# question on lighting



## shoe997bed263 (Oct 15, 2004)

i have some questions on lighting. first of all i have herd that with no co2 system i should be at 2-3 watts per gallon. so for my 125g tank i should be looking at between 250-375. would it be best to to get 1 72'' light fixture with multiple bulbs or would it be more cost effective to get 2 36'' fixture. also does anyone have any kind of fixture that is on the cheap side. how much should i be looking to spend on something that would work. as far as bulbs go i have herd good things about power-glo is this a good brand. if i am off on any of this please let me know. thank you


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## icedizzle (Feb 3, 2005)

I have grown a couple sword leaf plants with little light... 1-2 watt per gallon and I hear hydrophilia dosen't need as much as sword leaf. Also I have never used a co2 system but I have seen an easy way to build one.

As for light brands I would just go look at some place like home hardware for cheap ones. (I just get ones from my dad because we use tons on our farm)

Hope this helps alittle


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## shoe997bed263 (Oct 15, 2004)

i might just go check out my local hard ware store and see what they have. would 1 watt per gallon really be ok on a planted tank?


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## jonscilz (Dec 2, 2004)

CHEAP?!.. well i think i hold the record for cheapest hood/lighting combo at under $10. thats right i said UNDER 10 dollars for more than satisfactory lighting for any tank under 40". although if you spent enough time you could probly find the supplies for even larger. get on over to... thats right you guessed it... home depot or lowes and purchase a shop flourescent strip light and some of the plastic they use to disperse flourescent lights in a paneled ceiling. light strip wont run more than $7 or 8 if you get the right one and the plastic will be a dollor or two tops. of course this doesnt include lights but you can get a ge full spectrum daylight bulb for only a few dollars more or you can splurge on some crazy bulbs from a lfs. heres a pic of the setup i made for my 20gal planted tank... you can see its pretty basic and soooo cheap. yet works perfectly and doesnt look too bad at all i think. constuction is self explanatory i think...


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## icedizzle (Feb 3, 2005)

It seems to work fine for me although I should have added that the tank does get some natural light (2-3 hours) as it is near a window. I think that the 2-3 watt per gallon rule is good guide line... My 1 watt per gallon started off as me just being to lazy to put more lighting on my tank but my plants don't seem to mind and my p's seem less sketchy in the darker water.


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## jonscilz (Dec 2, 2004)

i dunno about all this wattage talk but i use standard flourescent ge full spectrum bulbs and they work fine on any plants ive ever tried growing. as long as the tank isnt more than say 2 feet deep i wouldnt worry heavily about how many watts you are pushing...


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## shoe997bed263 (Oct 15, 2004)

thanks i am goin to check home depo out after class in the morning. some of these light fixtures online r 500 bucks and i will never have that kind of money to spend to make plants grow


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## Gordeez (Sep 21, 2003)

jonscilz said:


> CHEAP?!.. well i think i hold the record for cheapest hood/lighting combo at under $10. thats right i said UNDER 10 dollars for more than satisfactory lighting for any tank under 40". although if you spent enough time you could probly find the supplies for even larger. get on over to... thats right you guessed it... home depot or lowes and purchase a shop flourescent strip light and some of the plastic they use to disperse flourescent lights in a paneled ceiling. light strip wont run more than $7 or 8 if you get the right one and the plastic will be a dollor or two tops. of course this doesnt include lights but you can get a ge full spectrum daylight bulb for only a few dollars more or you can splurge on some crazy bulbs from a lfs. heres a pic of the setup i made for my 20gal planted tank... you can see its pretty basic and soooo cheap. yet works perfectly and doesnt look too bad at all i think. constuction is self explanatory i think...
> [snapback]894778[/snapback]​


I used to do the Home Depot Thing too!!!
I did two versions. The one you did, and the other one I used for taking Pics of my fish.
Link to my Website, with Pictures and an Explanation of the 2nd Way to do it.


