# What type of lighting do you use and how much did it cost?? Include pics please!



## Rex Grigg (Dec 10, 2002)

55 gallon tank 4x55 watt AH Supply
29 gallon tank 2x55 watt AH Supply
20 gallon tank 1x55 watt AH Supply
5 gallon tank 2x13 watt AH Supply
15 gallon tank two 15 watt strip lights


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## RachPreach (Jan 16, 2006)

rex....ah supply doesnt come with the bulbs do they?


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## Rex Grigg (Dec 10, 2002)

Nope. You have to buy them. And they sell them on the site.

Why is this such a big thing for some people? You don't get stuck with bulbs you don't want. You get exactly what you want. AH Supply sells lights to several areas of the hobby. Their method is best for what they are. Buy the kit, buy the bulbs, get exactly what you want.


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## RachPreach (Jan 16, 2006)

ok i looked at the website and I see the bulbs are sold seperately. That seems kind of expensive to me. I am obviously doing this thread because im looking to upgrade but currently I have two shoplights with t8 bulbs in each of them with two reflectors that look just like the ones from ah supply. Can I buy anything superior to what i have and still use the reflectors some how?


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## Rex Grigg (Dec 10, 2002)

Price PC bulbs. You will find that the AH Supply prices are very reasonable. However don't make the mistake of comparing brand name bulbs that AH Supply sells with the cheap Chinese knockoffs you see on eBay.


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## RachPreach (Jan 16, 2006)

I want something that can be drilled into my canopy instead of it being supported on each end of the aquarium.


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## RachPreach (Jan 16, 2006)

what about this jbj kit from aquariumplants.com:

http://www.aquariumplants.com/product_p/jbjdx.htm


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## fshfanatic (Apr 20, 2006)

You can do that with AH Supply no problem


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## Jdinh04 (Mar 15, 2004)

I believe I have a dual coralife light fixture, with 2x 96watts one 6,700k and the other is 10,000k. Bought it on eBay for like $98 shipped or something like that ...


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## fshfanatic (Apr 20, 2006)

RachPreach said:


> what about this jbj kit from aquariumplants.com:
> 
> http://www.aquariumplants.com/product_p/jbjdx.htm





> (note: not for enclosed canopy "hood" systems: see retro-fit systems)


Seems it is not what you are looking for accourding to your previous post


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## RachPreach (Jan 16, 2006)

oh yeah thats right...silly me. 

ok just keep the posts coming. I want to know what everyone has!


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## RachPreach (Jan 16, 2006)

hey rex...since i already have reflectors just like the ones at ah supply, is there anyway that i could rig up something with just some different bulbs?


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## RachPreach (Jan 16, 2006)

which type of these bulbs is the best:
10k white bulbs, actinic blue bulbs, or 50.50's half actinic / half white


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## RachPreach (Jan 16, 2006)

What about this? http://cgi.ebay.com/48-inch-retro-f...ryZ46314QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem#ebayphotohosting


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## RachPreach (Jan 16, 2006)

Or this...https://www82.safesecureweb.com/web...en=PROD&Product_Code=CU01606&Category_Code=SR

Sorry im so annoying


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## RachPreach (Jan 16, 2006)

http://www.aquabuys.com/miva/mercha...ght_4x65_48&Category_Code=d2&Product_Count=13


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## xcooperx (Jun 21, 2006)

Why rex is there a CF Bulb made from China, and china products is a good quality though, It just depend on who manufactured the product. Yeah Ah supply kit is the best way to go, its expensive but it will reward you and more cheaper in the long run.


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## Rex Grigg (Dec 10, 2002)

RachPreach said:


> which type of these bulbs is the best:
> 10k white bulbs, actinic blue bulbs, or 50.50's half actinic / half white


Read my Guide. It's all in there. Of all the bulbs you listed ONLY one is suitable for use over a planted tank.

And I highly doubt you have reflectors just like the ones from AH Supply. Because the only place you get them is AH Supply.



> What about this? http://cgi.ebay.com/48-inch-retro-fi...ayphotohosting


It will work but the reflectors are crap. Also a lot of people seem to think they are going to get a good deal on eBay now days. It just doesn't happen. eBay used to be a decent place. But then people starting trying to make a living selling on eBay and businesses took over. Now a lot of the crap you find on eBay is just that.... crap. 



> Or this...https://www82.safesecureweb.com/weba... gory_Code=SR


Again, lousy reflectors and actually more expensive than AH Supply. Why don't you take the damn suggestion and get AH Supply?




> Why rex is there a CF Bulb made from China, and china products is a good quality though, It just depend on who manufactured the product.



