Jungle Vallisneria.

[Nights85]

4x54 t5ho is going to be A LOT of light for this tank you might end up with an algae farm. I would definitely check out the par chart on page 1 that Jcardona posted of the thread that burto linked. It is very helpful and will assist you in determining the amount of light that you really need.

Also dont throw away the box to your light you might want to send it back for something smaller later on if the vendor you bought it from allows returns.

Well the fixture I tried to order ( Paypal refunded me ) has switches to
control each pair of lights being as my fish will need a bigger tank than
this at some point I was thinking ahead as well and being that it isn't
much more it seems I would be better off getting the bigger setup
and not have to buy another fixture when that happens also comes
with an acrylic piece to protect the lights from splash damage which
would come in handy I don't have a tank cover and the built in digital
timer / lunar lighting seemed to all be a plus.

By the way whats the biggest tank 4x54 T5HO support high light range be?

 

[punk-in-drublic]

Well the fixture I tried to order ( Paypal refunded me ) has switches to
control each pair of lights being as my fish will need a bigger tank than
this at some point I was thinking ahead as well and being that it isn't
much more it seems I would be better off getting the bigger setup
and not have to buy another fixture when that happens also comes
with an acrylic piece to protect the lights from splash damage which
would come in handy I don't have a tank cover and the built in digital
timer / lunar lighting seemed to all be a plus.

By the way whats the biggest tank 4x54 T5HO support high light range be?

The switches to control each pair will be a really nice feature, Im sure you will find yourself using it. Water can find its way past most of these acrylic covers in the form of evaporation however I have had no problems with my fixture which has an acrylic splash guard.

The major factor determining if you are in high light range will be the distance from the substrate and the type and amount of lights you have you can get away with higher levels of light if you are fertilizing and dosing co2.

I recently was on the same track as you to buy a fixture that would put me in the high light range and I achieved it on my 75 gallon with a 2x54 HO fixture. My fixture is about 22 inches from the substrate which puts me at about 100 micromols of par. This puts me about midway into the high light range. I could probably get away with the medium light range upon further reflection and am in the process of suspending my fixture Im waiting on a suspension kit to be delivered right now.

I am not getting major algae as of yet but I have been diligent with my photoperiod and have been adding some ferts. If you do not want to add co2 and ferts you might be pushing your luck with a 4x54 on a tank like this. If you are dead set on buying a 4x54 watt fixture make sure you get one with paired switches.

 

[pjsmetana]

Plant Weights and Rubber Bands hold all my plants down. I have no issues with such, but I'm also not attempting planted with cichlids.