Lighting question

[kenshinH]

hey guys! i am new to your forum and new to planted aquarium

I have a question about lighting, i have a 75gal tank with:
Amazon sword
melon sword
Red cabomba
Willow leaf hygro
Anubias
Java fern
wisteria

I use dry ferts 3x a week (EI method) and seachem excel everyday, currently i have a 48" T8 dual light fixture (zoomed ocean sun,reef sun 50/50) i been looking to upgrade my lights but i dont know if this is to much, and i dont have plants to use C02 system, here are my options:

Upgarde 1(I plan on changing two of the bulb with zoomed Flora sun)
http://www.ebay.com/itm/T5-Quad-48-...er-Plant-216W-Grow-Discus-Tetra-/290792924114

Upgrade2
http://www.ebay.com/itm/T5-Dual-48-...548&pid=100040&prg=1011&rk=2&sd=290792924114&

What do you think is best for my set up..

Thanks!

 

[HybridHerp]

Tbh, neither of those are that great of lights, but they will get the job done for you.

As a general rule, over a 75 gallon tank, 2 t5ho bulbs will put it around high lighting, however, that is dependent upon the quality of the reflectors in the lighting fixture, of which I don't think either of those two fixtures would be considered "good quality reflectors".

If you don't want to inject co2, I would avoid higher lighting levels and aim for medium or low. The only plant you have that would require medium lighting is the red cabomba.

 

[xxUnRaTeDxxRkOxx]

If you're thinking about upgrading your lighting on your 75 gallon tank I'd suggest going with this fixture

http://www.aquatraders.com/48-inch-4x54W-T5-Aquarium-Light-Fixture-p/52325p.htm


Now here's the reason why, I got the same fixture for my 55 gallon high tech setup. I'm waiting for the fixture to arrive, but once it does here's the lighting I'm going with.....

I plan on 2 x 6500k bulbs in the front, and 2 x 5000k bulbs in the back. Now because it has a built in timer I've decided on this lighting regime... 2 x 6500k turn on at 9am and run til 12 noon then shut off, and the 2 x 5000k bulbs come on at 12noon and turn off at 4pm. The reason I'm going with the 5000k bulbs in the afternoon is because late afternoon daylight is between 4000k and 5500k.

 

[kenshinH]

That's a good idea, but after reading the reply of hybridHerp and reading the sticky: lighting a planted a tank, i went ahead and bought the odyssea dual T5 HO. i don't have c02 and no plans on buying the system.. so the 4 T5 Ho is maybe too much for my tank. I now odyssea is not the best but i don't want to spent too much on lighting, just like hybridherp said it gets the job done and that's fine with me

Thanks for the replies!

 

[HybridHerp]

In the future you may consider adding co2. I like the idea for a tank like a 75 because you can more or less keep anything and keep a lot of different things and let plants grow large.

But co2 setups are expensive so it's up to you how into plants you get.


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