# I want to plant my 180g



## Sheppard (Jul 8, 2004)

Well P-Fury I really want to plant my 180g. Iv'e been inspired by alot of the tanks on here and most recently ryanimpreza's impressive 180g planted Rhom setup.

I have been searching the net for so long now for lighting options. I'd really like to take a thrifty approach to this (as we all do) But I understand lighting is no area to cheap out on. So i'm thinking of rigging up a good DIY system and building a hood for the 180g and mounting it all in.

One option I considered was getting 6x 96watt bright kits from AH Supply and that's a little over 500$ (plus building the hood)

Another option is going with T5 HO's but I can't find anything decent on that subject at all.

Last option, and one I favour the most is metal halide. I think 3x 150watt Metal Halides would be nice maybe with 2-6700K and 1-10000k bulbs. I should be able to find these used around somewhere. Or else I might have a crack at building my own those industrial flood lights and swapping out the halogens.

What do you feel is the best option?

I have successfully kept a planted aquarium in the past and I really enjoyed it. I'd like to do again on this much larger scale with some bigass pygos in the mix.


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## maknwar (Jul 16, 2007)

I would go with T5's but AH Supply has some good lighting. I have the 4x55 kit on my 75 gallon, and I like it. Metal Halides are expensive, so unless you want to pay more, go with something that uses less electricity.

Here is a thread by seedlessone discussing T5 lighting. http://www.piranha-fury.com/pfury/index.php?showtopic=175096


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## Sheppard (Jul 8, 2004)

Ya I like the AH supply lights for sure. 
I saw on Aquatraders a 72" PC unit putting out 384watts which is ideal for my 180g.

I know alot of people say they wouldn't buy from Aquatraders and their ballasts are crap, and I do agree to a point. I have only heard of their Metal Halide ballasts being crap and smoking and in one case actually catching fire and melting. However I haven't heard anything negative about their PC lighting. In fact I ran a 36" PC light from them on my marine setup when I first got started. It worked out great, the only reason I got rid of it was because I upgraded to a Current Nova Extreme Pro T5HO(amazing)

It's worked out for me in the past so I may go this route again. With shipping it will be 310$..not bad. I just hope I don't get nailed with customs when it crosses the border because that's a real kick in the nuts. Right when you think you have a deal you have the pleasure of paying an additional 80$ and suddenly, your deal is non existent.


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## ZOSICK (May 25, 2005)

day bright and metalux make many different sizes and dimensions of T5HO high bay troffers and most are meant for damp locations...looking for cheap with good quality parts they are the way to go, not the most attractive to look(industrial warehouse fixtures) at but they get the job done.

for HID lighting track down a "RAB" out door flood light w/o bulb once again its an industrial fixture so its no pretty to look at but you can get them for 75w-800W

get to know an electrician or employee at an electrical supply house and you can save tons of cash on electrical parts and fixtures....standard mark up for retail too the public is around 2.5.

I'm not sure if this info helps you, but its at your disposal.


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## ryanimpreza (Jul 19, 2006)

Sheppard said:


> Ya I like the AH supply lights for sure.
> I saw on Aquatraders a 72" PC unit putting out 384watts which is ideal for my 180g.
> 
> I know alot of people say they wouldn't buy from Aquatraders and their ballasts are crap, and I do agree to a point. I have only heard of their Metal Halide ballasts being crap and smoking and in one case actually catching fire and melting. However I haven't heard anything negative about their PC lighting. In fact I ran a 36" PC light from them on my marine setup when I first got started. It worked out great, the only reason I got rid of it was because I upgraded to a Current Nova Extreme Pro T5HO(amazing)
> ...


I use 2 of these lights without problems for over a year. I did add cooling fans ..intake and out put on my hood. What a difference it made in cooling the lights off. Whenever you are ready I can fire over pics of my 15 dollar cooling system. I vote for these light though.

P.S. thx for the complements. It means a lot due to the amount of time and energy it takes. Good luck on your tank and post pics when you get some.


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## Sheppard (Jul 8, 2004)

06 C6 LS2 said:


> day bright and metalux make many different sizes and dimensions of T5HO high bay troffers and most are meant for damp locations...looking for cheap with good quality parts they are the way to go, not the most attractive to look(industrial warehouse fixtures) at but they get the job done.
> 
> for HID lighting track down a "RAB" out door flood light w/o bulb once again its an industrial fixture so its no pretty to look at but you can get them for 75w-800W
> 
> ...





> I use 2 of these lights without problems for over a year. I did add cooling fans ..intake and out put on my hood. What a difference it made in cooling the lights off. Whenever you are ready I can fire over pics of my 15 dollar cooling system. I vote for these light though.


