# Help: Lighting a 36 gal bow front



## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

That tank is about 21 inches high. With 2 inches of substrate the light will be about 19-20 inches from the substrate. A T8 bulb will give you less than 10 micromols of PAR, which is too little to grow plants with. A Coralife 2 bulb T5NO light will give you around 15 micromols of PAR, which is adequate for a low light tank - many people use this light on standard 55 gallon low light tanks, which are the same height. A FishNeedIt 2 bulb T5HO light will give you about 20-25 micromols of PAR, which is also low light, but enough to grow more different plants, especially if you use CO2 too. Excel will help if you use either the Coralife or FishNeedIT light, not as much as CO2 helps, but it is a good substitute for low light tanks.


----------



## apeddle (Jan 18, 2012)

What do you think of the glo t5 ho 24" double? Would this be suitable?


----------



## Lucille (Jun 15, 2010)

I have the same type of tank and have been thinking the same questions. There is actually room for more than one fixture, so I was thinking of using several.


----------



## apeddle (Jan 18, 2012)

I considered it, but I think one quality t5 setup would be enough lighting,


----------



## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

apeddle said:


> What do you think of the glo t5 ho 24" double? Would this be suitable?


I think you would have to raise this one maybe 4 inches to get the intensity down to a value that would be easy to live with. And, it is expensive for what it is.


----------



## Tenor1 (Jan 15, 2012)

I have the same tank as you and upgraded from CF's to LED. I'm writing more about the Excel. A 250 ml bottle treats 50 gallons for 1-2 months. That's what is written on the bottle.


----------



## apeddle (Jan 18, 2012)

How do you find the LED for growing?


----------



## RickR (Jan 1, 2012)

I have the same tank, running two T5NO fixtures with 2 24 in tubes in each. I have three inches of substrata. My Vals, Anacharis, Micro hair grass, and Abubas are growing and spreading.









Sent from my PC36100 using Tapatalk


----------



## apeddle (Jan 18, 2012)

Nice looking tank man! I just rigged up my own diy T5 ho using my stock hood. Only cost me about 70 bucks and it looks great. Also added 6 species of plants, they're looking great, water is a bit cloudily though since i was stirring up the substrate


----------



## djscotty (Sep 14, 2010)

Here is mine. 2 30" T5NO Coralife fixtures with excel dosing and Rootmedic ferts. No Co2


----------



## apeddle (Jan 18, 2012)

Thats a great looking tank! I'd love to have mine that dense but it has angels in it and they wouldn't have much swimming room.. I got the go ahead today to set up some grow tanks in the basement.. My friend and I are going to try to sell them, possibly online


----------



## RickR (Jan 1, 2012)

How did you convert to Ho? I would like to see how your tank turned out. Mine still has a way to go but thanks for the compliment.

Sent from my PC36100 using Tapatalk


----------



## RickR (Jan 1, 2012)

@Appedle Remember why they are built tall with stubby bodies. In the wild the short tall body length helps them manuever in grass beds and weeds where they hunt. The plants make them feel at home.

Sent from my PC36100 using Tapatalk


----------



## WeedCali (Jun 21, 2010)

I currently run 2 of the 2-bulb Coralife T5NO fixtures with 3 daylight bulbs and one 10,000k for 7hr a day on my 36bf.


----------



## Titan17 (Oct 27, 2011)

I have a Current USA Nova Extreme T5HO fixture on my 36 bowfront. Excellent fixture so far for the tank. I don't have hardly any algae in my tank either with no cleanup crew. The are pretty cheap at petmountain.com as well.


----------



## apeddle (Jan 18, 2012)

I'll see how the angels do with the plants currently in it, when the fill out a bit more anyway and I was going to do a video on my lighting after work tonight. I can post the link here if you like.


----------



## RickR (Jan 1, 2012)

Please do.

Sent from my PC36100 using Tapatalk


----------



## WeedCali (Jun 21, 2010)

I think the best option for T5HO for this tank or any 30" tank is the Coralife T5HO's because they actually utilize 30" bulbs rather than other companies that use 24" bulbs.


----------



## apeddle (Jan 18, 2012)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BEJxkvxCKpI

Sorry its so small, i took it on my phone..


----------



## RickR (Jan 1, 2012)

Very good.

Sent from my PC36100 using Tapatalk


----------



## stlouisan (Jun 8, 2006)

FINALLY I found a thread in a forum that talks about other 36G bowfronts! I have this tank as well and I'm debating on replacing my Current Orbit 2x65WPC for a new fixture. I just don't think the light is penetrating through the water column, especially with the glass hood on. Now I have some firsthand accounts on the T5 NO and HO fixtures.


