lighting options

[BakerBoy17]

What's a good, cheap fixture to grow med-high light plants?

 

[Brian_Nano12g]

On what size tank (how tall)? Co2?

 

[BakerBoy17]

75 gallon, four foot tank. And I was going to start injecting CO2 after the light upgrade.

 

[Zimmanski]

You can grow medium light plants really well with a two bulb t5ho fixture, but for the upper part of medium and into the high light range you're going to need a 4 bulb t5ho or some good LEDs. Right now on my 75 I have a two bulb coralife t5ho and a ray 2 that has put me into high light and all my plants are doing really well.

 

[BakerBoy17]

If I had a two bulb fixture, would I be able to grow carpet plants like dwarf star grass?

 

[Rivercats]

That's a deep tank so honestly since your planning on using CO2 I'd say a 4 bulb T5HO fixture. AquaticLife makes good T5HO fixture and many come with built in timers and LED Moonlights.

 

[BakerBoy17]

Thank you for your input. I'll have to look into those fixtures!

 

[Zimmanski]

By dwarf star grass to you mean downoi?


I never kept downoi under the dual t5ho when I had it by itself but I could never keep any carpeting plants more than just alive until I added the second fixture. With a good fixture, good ferts, and pressurized co2 you can grow just about anything you want though.

 

[BakerBoy17]

Brain fart! I meant hair grass.

 

[Zimmanski]

Brain fart! I meant hair grass.

Haha it happens, DHG would have been an easier guess for me haha. I have tried DHG under the dual t5, it was one that didn't die, but didn't do much more than that.

 

[BakerBoy17]

It didn't spread or anything?

 

[Zimmanski]

It didn't spread or anything?

I think I had a total of two runners. It didn't work for me anyway, I'm not saying it won't work for you. A two bulb fixture just doesn't have the par or spread like you're looking for though, you'd probably save yourself a lot of time and trouble spending the extra for the fixture that provides the lighting you're looking for the first time around instead of how I did it haha. I've had a dual t5no first, then I bought the dual t5ho, now I've got the dual t5ho And the ray 2. I love the lights I have, but if I knew then what I know now I would have done it different. Hindsight is 20/20 right? Haha

 

[BakerBoy17]

Sorry if it doesn't pop up, but would this be good?

http://item.mobileweb.ebay.com/viewitem?itemId=271194762217

 

[Tobykourtney]

I think I had a total of two runners. It didn't work for me anyway, I'm not saying it won't work for you. A two bulb fixture just doesn't have the par or spread like you're looking for though, you'd probably save yourself a lot of time and trouble spending the extra for the fixture that provides the lighting you're looking for the first time around instead of how I did it haha. I've had a dual t5no first, then I bought the dual t5ho, now I've got the dual t5ho And the ray 2. I love the lights I have, but if I knew then what I know now I would have done it different. Hindsight is 20/20 right? Haha

I went the exact same route you did. Started with a dual t5no, then got an aquaticlife dual t5ho and still wasn't satisfied. A couple of weeks ago I got a finnex ray 2 and I think I'm finally happy with it paired with the t5ho. Trial and error I guess.

 

[Tobykourtney]

Sorry if it doesn't pop up, but would this be good?

http://item.mobileweb.ebay.com/viewitem?itemId=271194762217

you could look into buildmyled.com. The 48 inch fixture is 270 dollars I believe and you won't have to worry about changing 6 bulbs every year or you could look into a finnex ray 2 for 170 dollars for medium light.

 

[aqua_chem]

What's your budget? Bear in mind that with higher light, you'll want to look into getting a CO2 system. I don't think you'll be happy with your DHG without one.

 

[Rivercats]

I have 2 Build My LED lights and am very happy with them. But in a deeper tank if you go that route go with a 75% beam angle as it condenses light which works better in a deeper tank.