Thanks alot 06. I'm still considering HID industrial fixtures and rigging it up myself. I really don't care how industrial looking it is. I'll probably enclose everything in a hood once I have it the way I want.

ryanimpreza..What 2 lights are you talking about that you used for over a year?
Do you mean 2 of the 36" PC units? or 2 of the 72" PC units?


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## ryanimpreza (Jul 19, 2006)

Sheppard said:


> day bright and metalux make many different sizes and dimensions of T5HO high bay troffers and most are meant for damp locations...looking for cheap with good quality parts they are the way to go, not the most attractive to look(industrial warehouse fixtures) at but they get the job done.
> 
> for HID lighting track down a "RAB" out door flood light w/o bulb once again its an industrial fixture so its no pretty to look at but you can get them for 75w-800W
> 
> ...





> I use 2 of these lights without problems for over a year. I did add cooling fans ..intake and out put on my hood. What a difference it made in cooling the lights off. Whenever you are ready I can fire over pics of my 15 dollar cooling system. I vote for these light though.


Thanks alot 06. I'm still considering HID industrial fixtures and rigging it up myself. I really don't care how industrial looking it is. I'll probably enclose everything in a hood once I have it the way I want.

ryanimpreza..What 2 lights are you talking about that you used for over a year?
Do you mean 2 of the 36" PC units? or 2 of the 72" PC units?
[/quote] 72 in. lights


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## Sheppard (Jul 8, 2004)

> 72 in. lights


Wow 2 of them eh?! So around 768watts in total?
That's a ton of light. What are you using for lighting now?


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## ryanimpreza (Jul 19, 2006)

Sheppard said:


> > 72 in. lights
> 
> 
> Wow 2 of them eh?! So around 768watts in total?
> That's a ton of light. What are you using for lighting now?


same


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## louisvillain2.0 (May 16, 2007)

I just upgraded from 3xt8's to a 72" 8x39W t5 unit on my 180g. The difference is mental. Only bad thing is that I now have to run CO2 to combat the algae which is starting to appear. Never had that problem with the low light.


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## Sheppard (Jul 8, 2004)

^^Louis that is insane! That's exactly how I want my 180g set up! All plants with branching wood prefferably roots going everywhere.
That's a sick looking setup so congrats on that.

ok so your'e running a 72" 8x39 watt T5 unit? Can I ask where you found that??
Also what about the wood? Did you buy it somewhere or did you find it and prep it yourself?


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## louisvillain2.0 (May 16, 2007)

I'm in australia and got the lights through my LFS. Try source them through ebay, my LFS gets them from Hong Kong and I'm pretty sure that supplier has an ebay store. About $190AUD for the lights. Runs two banks of 4 tubes on seperate switches so you can have 4 on then have all 8 come on for a few hours then back to just 4 (running 4x10000k and 4x6500k). Just need to rig up a bracket to hang it from. Branchy roots were collected from a local creek. Plants are all lowlight carry-overs from the previous scape, bolbitis, needle leaf java fern, crypts, jungle and nana val and micro val lawn. Various mosses and mini pellia on the woods as well.


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## Sheppard (Jul 8, 2004)

Well I decided to go with T5's. The light is ordered and is being made for me right now. 
It's 72" with 6x 54watt T5's. I can't wait. There were other units with 8 bulbs but I figure this route was easier than getting 8x39watts because 6x54 watts is more power with less bulbs and less space.

The bulbs will be staggered 3 on each end overlapping down the middle since the bulbs are 48" and this a 72" unit. 
I can't wait, I'll have pics up soon as it arrives. Heres a quick pic I have of what it will look like.


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## ryanimpreza (Jul 19, 2006)

that will be a sweet set up for sure.


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## louisvillain2.0 (May 16, 2007)

Definitely gonna be a nice unit.


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## l2ob (May 22, 2004)

nice unit. Do you mind sending me a pm where abouts you got that? im wanted to upgrade lighting on my 75 and 135g which is an 8footer and i like this idea you have going. Thanks


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## Sheppard (Jul 8, 2004)

^^Wait a sec, how is your 135g an 8footer? I guess it's not a standard 135g and you got it custom made?


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## traumatic (Jan 29, 2003)

sounds cool shep!

sweet tank louisvillain


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## l2ob (May 22, 2004)

Sheppard said:


> ^^Wait a sec, how is your 135g an 8footer? I guess it's not a standard 135g and you got it custom made?


its an acrylic tank i aquired from a friends dad that got it from the hyatt at which he works at. It measures out like 133 but i say 135 to keep it simple. Its not wide though only 16 inches i believe, so im looking into wider tanks. Anyways, could ya pm me where ya got those lights? looking for some ways of lighting my tanks. Thanks!


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