75 gallon tank light question

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VampAro69

Candiru
MFK Member
Dec 21, 2008
334
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Venice, FL
I was thinking of hanging the MH bulb above the tank and I have a power compact light and a strip light.

The strip light has 4 bulbs from home-depot They are all for growing plantsI think they are 20" long 20 watts a bulb,80 watts. the power compact light has 2 dual daylight bulbs at 65 watts a piece. 130 watts. Then the MH shop light is 150 watt. it is a shop light, which I dont know if it has anything good for the plants in it? but 150 watts.

So with the 2 tank lights I have that would make it 3 watts a gallon, but the strip light is 4, 20 watt bulb light and I dont know if it reaches the bottom. I think it was made for a 30 gallon tank or so.

I have a 75 gallon tank and never had my plants really take off. Do you guys think I will be good with just the 2 lights, or start with all 3? Or start with the 2 and trial and error?

I will take any opion from people with a tank around my tanks size, or any planted tank for that matter. I do want some plants that need high light and if I see some low watt plants I like I will shelter them under the plants that need more light.

I will get a liquid fert also, any good ones are all they all about the same and work? I will have water in my tank this weekend so I want to have a little knowledge about what I am doing. Thanks for reading and help me out so I dont keep having my plants slowly die off! :wall:
 
I would use all that you can.

I had a 60 gallon with two 96 watts, two 36 watts, and another 18 watt, and plants were doing real good.
 
Personally, I think the only liquid fert worth using is Flourish Excel. Everything else just breeds algae, especially if you use all that light. That said, I've heard good things about the "Nature Aquarium Goods" line that the mighty Amano endorses, but I haven't tried it yet.

For lights, I think you're fine without the MH, but thats up to you. Are you already running the other 2 fixtures with bad results?
 
Whats up man. i have a 75 gallon long tank, (5 feet long), and it contains almost all of the same fish that you have and tons of crazy growing plants.

In my opinion since ive had all the same stuff as you, you should ditch all of the other lights and stick with the 150 watt metal halide. The strip lights from home depot do not have enough power to do anything for you really. I tried valiantly to get them to work and they just dont do anything but feed green water big time.

What i did was get a 5 foot long t-5 ho light set up. 2 80 watt t-5 bulbs and pumped the co2. my pikes, payara (schomb), redtail cuda, and others did just fine with a low ph and co2 cranked at 30ppm, and 160 watts of real light.

flourish excel is also not a fertalizer per say. its another form of usable co2 and it works great in place of co2 injection from what i have read. i know a guy who uses excel and no co2 and he loves it.

the key is to make sure the bulbs are high output and in the right kelvin range. they should be between 6500k and 10000k. i had 10000k t5 ho lights and my plants grew like weeds with them. and thats only 2 watts per gallon. if you read the stickies watts per gallon doesnt mean anything if the bulbs and fistures are weak sauce.

make sure the metal halide is 10000k or a little less, use dry ferts (cheap if you order online), and do co2. you will be more than happy with your results. no algae, tons of plant growth and crystal clear water.

the dry ferts are easy to control your dosing with. i use potassium nitrate, potassium sulfate, and monopotassium phosphate all in dry form with plantex csm+b. It is the way to go for sure. a years supply shipped to my door was like $25. its been a year and a half and i still havent run out. i also use the estimated index method for dosing.

3/4 of a teaspoon nitrates, 1/4 teaspoon potassium sulfate, 3/16 of a teaspoon phosphates on sunday, tuesday, thursday.

1/4 teaspoon plantex csm+b monday, wednesday, and friday.

40% water change on sunday. saturday is an offday.

liquid ferts are a pain in my opinion

look it up and go for it.

my 75 gallon is out of control growing with moss, stargrass, jungle valls, sagitaria, amazon swords, and some other random stem plants.

trust me.

i did all kinds of crap before with home depot lights and once i just sucked it up and used co2 with real lights per the advice of jcardona1, my tank took off in the right direction in less than a week. check out jcardona1's tank. it is amazing. hes the one who helped me out big time a year ago.
 
OkOk thank everyone thanks for the replys. I was just typing and deleted it all by mistake.

But I was typing I dont think the home-depot lights hit the bottom because it is 4 weak 20 watt bulbs. The light fixture is from a pet store and the HomeD lights happened to fit in. Hmm you think go with the MH, only. Maybe ill go with the power compact on half and the MH on the other and put plants that need more light under the MH.

I am afraid of Co2 because I dont know anything about it and heard the the PH swings. I read all the stickies that I think I may learn somthing from and have read the end of WPG or whatever.

Jake/ the last tank I had was a 90g with the same lights over it. The plants kept dieing shortly and I used liquid fert, and I bought the gravel for plants. (which was expensive) Now im thinking that them less 15g will help out a little.

Heres the PC and MH. Ill buy another bulb for it also because I dont know the Kevin rating and it was cheep and homed

SUC51665.JPG

SUC51671.JPG
 
Malachi thanks for the post. Do you have any pics of your tank here I bet it is awesome?( just went through your personal gallery NICE.) Did you make the Co2 or buy a kit and was it confusing to get going? On the power compact light I have, one is blue I think for coral, so I will replace the bulb with a 6500 and then get a 10000.?.?

I just put sand on the bottom and got black pebbles for on top, but read it should be fine but not too fine??? haha should I crush it when I clean it to put it over the sand? Thanks.
 
What about a soil, I rember reading a post about that. Any thoughts? I do not have the tank set up yet, but soon.

All I have in the tank is sand for the bottom. I will do more tomorrow after work.
 
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