Yes there are CF bulbs manufactured in China. You primarily see them being sold on eBay for ~$7-$10 each. I know people that have bought these bulbs and these fixtures. The failure rate on these Chinese bulbs is pretty close to 100% in a year. I have yet to see a non-brand name CF bulb made in China that is worth a damn. Sure the big companies make some bulbs there. But they have quality control. The bulbs that fail end up on the gray market. Or there is a smaller factory down the street that makes bulbs with out any quality control. I have also seen a lot of bulbs that were supposed to be 10,000k bulbs that I would highly doubt were even actually 5000k bulbs. 

Good quality phosphors are not cheap. And the higher the k rating of the phosphor the more expensive they are.

When I see a no-name Chinese built light fixture with bulbs for less than you would pay for 4 GE 9235k bulbs or about the same as a decent ballast I have to wonder where they cut costs. Sure their labor rate is a couple of bucks a day or free if the product is built by prison labor. But raw materials still cost money. And there is actually very little labor involved except for the assembly. So where do they save all the money? And when you see these products being sold on eBay by merchants you have to figure they are at lease key stoning the stuff. That means if they are selling it at $50 they most likely paid $25.


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## jhoetzl (Feb 7, 2005)

I'd have to agree with all, although I bought most of my fixtures (Coralife ones) before I knew of AH supply a few years back. At any rate, I like the 8000k All-Glass branded CF bulbs mixed with a Current USA branded Dual daylight 6700/10000 bulb. Color wise, I just like the rendition and I think that covers the spectrums nicely. In a larger fixture, the dual daylight isn't necessary, because you have the option of mixing bulbs, but the largest fixture I have holds 2 CF bulbs.


If I was going the branded route, I'd probably go with Current USA ones...if I was DIY'ing, AH would be it.


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## RachPreach (Jan 16, 2006)

> Posted by Rex Grigg: Again, lousy reflectors and actually more expensive than AH Supply. Why don't you take the damn suggestion and get AH Supply?


Im sorry to annoy you but Im a broke ass college kid and $300 isnt something to just throw around. I was just checking all of my options. As far as AH supply goes here are my two options:

1) 2x96watts=114.99
1x55watts=41.99
-------
$155
bulbs= 66
TOTAL=$about 221 for 247 watts(giving me about 2.5 wpg)

2) 3x96watts=169.99
bulbs= 99
TOTAL= $269 for a total of 288 watts for about 2.9 wpg.

The first option is ok but i dont know how much good light coverage i could get with the 55 watt since its only about 30in long.

the second option is good but that puts my wpg pretty high and I am curious as to how much maintainance that will be(fert. amount, co2)??


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## jhj (Jan 31, 2006)

RachPreach said:


> but Im a broke ass college kid and $300 isnt something to just throw around.


Why dont you go for the shop light option if you are really tight on cash? 

I know it is a very controversial option and is frowned upon by serious hobbyists nonetheless, it does work, a couple of people I know use it and grow really good plants.

The cheap shop lights are 48" (I am sure you can find shorter version, but they cost more and null the cost benefit) and your tank is 30", you will have 9" of overhang on each side- not that big deal IMO.

Each strip light costs $8 at Home Depot and you can get a pair of 6500k T8 bulbs for $6. Put two strip lights and you have approx. 136W total (each T8 bulb is 36W or 32W, I dont remember). Your total cost would be around $38+tax.


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## jgc (Jul 6, 2005)

A lot of us have been where you are - looking for cheep lighting for plants.

A lot of us who have tried various options (such as odno shop lights or spiral cf's) had decent luck with them, but ultimately are not necessarily using them anymore... The reasons probably vary. I know I retired my odno because I ultimately wanted a little more light and the shop light fixtures did not match my living room decor. 

AHSupply is ultimately cheeper than buying something marginal and latter replacing it. Something about an addage that it is cheeper to by quality once.

My primary light is a 250 Watt HQI. I think it ultimately ran me about $400. The ballist was about $100, the pendant was about $125, the first bulb was about $75 - but due to issues that were never quite found the bulb died after a month. As such I will throw in the second bulb as part of the price of the system.

While I was waiting with bulb #2 dead, I did an ODNO system. 2 t-8 2x od cost $40. I also had 2 NO t-8's (another $16 or so). It worked, but wanted more light, and was not ready to invest in new reflectors and a second wh5 ballists - knowing that ultimately I would have almost as much invested in shop lights as a nice AHSupply system.

---
Please understand that $8 shoplights are not increadably efficient at getting light into the water. They are more refractors than reflectors - and spill light everywhere (nice for shops, inefficient for tanks). My emergency lighting started out as 2 2bulb shop lights (2 t-8 tubes, 2 t-12). I then switched the t-12's out for overdriven t8's (the normal output t8's appeared much brighter than the normal output t-12's, and the overdriven t-8's appeared much brighter than the normal output t-8's.

