What Fixture to Get? Help me out?

[FishCrazyBenBOMB]

Well I have a 5G heavily planted tank. About medium lighting. I have 2x 15W CFL 6500K bulbs over it. It's a custom fixture I made myself.


Now after having a small planted tank, I want to create a large planted tank. I have a 55G that is currently being used as a convict breeder. I want to plant the tank with them in there. I know i'll have to watch for them uprooting ect. I just want to plant the tank. I might eventually get rid of them since they are being horrible parents and eating their young.


The point of the story is that I need a light fixture for my 55G. I want medium light, no lower, maybe a little higher.

What do you suggest for a fixture to buy? Like I said, I want medium light, something cheap, it's a 55G tank.

A link would be appreciated, also a fast response would also be appreciated. Thank you

 

[bs6749]

Medium light and cheap? Might want to look into the "shop lights" that you can get at Home Depot or Lowes. You know, the 4 ft ones that are like $15 or so. Then you'd just need to figure out how to mount it or hang it. Should be simple though and it should give you a decent amount of light.

 

[FishCrazyBenBOMB]

Thanks Bryan. I was looking at fixtures that would suit about 2wpg and that were costing me over 100$ so I wanted to find something cheaper. I think it would be cool to have a light fixture hanging from the ceiling over my tank.

Thanks for the idea, i'll deff look into getting one of those shop lights at home depot or lowes.

 

[jsoong]

That is what I use. Get a T8 shoplight with an electronic ballast, and either hang it from the ceiling or mount it inside a homemade canopy. A single shoplight ($15) will give you 2*32W but equal to ~80W T12 NO lights, that is about 1.5 WPG.

You can use 2 of those to get to 3 WPG. If you get ones with electronic ballast, you can run just 3 lights to get at 2 WPG ish. <Because shoplights don't have as good reflectors as the "real" fixtures, running 3 WPG (4 lamps) will prob. still put you in medium light, without need for CO2.>

Another, slightly pricier alternative would be a PC retrofit kit. You can get a 96W PC retrofit kit at AH supply for $60, although you would need to build an enclosure for the light.
96 Watt Bright Kits

 

[FishCrazyBenBOMB]

That is what I use. Get a T8 shoplight with an electronic ballast, and either hang it from the ceiling or mount it inside a homemade canopy. A single shoplight ($15) will give you 2*32W but equal to ~80W T12 NO lights, that is about 1.5 WPG.

You can use 2 of those to get to 3 WPG. If you get ones with electronic ballast, you can run just 3 lights to get at 2 WPG ish. <Because shoplights don't have as good reflectors as the "real" fixtures, running 3 WPG (4 lamps) will prob. still put you in medium light, without need for CO2.>

Another, slightly pricier alternative would be a PC retrofit kit. You can get a 96W PC retrofit kit at AH supply for $60, although you would need to build an enclosure for the light.
96 Watt Bright Kits

I will most likely get a shop light and hang it from the ceiling. I would add my own reflectors aswell, I did in my other homemade fixture which is really helps it out.

I will be adding diy co2 like my other medium light aquarium. I'm going to try to find a light that I can get a straight like 110W-130W