

I just recommended this site as well, https://www.advancedplantedtank.com/adv_nutrients.html--- it is excellent.
We were of like minds at the same time .

 

[markstrimaran]

My reply was about inexpensive lights. Definitely not the best.

 

[pescado209]

just found these on Amazon. these don't look tool bad with some good reviews.

 

[Magnus Jones]

Thanks for all the responses. My light has about 40 watts or so and is 12” too short for my tank. I’m really feeling lost in this whole lighting deal. I want to know what light I can get for my tank that definitely will grow medium plants. Any ideas?

 

[markstrimaran]

The older school T5 florescent tubes. A 4 light fixture is about 100 bucks. The bulbs are reasonable and you can mix and match, all well poven.

 

[markstrimaran]

 

[tiger15]

40 watt in 55 is less than 1 watt per gal. You need to double the wattage to grow low to medium light plants. There are many inexpensive led light sold in EBay, and I grow lush plants with unnamed brands. They are all made in China with the same diode components, just make sure the output wattage and lumen are stated and diodes are at least 0.2 watt each. Don’t buy any unrated led which are likely too dim for plants.

 

[fisheatfish]

Hello, I have a 55 gallon tank that I’m having lots of trouble growing plants in my tank with my 36” current USA pro plus. I’ve tried amazon sword, hygrophila, pennywort, Java fern, Java moss and others. The only ones I can keep alive are the Java ferns even though they don’t grow. The Java moss just gets taken over by algae. I have been fertilizing them but they still won’t stay alive. Can someone help guide me to a light that I can actually grow plants with that doesn’t break the bank?
Thanks, Magnus

I know the title of this thread states “lighting” but here’s my take on the situation....I went through a period where I neglected my tank for four months due to some personal problems. Mind you, tank had been established for over a year with excellent lighting, ferts, substrates, CO2...etc. I continued everything as normal but failed to do water changes. Plants started melting, dying and some would not grow. Even my moss literally fell off the tree they were tied to. After I went back to doing my weekly 30% water changes, I began to see life coming back to those plants that weren’t doing well...considering your plants aren’t very demanding in terms of lighting.

Although lighting is important, maybe that’s not the problem in why your plants aren’t doing well.

Bottom of stem plant shows no leaves during that time frame and anubias is just coming back to life with new growth.

Couple of heavily rooted tiger lotus (bulb plant) took a hit as well and are slowly coming back. Leaves used to be huge and on the surface.



What it looks like today: tiger lotus are in there...just small atm.

 

[Magnus Jones]

Wait, so do even more water changes? I do a 80% every 2 weeks.