Still in the end, I craved more light.


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## BlueRam (Sep 21, 2004)

A reason to use AHS is that you can get a 3' bulb (96W) and a 2' bulb (55W) to cover your 5' tank well. Start with one set and move up to doubles if you need to.
If you know reef keepers, ask about VHO lights.


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## RachPreach (Jan 16, 2006)

ok jbj, i dont have a 30'' tank. Its a 5ft tank. I also have a canopy over my tank. I was refering to the 55 watt kit as being on about 30 inches long so i dont know how effiecient that would be for a 5ft tank as mentioned in option #1.

Also, what i have now are two shop lights with 4 t8 bulbs in them. I have the shoplights screwed into my canopy. I want more lighting than that so i tried to overdrive them but it doesnt seem to be working out with the walmart "lights of america" brand that i have.

So as i mentioned earlier..i want to know which option from ah supply would be better. My concerns for option #1 are listed. thanks

also like i said earlier...i want to know how much more maintainance it would be to have almost 3 wpg??


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## Rex Grigg (Dec 10, 2002)

The 55 watt kits are actually 22" long.


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## mrbelvedere (Nov 15, 2005)

RachPreach said:


> which type of these bulbs is the best:
> 10k white bulbs, actinic blue bulbs, or 50.50's half actinic / half white



The lighting spectrum/kelvin rating question has been asked approximately a million times over.

AHsupply is good stuff. I've used their bulbs before with very good results, although I've never used their Bright Kits. 

My lighting cost $130 plus shipping for a Catalina Aquarium 2x65 watt fixture. When I went low-tech I swapped it out for an Advanced Sealife 1x65 watt fixture. That was a trade so I have no idea how much it cost. 

I have a 1x36 fixture from Catalina over my ten. It cost like 60 bucks. 

I have some stock lighting over the 15, soon to be upgraded to a 1x36 watt fixture from Catalina. Catalina is good stuff.


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## RoseHawke (Mar 10, 2004)

4x55 AHSupply. Right now I'm only using the rear bank for 2WPG. One reason I've decided against a 120 gallon tank for my next tank is that the footprint is kind of funky (5' long) so hard to light with standard bulbs. The hood on this one has now been retro-ed so many times that it's rather like a piece of swiss cheese . Makes for good ventilation though.










I know AHSupply will sell reflectors without the kit, why don't you inquire and see if they'll sell a kit without the reflectors?


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## jgc (Jul 6, 2005)

I use high light/high co2/high fert. I have a poorly trimmed jungle. I need to prune fairly heavily every week or two, or the fish start to run out of places to swim. Other than trimming, I fert daily and do in excess of 50% water changes weekly - I am at arround 5/watts per gallon, but hqi are sposed to be rather efficient at getting light to the plants.

That said, growth can also be controled with plant selection. My tank is dominated by an Amazon sword at the moment, much to the detriment of a lot of the other plants. The sword requires less trimming, but is a serious source of shade.


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## RachPreach (Jan 16, 2006)

mrbelve.....can you give me a website to where you got your lights from??

Im guessing im going to go with the 3x96 watt kit from ah supply. What do yall think?


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## BlueRam (Sep 21, 2004)

RachPreach said:


> Im guessing im going to go with the 3x96 watt kit from ah supply. What do yall think?


I think that this will give you uneven lighting as 3X 3 foot bulbs will be more difficult to arrange over a 5 foot tank. It terms of cost, full coverage is a wash: 
3X 96W = $170 ($100 for bulbs)
2X 96W +2X 55W= $180 ($106 for bulbs)

If money is an issue start with 2X 96W ($180 total) and add the others later?


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## endparenthesis (Jul 13, 2004)

I got all of my stuff here: http://www.specialty-lights.com/ (for this much stuff, shipping would be free)

$15 - 54w T5 HO 6500K 4' tube
$23 - excellent reflector (AH Supply is great and all, but it's not like they have the market cornered)
$45 - HO ballast
$12 - waterproof endcaps
$30 - wood, wiring, glue, stain, switch, and power cord for the enclosure

So that's $125 for lighting for a 40g that's about 5000 lumens and makes glosso lie nice and flat (granted it doesn't fit the aquarium, but it's meant to be suspended above so I didn't mind the few extra inches of overlap). It also saves a bit of electricity being less than half the wattage of the average AH Supply kit. Wattage was one of my highest priorities, as I was intending to make back much of what I spent in electricity savings, and I didn't even spend that much.

If I ever get a 75-100g, I can easily add another reflector and lamp to the enclosure for about another $50.

They have 5 foot tubes and reflectors as well, which might be just what you need.

And those tubes aren't that exact length, by the way. My enclosure containing my "4 foot" tubes and endcaps is still only 4 feet long.

