Hey looking into starting a 55 gallon planted tank trying to find a good lighting setup really want hoodless tank so something like http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+3733+9871&pcatid=9871 Will prob do liquid ferts and root tabs. May do a DYI CO2 injection in the future. And one last question think 3 bags of Seachem flourite to cover the bottom?
Need some advice on lighting
- Thread starter Scttysnyder
- Start date
That light fixture would be fine. Personally I prefer T5 over power compact. T5s are a little more efficient and last a bit longer. I just bought a Catalina Aquarium Solar T5.
What ever you get, make sure you get fw plant bulbs. Most come with salt water bulb that won't work for growing plants. You won't need anything more than a 2 bulb fixture. Even that will be on the strong side without co2.
This is a nice calculator to figure out how much flourite you will need.
As a cheaper alternative to flourite, you might try Turface or Soilmaster Select. They are both a fired clay very similar to florite, but actually sold for baseball dimonds. Normaly they cost less than $15 for a 50lbs bag.
What ever you get, make sure you get fw plant bulbs. Most come with salt water bulb that won't work for growing plants. You won't need anything more than a 2 bulb fixture. Even that will be on the strong side without co2.
This is a nice calculator to figure out how much flourite you will need.
As a cheaper alternative to flourite, you might try Turface or Soilmaster Select. They are both a fired clay very similar to florite, but actually sold for baseball dimonds. Normaly they cost less than $15 for a 50lbs bag.
With this lighting you think if i dose for Co2 i could grow a majority of plants i just want to know if most plants will be open for me
So a Catalina Aquarium Solar T5 has 4 bulb slots instead of the 2? So that would up my WPG? And those can be mounted right? The hood i mean because i want the hoodless look
There are a lot of options with the Catalina. Here is a link
http://www.catalinaaquarium.com/index.php?cPath=71_136&page=2
I am not totally sure what you mean by the hoodless look. But you can get mounting legs or a hanging kit. I also added LED moonlights to my order.
http://www.catalinaaquarium.com/index.php?cPath=71_136&page=2
I am not totally sure what you mean by the hoodless look. But you can get mounting legs or a hanging kit. I also added LED moonlights to my order.
I have a glass top on my aquarium so I didn't get one. But the silver 48" fixtures does come with a shield. I like the black fixture better though. The bulbs are spaced a little better and I like the look more. I read it is not hard to add a piece of acrylic though. You might try calling Catalina and talking to them. They might be able to do that for you.