Lighting and substrate for 50 gallon

[jm667]

I just got a 50 gallon tank (36x18x18) and need some suggestions for light. I want to have some nice easy to grow plants, but don't want to get into stuff thats too hard or dealing with injected CO2. I also don't want to spend a ton on lights. I am going to build a canopy, and I have heard of people just using shoplight fixtures in those. So I thought about getting one or two twin tube T5 fixtures (2-21 watt tubes in each one) from Home Depot for $30 each. So that would be either 42 watts or 84 if I get two. Then I'd probably need to get different bulbs though than the ones that come with it, right? Would I need bulbs with at least 6700K? Is this a good idea, or do you have other suggestions or can you point me to links? I would like to keep this in the price range I mentioned, around $50-75 or so. Or if you have some links to fixtures that might be better or other ideas, feel free to share.

As far as substrate, I want something that is black. Will gravel be sufficient, or would I need something else?

 

[brutus]

This is in your price range.You can get 2 and fit into a canopy.Coralife F/W T-5 Aqualight Double Strip Light-36

 

[jm667]

I actually ran across that one and was thinking it looked good. Since I have a glass top, I could just sit it on top of the glass and still build a canopy over the top, it doesn't necessarily have to be mounted to it I guess. My tank also came with a single strip T8 fixture, so the other thing I was thinking was maybe getting one of these fixtures and then use the T8 I have, and that would be 42w + 30w for 72 total. Only thing I just noticed was that after looking around that site and others, I did not see any replacement 36" T5 NO bulbs. They are all HO. Is that a hard size to find?

 

[brutus]

i have a 36 in. fixture the lights are in stock but there are a couple of big als close to me. i'm not sure why they show every size but that bulb online.

 

[jm667]

Any other ideas?