EDIT: I just noticed this too... http://www.specialty-lights.com/250525.html ... but I don't see a 5' version.

ANOTHER EDIT: I didn't realize AH Supply's lights were HO... I thought they were just T5's. I can't find anything on their site that confirms either way.


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## BlueRam (Sep 21, 2004)

You might ask Silent Running for opinions on a 100gal tank. 
http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/photo-album/11648-silent-runnings-100-gallon-updated-7-a.html


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## kzr750r1 (Jun 8, 2004)

endparenthesis said:


> I got all of my stuff here: http://www.specialty-lights.com/ (for this much stuff, shipping would be free)
> 
> $15 - 54w T5 HO 6500K 4' tube
> $23 - excellent reflector (AH Supply is great and all, but it's not like they have the market cornered)
> ...


This is where I picked up my tek light a few years ago. Good company and I like the T5 cause the heat is not so high compared to CF and MH. Havn't tried there retrofit kit yet but the reflectors look good.


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## RachPreach (Jan 16, 2006)

so does this specialty lighting place have pretty good instructions on how to hook everything up? What would yall suggest me getting if I wanted 2.5 to 3.0 wpg?


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## Brilliant (Apr 11, 2006)

opps too much reading about reef tanks.

I would buy metal halides


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## kzr750r1 (Jun 8, 2004)

RachPreach said:


> so does this specialty lighting place have pretty good instructions on how to hook everything up? What would yall suggest me getting if I wanted 2.5 to 3.0 wpg?


Personally I'd be trying to figure out how to power four 80w 5' T5 on two seperate ballasts. They have everything else, caps reflectors and bulbs.

Look at the workhorse for the ballast that can power 160w from two T5.

They don't seem to have a ballast that can do what I discribe but it's definitly possible.

This way you can mix the Kelvin a bit and control the banks seperatly with two timers. This way you can have a miday bright cycle and adjust as needed.


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## mrbelvedere (Nov 15, 2005)

Brilliant said:


> 20 bucks says you regret buying this PC crap.
> 
> I would buy three 150 HQI pendants.
> 
> ...



PC's are fine and have proven themselves over the years. T-5 is also good. 

3x150 Halides is a beast of a lighting system. I'd say too much, at least for me. Hell, a 4x65 watt would be enough. This is why a lot of us have algae problems. We simply have an excess of light and cannot balance everything else around it. People do 4x55 on 55 gallon tanks but I would say you need a really good understanding of fertilizing and CO2 to do it. You do not need 400 plus watts over a 100 gallon to grow plants. Not even half that. Most high light plants do fine in medium lighting with adequate CO2. 

BTW, Rachel, the website is www.catalinaaquarium.com.


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## RachPreach (Jan 16, 2006)

uhh....im getting kinda frustrated. Im so confused as to what to get. I dont mind spending a little bit of money but i have all these suggestions and i dont know what to do. I want something that I dont have to buy all of these seperate pieces to and not knowing if i got everything I should have. I like the ah supply 3x96 but blue ram said that it would be uneven since it is only 2ft long. I agree with that, but now what am i left with?


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## RachPreach (Jan 16, 2006)

is something like this what i need? 

http://www.catalinaaquarium.com/product_info.php?cPath=7_13&products_id=1334


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## RoseHawke (Mar 10, 2004)

Trust me, I know the feeling Rach . Like I said, 5' is a kind of a beast of a footprint to work with. You could go ahead and get the AHS 3x96 and just work with it as far as the uneven lighting and how your plant choices would go, i.e. put lower light plants where there's less, higher light where there's more. 

The AHS kit is very complete, in fact what threw me for a loop is the fact that there _are_ all of these extra pieces that you might or might not need. You know, "What the heck is _this_ for?" kind of feeling . Also that although the wiring itself is pretty straightforward, I had to figure out how to _route _all those wires and was most definitely not in the mood for it that day, and it showed :icon_roll. When I retro-ed my hood to flip up I re-did all that and am much happier with it now.


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## Rex Grigg (Dec 10, 2002)

The 96 watt kits are ~35" long.

I'll make it simple. Get 2x96 watt kits from AH Supply. That will grow the majority of plants for you. If that amount of light is not enough then get 2x55 watt kits from them. That will be more than enough.

One of the nice things about AH Supply is that they include everything but the tools. Also they include very simple directions. I have yet to find anyplace else that includes all that.

Sure you can save some money other places. But then you get a box of parts, most likely lacking screws and such to mount it, with no directions.


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## RachPreach (Jan 16, 2006)

rex...if i did go with the 2x96 and the 2x55 how would i arrange that under my canopy considering my tank is 5ft long?


