Is there something cheaper for 60G tank?

[FishCrazyBenBOMB]

I'm trying to find a cheapish fixture for my 60G so I can start planting it. I'm trying to get enough lighting to grow a good amount of plants, without having to add ferts or co2.

I was thinking about buying an A H Supply 2x 55W compact bulb kit. It would fit the full 48in across and will give me about 2wpg.

It will cost me $116.92 for the kit and 2 bulbs.

Is there anything cheaper that will get me around that lighting, or is this the best i'll be able to do?

[JustOneMore20]

That is probably the best you're gonna do and gives you a good amount of light. All you'll need with that is an enclosure...which can be cheap to build. An already built fixture will be alot more than that.....and fluorescent fixtures won't give you enough light for good plant choices IMO.

[jsoong]

If you want to go really cheap, get 2 T8 shop lights at the hardware store. Make sure you get one with an electronic ballast. If your canopy allows, you can mount the shoplights inside, or get a glass top & hang the shop lights from the ceiling. If you are really into DIY, you can gut the shop lights, & using the parts, mount 4 T-8 lights inside your existing (or build your own new) canopy. <The last is what I did.>

4 t8's will give you 128W, just right for your 60 gal low/med light.

Costs for me: 2 shop light ~$35, 4x daylight 48" T8 ~ $12, 2 glass tops ~$40, material for DIY Canopy ~ $20.

[FishEggs]

Are you ever gonna want to upgrade later for those medium/high light plants? What's cheapest now might not be in the long run if so. i've learned that lesson trying to go the cheapest route. might want to just go with something like this and only use half of it for now.

[FishCrazyBenBOMB]

Originally Posted by FishEggs

Are you ever gonna want to upgrade later for those medium/high light plants? What's cheapest now might not be in the long run if so. i've learned that lesson trying to go the cheapest route. might want to just go with something like this and only use half of it for now.

I would love to do that, problem is that that is way out of my price range. Even if I do plan to upgrade I could always just buy another 1x96W from the ah supply and it would be just a little mroe then what you suggest and then I would have to worry about spending at ton at the beginning, more liek half and half.

[FishCrazyBenBOMB]

Originally Posted by jsoong

If you want to go really cheap, get 2 T8 shop lights at the hardware store. Make sure you get one with an electronic ballast. If your canopy allows, you can mount the shoplights inside, or get a glass top & hang the shop lights from the ceiling. If you are really into DIY, you can gut the shop lights, & using the parts, mount 4 T-8 lights inside your existing (or build your own new) canopy. <The last is what I did.>

4 t8's will give you 128W, just right for your 60 gal low/med light.

Costs for me: 2 shop light ~$35, 4x daylight 48" T8 ~ $12, 2 glass tops ~$40, material for DIY Canopy ~ $20.

Think you could give me some links for the shop lights, daylight bulbs, and glass tops?

[WhiskeyD]

I just bought a brand new Current Nova X2 T5HO fixture on ebay for $50 + $20 shipping . Watch ebay and craigslist and you will find a better deal than the AH kit. Theres a few compact florescent fixtures on craigslist around here for $50-75

[FishCrazyBenBOMB]

Originally Posted by WhiskeyD

I just bought a brand new Current Nova X2 T5HO fixture on ebay for $50 + $20 shipping . Watch ebay and craigslist and you will find a better deal than the AH kit. Theres a few compact florescent fixtures on craigslist around here for $50-75

Well see my local craigs list is dumb and never has good stuff like everyone else, and I don't use eBay, just don't trust it very well lol.

[mgamer20o0]

T5-HO Light
Catalina Aquarium Solar T5

[mom2reds]

I also was going to suggest catalinaquarium.com or call them at 916-381/3551 and talk to them they built my light and I told them that I would probably want to upgrade to higher light latter so they left room in my fixture so that I could add another ballist to it latter. They are really easy to work with !!!!!!

[FishCrazyBenBOMB]

Originally Posted by mom2reds

I also was going to suggest catalinaquarium.com or call them at 916-381/3551 and talk to them they built my light and I told them that I would probably want to upgrade to higher light latter so they left room in my fixture so that I could add another ballist to it latter. They are really easy to work with !!!!!!

How much did it cost you and how big is your fixture?

[FishCrazyBenBOMB]

Originally Posted by mgamer20o0

T5-HO Light
Catalina Aquarium Solar T5

On the first link, the lights that come with the 48in one the 2x 54W, are those good for plants or will they need to be replaced? If so what kind of bulbs are they as in like square pin, straight pin, ect.

[mom2reds]

Originally Posted by FishCrazyBenBOMB

How much did it cost you and how big is your fixture?

My fixture is for a 100 gal tank (60 inches) and I think I paid about 110$ and that is with shipping and it came with the lights and legs and moon lights.

here is a picture of it on my tank.

[jsoong]

Originally Posted by FishCrazyBenBOMB

On the first link, the lights that come with the 48in one the 2x 54W, are those good for plants or will they need to be replaced? If so what kind of bulbs are they as in like square pin, straight pin, ect.

