What Bulbs to use?

[CleverBs]

I need help figuring out what Bulbs to get that will do best for my tank so that i dont have to buy different ones when I find out one kind wont worth, Basicly I want to avoid the whole "Trial and Error" and just skip to getting it right the first time.

So heres the deal, I am getting a 48 inch BLACK SOLAR T5 HO - 4 X 54W Fixture. This is for my 75 Gallon planted tank that I am building. I want to have enough light to were my plants are getting all the light they need but allowing my fish to look their best as well. Also I would like to have "High" light rating so i can grow whatever plant I want. My fish are Seprea Tetras Cardinal Tetras and German Blue Rams so my tank has alot of Red and Blue in it that i want to bring out. I have black eco-complete substrate and I am planning on Painting the back of the tank black to give a nice contrast.

My Bulb Options are as followed I can pick any number of them and i need 4x, Tell me what you think I should do because I am new to Lighting. Just post what type of combination you would do and if you could explain why. Thank You for all the help I have gotten on this site is has helped me avoid some mistakes that I would of made if doing this all on my own.

54 WATT T5 HO PLANT GROW 6,500k

54 WATT T5 HO 6,500K

54 WATT T5 HO 460 NM

 

[jetajockey]

Please stop making multiple threads on the same topic.

 

[CleverBs]

Please stop making multiple threads on the same topic.

its in a different section...and is more suited here. I dont see any reason wrong with this at all.

 

[MrBeta]

Well the fact that you've posted the same topic more than once could get you in trouble with the mods around here.
To answer your question, what's the difference between the two 6500 bulbs? That is about the right color temp for growing plants.
The 460nm are blue lights, IIRC, and I don't know that they do much for plants but the can bring out the colors in your fish.

 

[BillD]

for good color endition, get a tube with high CRI (Color Rendition Index). Sunlight has CRI of 100, and the closer to that the better.

 

[MrBeta]

I totally forgot about CRI. That's probably the difference in the two 6500k bulbs, right?

 

[BillD]

It could be the difference, or the difference could be the manufacturer.

 

[Batt4Christ]

My choice in the same situation would be:

2x 6500K "daylight"
1x 10000K
1X actinic (the 420N you listed)

My reasoning is that the 2x 6500K bulbs would insure enough of the plant spectrum, the 10000K would contribute some to that, but also makes for a somewhat whiter light that is more visually satisfying (6500K has a somewhat yellowish tint). And the actinic will really make the colors pop!

Just my thoughts. By the way- are you planning on using pressurized CO2?