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## RachPreach (Jan 16, 2006)

ok ok i got it now...i can put the 2x96 reflector in front and the two seperate 2x55watt reflectors behind it?? Is that right?


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## endparenthesis (Jul 13, 2004)

RachPreach said:


> so does this specialty lighting place have pretty good instructions on how to hook everything up? What would yall suggest me getting if I wanted 2.5 to 3.0 wpg?


I think two 5' tubes would be just fine for that. WPG is already flawed, and with HO T5s it's out the window. If you multiply the wattage of a HO T5 by 4, that's a WPG number you can work with.

The ballast itself has instructions on what connects to what. You need solid copper wire (not threaded) of a certain gauge (I forget what, but it's easily found at Home Depot).

The website sells a power cord, but unfortunately it's threaded wire, so you need to put solid wire in between that and the ballast.

It's pretty plug-and-play, but I didn't personally like how the wiring connected to the end caps. The wires wouldn't fall out or anything, but I wouldn't be surprised if one day I need to wiggle a wire or two to get the connection back. No problems so far in 6 months though.

If you pay your electrical bills, I'd still advocate for HO T5s, especially since you're fortunate enough to have a tank length that's the same as a bulb length. With oil prices and all, there's something to be said for an energy-efficient solution.

No cooling needed either (which would be even less efficient)... the filter and the lighting together keep my tank at a perfect 78 degrees or so.


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## RachPreach (Jan 16, 2006)

Endparenthesis.....would you mind telling me exactly what to get(in a list)...and what website are you talking about?


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## mrbelvedere (Nov 15, 2005)

RachPreach said:


> is something like this what i need?
> 
> http://www.catalinaaquarium.com/product_info.php?cPath=7_13&products_id=1334



Not a bad idea, but I would go with Rex's suggestion, especially since you are putting them in a canopy and not an open top hood like I have on my tanks.


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## RachPreach (Jan 16, 2006)

mrbelvedere said:


> Not a bad idea, but I would go with Rex's suggestion, especially since you are putting them in a canopy and not an open top hood like I have on my tanks.


 why wouldnt that work in a canopy? it looks like it can be screwed in??


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## Brilliant (Apr 11, 2006)

mrbelvedere said:


> PC's are fine and have proven themselves over the years. T-5 is also good.
> 
> 3x150 Halides is a beast of a lighting system. I'd say too much, at least for me. Hell, a 4x65 watt would be enough. This is why a lot of us have algae problems. We simply have an excess of light and cannot balance everything else around it. People do 4x55 on 55 gallon tanks but I would say you need a really good understanding of fertilizing and CO2 to do it. You do not need 400 plus watts over a 100 gallon to grow plants. Not even half that. Most high light plants do fine in medium lighting with adequate CO2.
> 
> BTW, Rachel, the website is www.catalinaaquarium.com.



darnit you caught me...:icon_evil 
well I think your right Im not gonna argue they dont grow plants but seeing my tank shimmer like that made me weak in the knees. I thought it was stunning already with the PC fixture.


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## RoseHawke (Mar 10, 2004)

mrbelvedere said:


> ". . . People do 4x55 on 55 gallon tanks but I would say you need a really good understanding of fertilizing and CO2 to do it."


Darn straight. This is why I have half of my lights turned *OFF *right now :icon_roll. So far so good.


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## Rex Grigg (Dec 10, 2002)

With 2x55 and 2x96 you would put them in like this


96 - 55
55- 96

That way you get really even coverage.



> I think two 5' tubes would be just fine for that. WPG is already flawed, and with HO T5s it's out the window. If you multiply the wattage of a HO T5 by 4, that's a WPG number you can work with


Sorry but I have to call bull**** on this one.

PC bulbs are HO T5 bulbs. And the WPG rule works just fine with them. You are trying to say that with a single 4' 54 watt T5 bulb you will get the same results you will with a 4x55 watt AH Supply kit? I find that extremely hard to believe since you are working with the same lighting technology.


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## RachPreach (Jan 16, 2006)

rex---the 2x96 watt kit i thought came with just one reflector. Now if i decided to buy two 1x96 kits then that would work but thats more that just the 2x96 watt kit.


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## RachPreach (Jan 16, 2006)

2 x 96 watt Bright Kit
40962
$114.99

Includes one 24 ounce solid-state electronic ballast (18.5"L x 1.7"W x 1"H); one 34.5"L x 7"W x 2"H multi-angle MIRO 4 polished aluminum reflector; two moisture-resistant endcaps with cords; four steel bulb holders; one grounding power cord: wirenuts and screws needed for installation; snap bushing, cord strain relief bushing, cord clamps and nylon spacers; and ballast operation information and wiring diagram. Requires two 96watt compact fluorescent bulbs (not included). NOTE - If you want to be able to control the bulbs separately you'll need two 1x96w kits #40961 instead of this 2x96w kit #40962. Also NOTE - You may substitute two 34.5"L x 4"W reflectors for the one 34"L x 7"W reflector that normally comes with this 2x96w kit. Just request the substitution in the Special Instructions section at the end of the order form.