----------



## rezco (Jan 25, 2012)

On my 10 gallon I use a single 23W sylvania daylight bulb (CFL) that is rated equivalent to 100w incandescent. Bought it at home depot for less than 10 bucks.. Color temp 6500k. Once I added co2 the plant growth exploded. In my opinion these cheap bulbs are sufficient.

If you want to spend money use co2. It will eliminate algae too.

A setup with 3 cfl's in pendants would probably work well in your tank.


----------



## Tenor1 (Jan 15, 2012)

apeddle said:


> How do you find the LED for growing?


The LED's in my 36-gallon bow front have been in my tank for one month now and they are fantastic. The system is by Ecoxotic and consists of three 19-watt 8000K strips and two 12-watt magenta stunner strips to offset the white lights. It i considered to be VERY-high PAR by Ecoxotic and I see it with the intense pearling. My old system was two 65-watt PC's.

To describe the difference between the two systems is hard since there are no direct values to compare. The substrate now looks like a light is shining directly on it where it wasn't like that with the CF's. There is a rippling shadow effect seen on the plants created by the water movement at the surface.

The entire system was $500,which includes all the lights, power cords and reflectors for each unit. It is all retrofitted in my Custom Sealife hood. The system is very quiet since it doesn't need a fan running at all.

The tank has a red water lilly and now the leaves don't rush up to the surface but just stay midlevel with very nice color. Prior they would grow right up to the water line and I would have to cut them back to prevent them from blocking light. The increased plant growth caused problems with C02 spiking and I had to compensate that issue. There needs to be an adjustment period of some type going to such an increase in light.

Overall, I am very pleased with the upgrade.


----------



## stlouisan (Jun 8, 2006)

primo light setup i'll say. do you think you can post a link to a video of the tank? i'm curious to see an LED tank and the ripples. 

I did some reading on the PAR readings Hoppy did(it's a sticky in the lighting section) and people are saying that the Coralife fixtures aren't as good as the AquaticLife brand. Something to do with the quality of the reflectors. Anyone have experiences with the AquaticLife T5 fixtures? or how about Current T5 lights, since I'm using Current brand PC fixture?

I also can't seem to find many T5NO fixtures. It looks as if it's been phased out for T5HO fixtures. Am I looking in the wrong places? Hoppy's sticky also mentions that the HO bulbs are run to the true/max output, a little less than twice as much as NO, which I guess is more efficient? I'm thinking I should get a 2bulb HO, that gives me the option of running on 1 bulb if I want medium light, and both bulbs if I want high light. 

My next curiosity is the light coverage of a 30" fixture that most likely uses 24" bulbs versus getting a 36" fixture with longer bulbs, but also 39W too. Overkill?


----------



## Tenor1 (Jan 15, 2012)

I'm JUST starting a major overhaul of the aquascape, that's why I upgraded the light system. I'll have to learn how to post pictures here and will share some when the project is completed. A manzanita branch is soaking in a bucket right now. I bought 3 pots of HC, which initially started to turn yellow, but now a very vibrant green and growing out of the post into the substrate.


----------



## stlouisan (Jun 8, 2006)

yeah you're HC is going to look awesome with that much light


----------



## Tenor1 (Jan 15, 2012)

I hope you're right stlouisan. While the manzanita branch is soaking I struggle with what I want in the aquascape. I just read up on the Iwagumi type of design and it looks intriguing.


----------



## stlouisan (Jun 8, 2006)

yes the most important thing is having good enough lighting to get that carpet effect


----------



## shamrock (Mar 27, 2012)

Hoppy said:


> That tank is about 21 inches high. With 2 inches of substrate the light will be about 19-20 inches from the substrate. A T8 bulb will give you less than 10 micromols of PAR, which is too little to grow plants with. A Coralife 2 bulb T5NO light will give you around 15 micromols of PAR, which is adequate for a low light tank - many people use this light on standard 55 gallon low light tanks, which are the same height. A FishNeedIt 2 bulb T5HO light will give you about 20-25 micromols of PAR, which is also low light, but enough to grow more different plants, especially if you use CO2 too. Excel will help if you use either the Coralife or FishNeedIT light, not as much as CO2 helps, but it is a good substitute for low light tanks.


I have the exact same tank & hood & I have the same issues with the lighting....If I purchase the FishNeedIt 2 bulb T5HO light..how does it sit on top of the tank? I like the hood that I have because it's all closed up. Can I use the new light fixture with my old hood? or do I need to purchase some other kind of top?


----------



## Chick_76 (May 19, 2012)

apeddle said:


> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BEJxkvxCKpI
> 
> Sorry its so small, i took it on my phone..


I just ordered the light kits from vesseys.com/ca. Thanks for posting that video! 

Can you tell me what is in your substrate? Did you use dirt? And what do you feed your plants?

Thanks

Chick_76


----------

