Ideas for lighting

[Astoria]

I have the led strip that came with my 75 gallon and I bought another (upgraded) version and use both light bars for my 75 gallon.

I'm curious on lighting options. Are there submersible lights people use on aquariums? Is there anything better/cheaper than the typical lighting that's sold at Petsmart or LFS?

 

[FreshyFresh]

Do you intend to grow plants or is it just for show?

So many options online. Mail-order is the way to go for aquarium specific lighting. Nicrew is a popular 'brand' off amazon.

If you want to go DIY, you can use 4 foot T8 fluorescent shop lights or LED shop lights.

 

[Astoria]

I run fake plants and have no desire at this time for real plants

 

[celebrist]

I got chandeliers and led par38 bulbs

 

[eon aquatics]

use led light bulbs
im using two 100 watt bulbs and planning on adding two more soon

 

[Polypterus_36]

Do you intend to grow plants or is it just for show?

So many options online. Mail-order is the way to go for aquarium specific lighting. Nicrew is a popular 'brand' off amazon.

If you want to go DIY, you can use 4 foot T8 fluorescent shop lights or LED shop lights.

Nicrew are really nice LED lights for their price, but I find them much too bright for my aquariums.

I wouldn't recommend them unless you like your tank full of algae.

I would try DIY instead.?

 

[eon aquatics]

i need to get a timer working for my lights to be turned off at night

 

[FreshyFresh]

i need to get a timer working for my lights to be turned off at night

I just use inexpensive lamp timers for my lights.

I've also used those incandescent aluminum reflector clamp on utility lights. I fit them with LED bulbs, remove the clamps and set them directly on the glass tops.

 

[Astoria]

Lots of good info here and I appreciate the responses. Keep them coming

 

[pacu mom]

I saw some industrial shop lights called Simkar Reflect-A-Bay. When I saw them, I had to have them. We put them in the equipment room, over the tank, in the garage and in our utility room. We have five lights mounted above the tank and have two switches so we can have two, three or all five lights on. We bought the protective cover for ours. In this picture the plastic sheeting had only been removed from the first light only.


While we haven't filled up the tank yet, the lights are more than adequate to penetrate the 4' height of the tank.