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## mrbelvedere (Nov 15, 2005)

RachPreach said:


> why wouldnt that work in a canopy? it looks like it can be screwed in??



Oh sorry I thought it was one of the ready made hoods you were showing. I didn't even click on the link. I forgot Catalina sold retrofits.


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## RachPreach (Jan 16, 2006)

though if i do have to buy two 1x96 kits that would only be about $6 more so thats not bad...i could do that. 

Rex....be straight with me one final time...is this the best deal for my money? Im the type of person that needs to be told straight up if something is good or not. thanks


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## mrbelvedere (Nov 15, 2005)

Brilliant said:


> darnit you caught me...:icon_evil
> well I think your right Im not gonna argue they dont grow plants but seeing my tank shimmer like that made me weak in the knees. I thought it was stunning already with the PC fixture.



Ah I forgot the shimmer effect. Never seen it in my tanks so I may be missing something.


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## RachPreach (Jan 16, 2006)

whats the shimmer effect? I saw that in this gorgous tank in atlanta...is that good or bad?


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## endparenthesis (Jul 13, 2004)

Rex, I'm using the calculation you recommended in a previous thread.

He said he wanted between 2.5 and 3 WPG. Using Wasserpest's adjustment in that thread for HO, which is to simply double the number it seems (more clarification on this would be nice), what I recommended would put him at 0.8 (1.0 is a high light tank as you said). If we're supposed to compare 1.0 to 3 (roughly "high light" on each scale)... that comes to ~2.4 WPG. With that kind of reflection I think he'd be right where he wants to be (using all those calculations, my tank would be ~2.1 WPG, and it looks and grows more like an old-school 3 WPG tank).

If the AH Supply bulbs are HO T5s... the numbers for 302 watts come to 1.51. Which is comparable to ~4.5 WPG, if I'm looking at these scales right. If I'm not, I'd like to know how it should be done (in fact, this might be a worthwhile calculator in the calculator project if someone knows the "right" answer).

I wasn't saying the two solutions produced the same amount... I wasn't even comparing them.

I totally slipped up with this comment though - "If you multiply the wattage of a HO T5 by 4, that's a WPG number you can work with." It's the gallons that should be multiplied by four, and I forgot to add in the 0.5-1.0 scale vs. the usual one that goes up to 3.


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## Rex Grigg (Dec 10, 2002)

AH Supply lights are PC lights. But PC lights are bent or twin tube T5 HO lights.

Rach

Read very closely the description of the 2x96 watt kit. Pay particular attention to this:



> Also NOTE - You may substitute two 34.5"L x 4"W reflectors for the one 34"L x 7"W reflector that normally comes with this 2x96w kit. Just request the substitution in the Special Instructions section at the end of the order form.


And yes, it's a great value for the money and you will never regret buying the kits.


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## rrguymon (Jul 10, 2005)

Listen to the Curmudgeon. He knows what he is talking about. AH are a great light and for a fair price. I have them on my tank now. They are fantastic and you can not go wrong getting them. 

I know you don't have a lot cash but if you half ass something now it will just cost you more in the long run. 

Get AH already. Great product with great customer service. 

Rick


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## Georgiadawgger (Apr 23, 2004)

rrguymon said:


> Listen to the Curmudgeon. He knows what he is talking about. AH are a great light and for a fair price. I have them on my tank now. They are fantastic and you can not go wrong getting them.
> 
> I know you don't have a lot cash but if you half ass something now it will just cost you more in the long run.
> 
> ...


I couldn't agree more! Trust him...he's been working with his tanks for years...hence his crankiness 

By the ways, if I didn't already have my 96 watt coralife aqualights, I would have gone AH supply! The reflectors make all the difference! This is a wise investment Rach!


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## attack11 (May 5, 2006)

another vote for metal halide. fluorescents work great, but mh adds a lot to the look of the tank.


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## jgc (Jul 6, 2005)

The shimmer effect is what happens when you have a point source light (like the sun, or a metal halide) and waves on the surface of the water (which become essentially lenses).

Err, I have done a bit to cut down surface movement to conserve co2, so the shimmer effect has been greatly deminished in my tank - but yes it is cool.

Cooler was the reflected shimmer effect though. My tank is in my Living room, which has a 20 ft celing. With other lights off, I would get a shimmer effect moving on the ceiling - I really liked that (open top tank).

