8' Tank Light Setup

[volcomstone]

For the folks that have an 8' footprint lengthwise, I'm interested in seeing your light setup. I'm also looking for any recommendations on any reasonably priced light setups that would work well on my 8' tank. I'm setting up my 8' tank which doesn't have any lights set up yet. I do have 2 ballasts w/ T12 end caps where I can attach T12 bulbs onto the bottom of the canopy but I feel that isn't good enough.

 

[12 Volt Man]

I would go with two of these:

http://www.bigalsonline.com/BigAlsU.../allglassfluorescenttwintubestriplight48black

either in the twin tube models or the triple tube models if the tank is very wide.

I am a big fan of the Allglass brand double strip lights - electronic starter, polished aluminum insides for maximum brightness/reflectivity

very well made.

 

[volcomstone]

I would go with two of these:

http://www.bigalsonline.com/BigAlsU.../allglassfluorescenttwintubestriplight48black

either in the twin tube models or the triple tube models if the tank is very wide.

I am a big fan of the Allglass brand double strip lights - electronic starter, polished aluminum insides for maximum brightness/reflectivity

very well made.

Sweet thanks for the recommendation! I will definitely look into this more. Those hold T5 light bulbs right? My tank is 18" wide...I'm assuming the twin tubes should good enough right?

 

[12 Volt Man]

actually those are standard flourescent ballast so they take a T8 or a T10 bulb.

if you want to go with T5 lighting, coralife makes some good fixtures, but the only ones I am familiar with are the 'aqualight T5 double strips' which are great. but they have many other T5 strip lights which are more expensive and probably much better..

 

[volcomstone]

actually those are standard flourescent ballast so they take a T8 or a T10 bulb.

if you want to go with T5 lighting, coralife makes some good fixtures, but the only ones I am familiar with are the 'aqualight T5 double strips' which are great. but they have many other T5 strip lights which are more expensive and probably much better..

Thanks again for your inputs. I'm also looking at the current nova extremes which use T5's as I found a good deal on them...

http://www.petmountain.com/product/.../512405/current-usa-nova-extreme-t5ho-x2.html

Do you think dual bulbs would be sufficient lighting for a 18" width tank?

 

[12 Volt Man]

I would think so. I wouldn't think you would need to double up until 24" in width. ..

 

[swede]

shoplights are good and cheap. you could even hang them from the ceiling

 

[volcomstone]

bump

 

[jmart.cooper]

I am interested also. I have a 240 gallon that has an 8x2 foot print and it needs some new lights.

 

[polish]

I am in the same boat, but on an uber budget. I went to lowes and the only cheapish lights were T12 that I saw. The smaller T8 or T10 were more expensive.

http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=163697-337-2004LU&lpage=none

You could get a pair of these 4' lights for $40. I just don't like the huge T12 bulbs so I passed and the fixture isn't exactly right.

http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=283285-1390-GU9804-T8-BKSS&lpage=none

These are what they had for hanging shop lights that I like. T8 version, $50 each so $100 for the pair to do an 8ft tank.

http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=283285-1390-GU9804-T8-BKSS&lpage=none

This is nice too but with 4 bulbs would be a power hog with a pair, also $50 each.

I've got the tank in the kitchen and it's under a hanging light with 3 x CFL bulbs, so really I could just build a little canopy around it and call it done. But I'm not sure.