Really want a planted tank - 75 gal

[pollex.jaypee]

Hi everyone!
I really want a planted tank, and soon I'll be setting up a 75 gal.(48x18x22)
the problem is, I don't know where to find a suitable bulb. Can I use those bulbs from the hardware? If yes, which ones?
And do I need a CO2 source? I'll put in fish of course.
Thank you!

 

[Fishperson]

Hi everyone!

I really want a planted tank, and soon I'll be setting up a 75 gal.(48x18x22)

the problem is, I don't know where to find a suitable bulb. Can I use those bulbs from the hardware? If yes, which ones?

And do I need a CO2 source? I'll put in fish of course.

Thank you!

Any bulbs between 6000K and 8000K are good. 4 23 watt CFLs (Compact Fluorescents) should be adequate for low light, but more would be better for higher light.

Co2 is only needed for medium or higher light levels, and I'm guessing you plan on lower lighting.

However it is certainly worth it to use liquid carbon supplements like Seachem Excel. They provide carbon in a simple form, and also have an algaecide, which makes them invaluable.

Any other questions?

 

[pollex.jaypee]

So plants do grow on hardware bulbs? I just have to look for those Kelvin units right? THANK YOU SO MUCH
Yep. I guess I'll go with low light. Hope I get plants that are suitable for that.
Wait, how should I know the number of bulbs to get? Will four be enough?

 

[Fishperson]

So plants do grow on hardware bulbs? I just have to look for those Kelvin units right? THANK YOU SO MUCH
Yep. I guess I'll go with low light. Hope I get plants that are suitable for that.
Wait, how should I know the number of bulbs to get? Will four be enough?

Yes of course they do. That's not to sound patronizing but it doesn't matter wether it is a "hardware" bulb or not, it's really the Kelvin units (color temperature, the actual color of light) and the wattage that matters.

No problem

I would think that on that tank around 100 watts of CFLs would be good but I really can't be sure. I would get a better opinion on that because I only use LED lights.

Anyway, you figure out how many bulbs to get based on the level of light you want. In the aquarium hobby we measure light strength, not usually in watts (which vary; 20 watts of LEDs are wwwaaaaaaayyyyyy stronger than 20 watts of incandescents or CFLs) but in PAR (photosynthetically active radiation, basically the level of light plants can use). Medium light is 40-70 PAR, you would be around 30 with 4 or 5 23 watt CFLs.

I'm not sure about the PAR values for CFLs though but I'm sure you could look online.

 

[F.Sam]

Anubias is really a great plant for any beginner in planted tanks.. It looks very pretty, is undemanding in nutrients and can live in low-light.. As an extra it even flowers given the right conditions


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

 

[pollex.jaypee]

So I've visited the hardware store, and woah, I really know nothing about lighting
Well, I've seen some T8s, and T5s, and an LED tube (really expensive)
All of them were 6400K.
I really don't know which to get. How many T5s or T8s?
Or is one LED Tube an option?

Sorry for all these questions.Thank you very much!

 

[pollex.jaypee]

F.Sam thank you for the suggestion!Hope I find that here in our country
Anubias looks beautiful!