Point source lighting will increase (and darken) shadows in your tank - making the lighting more 3 dimentional. Fish will have more dark places to hide. Likewise plant will be more able to shade other plants. Multiple metal halide lights will probably minimize this though.

Personally I have considered adding flourecent bulbs to my tank to add some fill light, and while I am glad I tried metal halide - I probably would not do it on my next tank (and after the current bulb dies, I might not replace the bulb and just switch over to a 2x96watt bright kit)


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## kzr750r1 (Jun 8, 2004)

RachPreach said:


> uhh....im getting kinda frustrated. Im so confused as to what to get. I dont mind spending a little bit of money but i have all these suggestions and i dont know what to do. I want something that I dont have to buy all of these seperate pieces to and not knowing if i got everything I should have. I like the ah supply 3x96 but blue ram said that it would be uneven since it is only 2ft long. I agree with that, but now what am i left with?


Alot of choices...eh. Don't fret too much. Your likely going to have to put a canopy together yourself. In a sence become a capenter, electrician and general contractor with these types of projects. The main thing is your 5' and typical is 6' or 4'. Ya, odd ball, how dare you. 

All kidding aside if you have to build and need guidance I'd go talk to AH supply. Although Specialty Lights may have the items i need for my setup has no bearring on yours.

I chose open top with the hanging Tek Light before I even had the tank so go figure. Now that I know a little more more light would be great and kick myself for not buying the 4x bulb unit. In that case a canopy wil have to be built. My Love is already a little anoyed by two 54w bulbs bleeding into the living room. Just imagine if I drug home a 4x54w Tek Light, she'd be like WHAT THE, SOOO BRIGHT. 

As Rex said PC and T5 are the same technology so one of the should work great or....

Here's one to twist your mind a bit. Single T5 5' at 80w and 2x 96 w PC.
Run the T5 in the front and stagger the 96" behind.


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## BlueRam (Sep 21, 2004)

I am in agreement with Rex on this one. Buy the 2X 96 kit to start with and stager them. Ie one bulb in the front from 0' to 3' with 2' left over and the back bulb from 2' to 5' etc. This will leave you with one foot of overlap. This will be ~2WPG as you have decent bulbs and decent reflectors. If you find you need more light, buy the 2X55 and put them in the 2' spaces. Not to be daft, but 2' + 3' = 5' or full coverage.

It would look like this were 55W is slightly less than 2' and 96 is slightly less than 3'.

55-55-96-96-96
96-96-96-55-55



RachPreach said:


> ok ok i got it now...i can put the 2x96 reflector in front and the two seperate 2x55watt reflectors behind it?? Is that right?


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## RachPreach (Jan 16, 2006)

kzr750r1 said:


> Alot of choices...eh. Don't fret too much. Your likely going to have to put a canopy together yourself. In a sence become a capenter, electrician and general contractor with these types of projects. The main thing is your 5' and typical is 6' or 4'. Ya, odd ball, how dare you.
> 
> All kidding aside if you have to build and need guidance I'd go talk to AH supply. Although Specialty Lights may have the items i need for my setup has no bearring on yours.
> 
> ...



By the way... I mentioned earlier that I already have a canopy on my tank Check out my pictures located in my signature!


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## RachPreach (Jan 16, 2006)

yeah I think im going to start out with just 2x96 and then get more later on! Thanks everyone!! I love yall!! I love plantedtank.net!!!!!!!


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## RachPreach (Jan 16, 2006)

by the way...Should i get the 6500k or the 10,000K bulbs from ah?


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## RachPreach (Jan 16, 2006)

Im trying to specify that i want seperate reflectors for the 2x96 watt kit because it said this:


> Also NOTE - You may substitute two 34.5"L x 4"W reflectors for the one 34.5"L x 7"W reflector that normally comes with this 2x96w kit. Just request the substitution in the Special Instructions section at the end of the order form.


 but im not sure where on the order form they are talking about??? help please?


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## RachPreach (Jan 16, 2006)

NEVERMIND....I see it....Thats what i get for being blonde...

I havent ordered yet...im still waiting to see what Kelvin temp. I should get


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## attack11 (May 5, 2006)

kelvin temp depends on you and your plants (their* color). mixing them might be nice; or going either way. it doesn't affect the growth of the plants.


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## RachPreach (Jan 16, 2006)

well what would be the difference in a 6700 and a 10,000 then?


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## rrguymon (Jul 10, 2005)

AH supply has a description about the different K ratings for the bulbs. Browse their sight read what the say and choose one. 

Rick


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## RachPreach (Jan 16, 2006)

Well I read it and it helped a little bit. Im just trying to choose between the 6700 and the 10,000 and im not really sure which one is better/right for me?? Can anyone let me know what they have or something?


