lighting???

[fish-4-life]

What light for this tank?
Top Fin® 55 Gallon Starter Kit - Fish - Sale Category - PetSmart

 

[jetajockey]

depends, what is your goal? I believe it comes with basic single t8 bulbs.

 

[fish-4-life]

i want a medium lighting. i want live plants too. im thinking 75 watts...

 

[jetajockey]

The most cost efficient method is to get a cheap 48" fixture to span the tank. You may have to remove the hood to do that, though. Another thing would be to install a retrofit kit into the existing hoods.

Personally though if I just wanted something simple, cheap, and effective without going super high tech , I'd just get a cheap oddysea fixture from ebay. ~$65 shipped and be done with it.

 

[fish-4-life]

Is there anything that could fit into my hood?

 

[Jammer89]

^^^ Yes. If you plan to keep low light plants you can just replace the bulbs that come with it for bulbs that promote plant growth like the aqueon floramax bulbs. Just do some research on low light plants and you'll find a great variety. You can always plan on doing another fixture later if you want. I plan on doing something custom in the future just because I'm never satisfied and this hobby is quickly becoming a sickness.

 

[BBradbury]

Your 55 G Starter

Hello I...

Excellent choice on the 55. I have several and am a real fan of low light and low tech. I recommend either the 48 inch, 6500 K, 32 watt, T8 or the 48 inch, 6500 K, 40 watt, T12. Both will grow low light plants very well and the bulbs are less than $10.00 each at the local hardware stores.

I like to experiment with low light plants and different liquid ferts just to see what will grow. Attached are pics of a couple of my "Crazy Tanks".

Above all, have fun!

B

 

[fish-4-life]

can i use anything from here?
Fish Tank Lighting and Aquarium Hoods | PetSmart

 

[jetajockey]

Since it already has 24" individual hoods on it, you are stuck using whatever kind of bulb that takes (probably T8) unless you ditch it and go with an aftermarket fixture, or retrofit it.

 

[fish-4-life]

so i have to get rid of the hood if i want a differenet lighting?

 

[fish-4-life]

what abou these?
Aqueon® Freshwater T5 Light Fixture - Lighting & Hoods - Fish - PetSmart

Aqueon® T5 Fluorescent Colormax Lamp - Lighting & Hoods - Fish - PetSmart

 

[jetajockey]

It looks like it, unless you can rig up something to work in the place of the hoods that are on it. If the hood part with the light in it comes off then you could hang an aftermarket fixture in its place, but I've never had a dual hood tank so I'm just guessing.

Those would work if you can rig them up in place of the lights that are on it. Like I said I have not done it personally so I can't say for sure.

 

[JoeBob]

Well IMO you can get started with what you have. I guess I'm extremely low tech, but my plants seem to grow with the 24" lights that came with the tank. i did buy lights that are supposed to promote plant growth and they seem to do fine. Just depends how invested you want to get

 

[jetajockey]

That's a great point. Since you already have the lights, might as well use them and see how it goes. Upgrading them later is simple enough.

 

[fish-4-life]

Well IMO you can get started with what you have. I guess I'm extremely low tech, but my plants seem to grow with the 24" lights that came with the tank. i did buy lights that are supposed to promote plant growth and they seem to do fine. Just depends how invested you want to get

Do u have the same tank? If so do u have thelighting it came with?

 

[JoeBob]

No, not the SAME tank, but similiar. 55g, dual hood same ones that came with it with bulbs from Petsmart. I run my lights about 9 hrs a day because if I go more the algae gets crazy! (and if I spend any more money on my $400.00 free fish tank, my wife may kill me!)

 

[BBradbury]

Your Lighting

Hello again I...

For what it's worth, I've used the 2 lamp set up and the lights don't do a good job of covering the tank. It seemed to me, there was a gap in the middle and at both ends that weren't well lit.

I'd pop for a single strip. I think it will distribute the light better and you'll be happier with it.

B