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## shoe997bed263 (Oct 15, 2004)

that is a good idea too


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## Soldat (Aug 28, 2004)

I've got two of the 48 inch, double light strips from Lowes on my 75gal. They don't make the super cheap model anymore because they added a on/off switch and a light cover. It is about 20 bucks now. I have standard bulbs and aquarium/plant bulbs. I may do the idea above with the 75 watt lights. I've been wondering about a cheap setup like that.


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## Gordeez (Sep 21, 2003)

Soldat said:


> I've got two of the 48 inch, double light strips from Lowes on my 75gal. They don't make the super cheap model anymore because they added a on/off switch and a light cover. It is about 20 bucks now. I have standard bulbs and aquarium/plant bulbs. I may do the idea above with the 75 watt lights. I've been wondering about a cheap setup like that.
> [snapback]895034[/snapback]​


Try Walmart. I know they still have the Reg Shop Lights for like $7-8.


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## BigChuckP (Feb 9, 2004)

Gordeez said:


> jonscilz said:
> 
> 
> > CHEAP?!.. well i think i hold the record for cheapest hood/lighting combo at under $10. thats right i said UNDER 10 dollars for more than satisfactory lighting for any tank under 40". although if you spent enough time you could probly find the supplies for even larger. get on over to... thats right you guessed it... home depot or lowes and purchase a shop flourescent strip light and some of the plastic they use to disperse flourescent lights in a paneled ceiling. light strip wont run more than $7 or 8 if you get the right one and the plastic will be a dollor or two tops. of course this doesnt include lights but you can get a ge full spectrum daylight bulb for only a few dollars more or you can splurge on some crazy bulbs from a lfs. heres a pic of the setup i made for my 20gal planted tank... you can see its pretty basic and soooo cheap. yet works perfectly and doesnt look too bad at all i think. constuction is self explanatory i think...
> ...


Just curious why you have so much wattage in your tank when you have no plants, are you planning on buyin some...?


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## jonscilz (Dec 2, 2004)

Soldat said:


> I've got two of the 48 inch, double light strips from Lowes on my 75gal. They don't make the super cheap model anymore because they added a on/off switch and a light cover. It is about 20 bucks now. I have standard bulbs and aquarium/plant bulbs. I may do the idea above with the 75 watt lights. I've been wondering about a cheap setup like that.
> [snapback]895034[/snapback]​


i dunno maybe it depends on your area but that setup i have pictured above with the $7 strip light was definately bought only a few weeks ago at lowes. i think you just have to look for them a little harder. i saw the one with a switch and knew there had to be one without and asked somebody working and he found a stack of them in the rack just not labeled well...

gordeez... that setup you have is pretty hot for extreme lighting situations. although i like the look of the strip light method a little more for asthetic reasons.


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## BigChuckP (Feb 9, 2004)

Gordeez said:


> Soldat said:
> 
> 
> > I've got two of the 48 inch, double light strips from Lowes on my 75gal. They don't make the super cheap model anymore because they added a on/off switch and a light cover. It is about 20 bucks now. I have standard bulbs and aquarium/plant bulbs. I may do the idea above with the 75 watt lights. I've been wondering about a cheap setup like that.
> ...


I checked out Walmart today and that light strip holds two 40 watt bulbs and it was $7-8. Lights are cheap also, 2 6,500k lights for $9-10. Saved myself a bundle! Thanks!


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## Gordeez (Sep 21, 2003)

BigChuckP said:


> Just curious why you have so much wattage in your tank when you have no plants, are you planning on buyin some...?
> [snapback]895180[/snapback]​


I needed all that light When I photograph My Piranhas. 
That way I had enough light, to get a Decent ShutteR Speed, Therefore I wouldnT
have to use the Flash :nod:



BigChuckP said:


> Gordeez said:
> 
> 
> > Soldat said:
> ...


Good Stuff.


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## jonscilz (Dec 2, 2004)

good to see people are smarter than to be ripped off by the aquarium hood manufacturers...


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