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## distrbd (Feb 17, 2006)

I just got 2x96 bright kit from AHS.the bulb are both 6700k it has a greenish look, something like daylight around 12 noon,the plants seem to just love it.I think 10000k would have been way too bright ,that's why I went with lower 6700k.


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## Rex Grigg (Dec 10, 2002)

6700k is going to be a bit green.

10000k is going to be blue/white

Why not get one of each?


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## RachPreach (Jan 16, 2006)

maybe ill get just two 10,000k for the 96 watt kits and when I get the 55watt kits a little later ill just get 6700k.


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## mr.gaboozlebag (Feb 22, 2006)

This is what I use. 40 watt 20" $60.


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## kzr750r1 (Jun 8, 2004)

RachPreach said:


> By the way... I mentioned earlier that I already have a canopy on my tank Check out my pictures located in my signature!


Then your a step ahead. Installing the 2x96 kit will be awsome. Interested in your preception of 2x96 / 10,000K. Going through the same color question myself for T5.
I think I'm going to buy two of each Kelvin and try them out mixed or not.

You may want to check into a cooling fan. AH is calling that kit a beast for a reason, you plan on installing two..


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## RachPreach (Jan 16, 2006)

yeah i do plan on getting some fans. I can get some tiny ones at walmart huh??

I read on ah supply website about the bulbs and they said that the 6700K had a "midday sun" coloring while the 10,000K was like "late afternoon"?? I want a more of a whitish blue color to my tank so which one is like that?


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## kzr750r1 (Jun 8, 2004)

Rex Grigg said:


> 6700k is going to be a bit green.
> 
> 10000k is going to be blue/white
> 
> Why not get one of each?


Do what rex suggested and if it isn't blue white enough for your taste when they burn out you get two 10000K bulbs. Another 55w 6700K bulb will not be able to compete much if you have two 10000K units in there, Also depends on of you plan on running them 100% during the day cycle.

Unless mine burn out I'm wating till the end of the month and buy a combo and see how I like it. Currently have two 6000K bulbs so the change will be interesting.
Not that it will help you much. Kind of like comparing lemons and limes.


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## RachPreach (Jan 16, 2006)

well I just went ahead and ordered two 10000k bulbs. I like the white/blue crisp look that they will give.

BTW can i get the small fans that i need at walmart?


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## DiabloCanine (Aug 26, 2005)

Use the standoffs included in the kit and remote mount the ballast(s). You may be surprised how cool they run. I used walmart fans when I had currentusa lights under my canopy, they ran real hot compared to AH Supply lights. The fans worked but kinda scary using them, don't want them falling in the water. I had mine sitting on the glass top blowing across it to keep the heat down, was a PITA. BTW, I have AH Supply bright light kits, IceCap T-12s, CurrentUSA Satellites, and CF lights. I have 10000K and 6700K bulbs, am partial to 10000K. Oh yea, all my show tanks are moonlit with CurrentUSa Lunar lights. Never really added it up but several thousand dollars worth of lighting. Do not think I have any pictures of my lighting setups posted anywhere, but somewhere I posted pics of how different Kelvin bulbs looked with different substrates.....DC


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## RachPreach (Jan 16, 2006)

I got my lights in yesterday and Im hooking them up today. Im going to have about 2wpg. I need to know how much and how often I should fertilize and what my co2 levels should be.


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## kzr750r1 (Jun 8, 2004)

RachPreach said:


> I got my lights in yesterday and Im hooking them up today. Im going to have about 2wpg. I need to know how much and how often I should fertilize and what my co2 levels should be.


Good deal. How do you like the 10000K?

As for the fert, start here and look for chucks calculator or similar tools.
http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/water-parameters/21944-_dosing-regimes_.html
For general understanding of EI and go read the guide Rex provides. One way or another you need to understand what the measurements are in your incoming water to make the first dosing decisions. It's pretty much the norm to use your tap water. Always good stuff in the tap unless it's really undrinkable, then RO and reconstituted water is best to start.
My only tests these days are the following, PH, KH, NO3, PO4, GH every once in a while, always when starting a new tank.

PH and KH tell you the amount of dissolved CO2 you have in the tank. Target 30ppm for now and see how it goes. Use a calculator like chucks for the reading. There are other co2 calcs out there.

NO3 should be around 10 to 20ppm and PO4 around 1ppm to 3ppm.

Added fish will increase NO3 with the additional waste and un eaten food.

Really soft tap, add Mg and Ca.
Hard water tap, add no Mg or Ca unless WC ritual is few and far between. Then a deficiency may creep up on you.

Let us know what water you’re using if you have more questions after reading up. This is starting to become a different topic.


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## RachPreach (Jan 16, 2006)

I love the 10,000k bulbs. they are really nice and crisp looking. They arent really that blue at all. Everything is so much brighter in there now!!


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