The T5-HO's are best for light output, esp. if you have a good reflector. If you can get it at a good price, go for it. You can find T5 HO bulbs in various spectrum, get something in the 6500-7000K range & you should be set. <The bulbs are just like ordinary linear fluorescent ... 2 pins on each end.>

BTW - on your earlier Q on my DIY T8 setup:
sorry no links - the shoplights are from Home Depot - basically generic but are T8 with electronic ballasts (printed right on the box.)
Bulbs are Phillips Daylight Full Spectrum, also from HD. <Note that the Phillips ADV line is supposed to be even better for light ouput per watts ... as good as the PC's ... but I can't find those in Canada.
My glass tops are these:
Aquarium Hoods & Canopies: All-Glass Versa-Tops
2x 24" for my tank.

[mgamer20o0]

Originally Posted by jsoong

BTW - on your earlier Q on my DIY T8 setup:
sorry no links - the shoplights are from Home Depot - basically generic but are T8 with electronic ballasts (printed right on the box.)
Bulbs are Phillips Daylight Full Spectrum, also from HD. <Note that the Phillips ADV line is supposed to be even better for light ouput per watts ... as good as the PC's ... but I can't find those in Canada.
My glass tops are these:
Aquarium Hoods & Canopies: All-Glass Versa-Tops
2x 24" for my tank.

GWAPA: ODNO Lighting

Originally Posted by FishCrazyBenBOMB

On the first link, the lights that come with the 48in one the 2x 54W, are those good for plants or will they need to be replaced? If so what kind of bulbs are they as in like square pin, straight pin, ect.

they will replace them if you call them to what ever you want.

[mkurtzer70]

t5's are about the cheapest you can go if you want to e ven get cheaper go to walmart and pick up under cabinet t 5's that are about 23 inches long the ones i got you can hook five of them up in line with each other they only cost about ten bucks. then just make your own hood and reflector. you can make your hood out of oak or even cheaper luanne wood with osb plyplywood. go to your local hardware store and buy some mylor its cheap and make a relector. mylor is like a plastic aluminium foil really bright when light is reflected off it you should get some good vegg out of it trust me it works great plus if you do it right you might only spend about fifty to sixty bucks. i have seen this method used on other more sensitive plants if you know what i mean and made some very pretty plants

[severum mama]

Originally Posted by FishCrazyBenBOMB

On the first link, the lights that come with the 48in one the 2x 54W, are those good for plants or will they need to be replaced? If so what kind of bulbs are they as in like square pin, straight pin, ect.

Power compact bulbs are the ones that you need to worry about square pin vs. straight pin. That would be the AH supply kit and such. HO T5 bulbs are all the same on the ends. You just need to know what K rating you want (no actinic bulbs for plants), and the wattage of the bulbs that fit in your specific fixture.

My advice, like the others, is to buy the best you can afford. If you cheap out now, there's a good chance you'll be disappointed with your purchase later and end up spending more in the long run. Whoever found the Nova 2x54W fixture for $70 shipped got a great deal on Ebay... if you're patient and decide to deal with Ebay that would probably be your best bet. It would save you a ton of money over the AH supply retro kit, and regardless of wattage I can tell you that you will get noticeably more light output from the T5 fixture.

Originally Posted by mkurtzer70

t5's are about the cheapest you can go if you want to e ven get cheaper go to walmart and pick up under cabinet t 5's that are about 23 inches long the ones i got you can hook five of them up in line with each other they only cost about ten bucks. then just make your own hood and reflector. you can make your hood out of oak or even cheaper luanne wood with osb plyplywood. go to your local hardware store and buy some mylor its cheap and make a relector. mylor is like a plastic aluminium foil really bright when light is reflected off it you should get some good vegg out of it trust me it works great plus if you do it right you might only spend about fifty to sixty bucks. i have seen this method used on other more sensitive plants if you know what i mean and made some very pretty plants

That would be pretty cheap, but remember that regular T5 bulbs have nowhere near the light output of HO T5s.

[Da Squid]

Nova Extreme 48 inch T-5 Fixture 2x54W FW: Aquarium Supplies - Aqua Buys

This seemed to me the best deal out there. Its more wattage than I can handle right now, but if you just use one of the bulbs then you should be at around 1.75 wpg which isnt bad for low medium plants i'm told.

Word of warning though, I bought it more than a month ago and still havent received it. Major backorder problems. Its supposed to arrive tommorow.

[severum mama]

Originally Posted by Da Squid

Nova Extreme 48 inch T-5 Fixture 2x54W FW: Aquarium Supplies - Aqua Buys

This seemed to me the best deal out there. Its more wattage than I can handle right now, but if you just use one of the bulbs then you should be at around 1.75 wpg which isnt bad for low medium plants i'm told.

Word of warning though, I bought it more than a month ago and still havent received it. Major backorder problems. Its supposed to arrive tommorow.

HO T5s have pretty much rendered the WPG guideline useless IMO. That fixture, with 108W T5 light, is much brighter than 130W power compact light. You can easily keep medium light plants with the T5 fixture, and it would be a good idea to supplement with CO2 and ferts.

How do you plan to run only one of the bulbs? That model has only one switch and one power cord.

[Da Squid]

I was assuming it would be alright to just unplug one of the bulbs and leave it out of the fixture all together. Why? Do you think that wouldn't be possible? Ugh oh.... tell me I didnt just force myself to buy a CO2 system! haha.