HI guy's! I am very new to planted tanks so go easy. I have a 54 gallon corner tank that I would like to use as a planted tank and house angelfish. Right now I have a 36 inch double strip light that included 2 25watt bulbs by All-Glass. I know that is not near enough light so I have been using Seachem Flourish and a Co2 system by Jungle. Now, my question is which would be the best way to go to get the light I need? I have looked at a Coral life Deluxe 2 65 watt bulbs 6700k each or All Glass has power compacts 2 55watt 9325k but it won't match my tank which is Maple in color. Any suggestions would be much appreciated.
lighting up 54 gallon corner tank
- Thread starter teresa33
- Start date
How deep is the tank, substrate to surface?
What type plants do you want to grow?
How much time do you want to expend on the tank?
These are questions that will need to be answered to give better feedback on lighting.
CF lighting is probably the way to go. How much will depend on your answers to the above. The more light, the more work and time necessary to balance the tank.
www.ahsupply.com/ has the best kits and reflectors.
Len
What type plants do you want to grow?
How much time do you want to expend on the tank?
These are questions that will need to be answered to give better feedback on lighting.
CF lighting is probably the way to go. How much will depend on your answers to the above. The more light, the more work and time necessary to balance the tank.
www.ahsupply.com/ has the best kits and reflectors.
Len
I'm not familiar with the dimensions of the 54 corner but if it's anything like my 92 corner, it has the triangular pieces of top trim in the front "corners". AHSupply has diy hood plans (simple ones!) for their kits. I'd suggest getting what you need from them and building the hood to match the tank.
-be
-be
Teresa33: I set up a 54g corner with plants and the light I used, although a bit pricey, is a sunpod from www.current-usa.com It is a 30" fixture with a 150 watt MH, I believe it comes with a 14k bulb but the store I ordered it through had no problem swapping it out for a 10k bulb, which the plants enjoy very much.
You have two options, you can either hang this lamp or put it on two brackets. I went the bracket route because I don't have any 2x4's above the tank, just sheet rock. Brackets will hold the fixture about 3 inches from the top of the tank and will not light the very back of the tank, I never found it to be a problem since most of the back ground plants learned to grow toward the light anyway. It cuts through water, incredible light... like i said though a little pricey
I'll get you a picture later as I'm hanging out at my parents house right now.
You have two options, you can either hang this lamp or put it on two brackets. I went the bracket route because I don't have any 2x4's above the tank, just sheet rock. Brackets will hold the fixture about 3 inches from the top of the tank and will not light the very back of the tank, I never found it to be a problem since most of the back ground plants learned to grow toward the light anyway. It cuts through water, incredible light... like i said though a little pricey
I'll get you a picture later as I'm hanging out at my parents house right now.
MH is like having a sun in your house. my tank is not big enough for the MHs taht are out on sale but for the next tank im thinking MH