# starter light for 55



## surpera1 (Dec 29, 2007)

i need an entry level (cheap) hahahaha - light for my low tech 55 - with an eye to future co2 addition - any ideas ?


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## skabooya (Apr 15, 2005)

Go to a hardware store and get a fluorescent shoplight strip OR build a cheap hood and hook up a few spiral CF bulbs in it. The spiral bulbs would be easier and if you wanted to add CO2 its super easy to add more CF bulbs to it to up the lighting. OR you can not be cheap and go straight for a nice strip light so you wont cry later.


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## surpera1 (Dec 29, 2007)

what would a nice strip light cost ?


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## skabooya (Apr 15, 2005)

depends on where you go and how many watts you want, brand name, reflectors, fans or no fans, moonlights or no moonlights, etc. Im sure some of the Americans on this forum will give you some good sites to check out. All i can think of for you to look at would be big als.com and maybe liveaquaria.com (i dont know if they sell lights), Do a search on this forum under the lighting section. I am positive there will be lots of places for you to look.

If you want a low tech tank with hopes of later using CO2 then you will probably want to stay in the 2-2.5wpg range which means for your 55
110watts will be 1wpg 220 will be 2wpg and thats where you want to be.

generally anything over 2wpg will need C02.

Do some reading on this forum its really great. 
You could even try and find a fish tank you like on here and try to replicate it.

Sorry I cant be of more help.


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## Dawn Haze (Feb 27, 2007)

Hi,
T-5 54watts x2 freshwater nova extreme comes with 6700k buld and a 10,000k bulbs gives you just under 2watts per gallon. I got mine from marine and reef.com even with tax (I live in the state they ship from.) and shipping they are a decent price. 

www.marineandreef.com/shoppro/power_novaXtremeFresh.htm


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## CrazyMidwesterner (Oct 19, 2006)

I just bought the coralife freshwater striplite for my 75 G. It was $124 and that was with the adjustable mounting legs and bulbs included. It's a great little light and affordable. 130 total watts which may be a bit high for a 55 unless you use excel or CO2. Works like a charm. I had shop lights up before but the moisture killed them. That is something to be aware of when buying shop lights. chances are they will quit working probably sooner then later. Mine lasted about 9 months though.


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## NeonShrimp (Mar 9, 2006)

Dawn Haze said:


> Hi,
> T-5 54watts x2 freshwater nova extreme comes with 6700k buld and a 10,000k bulbs gives you just under 2watts per gallon. I got mine from marine and reef.com even with tax (I live in the state they ship from.) and shipping they are a decent price.
> 
> www.marineandreef.com/shoppro/power_novaXtremeFresh.htm


These are good prices!:icon_surp


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## Dawn Haze (Feb 27, 2007)

I keep coming back to them. I really like the lights, I have four of them in different sizes. the only thing I have found I don' like is that the 48" lights come with a fan that can be noisy (buzzy.) but not it is not bad enough to make not buy them.


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## Dawn Haze (Feb 27, 2007)

oh yeah, the fan comes on a seperate power cord so you don't have to use it. No on/off swith on the fan but you can unplug it.


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## kornphlake (Dec 4, 2007)

I bought a commercial electric brand 48" shop light with an electronic ballast for $9 at Home Depot. It's T12 only but for a low tech tank that should be fine and T12 bulbs are easier to find at Home Depot, they sell a few different daylight bulbs, any of those will do. I kind of like the phillips "natural daylight bulbs" but they are a little more expensive than the ones that come in a twin pack. I've just set the shop light directly on top of the glass cover temporarily, I'll get around to making a plywood hood when it warms up enough to use wood glue in the garage.


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## NeonShrimp (Mar 9, 2006)

How much do you think the total cost of the project will be when you are finished?


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## surpera1 (Dec 29, 2007)

from what i gather - shop lights dont have good reflectors and a lot of light doesnt make it in


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## Tio (Jan 25, 2008)

i am in the process of building a canopy with lights for my 55.i went to home depot got plant and aquarium lights 2 at 48" with balasts plus i am going to reuse the two 24" lights that came with my tank with white lights and my blue led for night time.this will give me approx 100 watts total.everything costed me $80.(wood included)


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## kornphlake (Dec 4, 2007)

surpera1 said:


> from what i gather - shop lights dont have good reflectors and a lot of light doesnt make it in


You're probably right, but the law of diminishing returns definitely applies. You get enough light from a shop light to keep a low tech tank for around $50.

Let's compare the AH supply 96 watt DIY setup to a shop light DIY setup with comparable wattage...

AH supply
1X96W Bright light kit $60
96W Bulb $29
Total $89

Shop Light
2X25W T12 shop light $18
4X48" Daylight bulb $28
Total $46

Assume the cost for lumber or whatever you choose to cover the fixtures is the same either way... I'd estimate about $30 in good hardwood lumber, if you go with lower quality lumber or some other material you could spend significantly less.

The difference in cost between the two setups is $43. You could add another 100w of T12 lighting to compensate for the inefficient reflector for the same cost as the power compact setup with an efficient reflector, assuming you had enough real estate on top of your tank for all those tubes (which honestly is a very limiting factor.) Replacement bulbs are going to be about the same cost, but you may have to replace T12 bulbs a little more often, this is where things start to turn in favor of a power compact...

I'll admit the cost of T12 bulbs can be variable, I assume you're buying $7 tubes, a frugal shopper can get lower quality daylight bulbs for half that price, or if you're one that insists you need a brand name bulb you can spend twice that much.

It's your call, do you want a lower initial cost and arguably less reflected light (although you may not even need it) or do you want higher initial cost and lower long term cost?

Personally I'd spend $20 on a single shop light and 2 tubes, that'll give you 50 watts, put it on the tank and see what happens, if it doesn't work out for you you've only lost $20, and chances are you could hang that shop light in your garage so it's not a total loss. If it does work out you've saved yourself quite a bit of money.

You started a thread for cheap lighting options, shop lights are that option, down the road if you want to add CO2, upgrade your ballasts to overdrive the tubes. Or just add CO2 and see what happens, even in low light your plants will use CO2 if it's available, I don't think I've ever seen someone add CO2 and have an algae bloom because they don't have enough light.


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## AquaVu (Jan 11, 2008)

NeonShrimp said:


> These are good prices!:icon_surp


 
Great price for a quality HO T5 light system. I would go with this one and never have to upgrade again. Good value for the $


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## Space Ghost Shrimp (Jan 28, 2008)

*I just picked up a reptile light fixture*

It can accomidate 2, 75 watt bulbs and 1, 15 watt tube.

I am useing 2 CF bulbs rates at 26 watts each 6500K ( you could get true 75 watt CF screw in lights if needed) 1, 18" 15watt tube 

The fixture has 3 off on switches and is all metal ~ 20" x9" they come in bigger sizes as well ( this one fit my tank just right )

it cost ~ $ 50 from Petco


This set up gives my 40gal tank about ~ 1.6 WPG but could go up to 4WPG if i wanted true 75 Watt CF light bulbs

Kewl thing is you can get thse lights cheep and easy at any local hard ware store.


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## narhay (Feb 28, 2007)

AquaVu said:


> Great price for a quality HO T5 light system. I would go with this one and never have to upgrade again. Good value for the $


The lack of individual reflectors really takes it down a few notches.


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## Lee (Feb 13, 2007)

1.5 to 2wpg, about a dollar per watt.


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## lauraleellbp (Feb 3, 2008)

CrazyMidwesterner said:


> I just bought the coralife freshwater striplite for my 75 G. It was $124 and that was with the adjustable mounting legs and bulbs included. It's a great little light and affordable. 130 total watts which may be a bit high for a 55 unless you use excel or CO2. Works like a charm. I had shop lights up before but the moisture killed them. That is something to be aware of when buying shop lights. chances are they will quit working probably sooner then later. Mine lasted about 9 months though.


Where did you find this deal?


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