# New 40G Breeder Tank Lighting



## bigmoose27 (Sep 28, 2016)

Hi everyone,

I just bought a 40 gallon breeder tank from a Petsmart Flashsale yesterday and am now looking into what type of lighting to put on it. The tank is about 36Lx18Wx17H

I plan to have a low to medium tech tank (I am willing to dose with Excel or something similar, with an Ecocomplete substrate). What type of lighting/how much will be enough? I have some money on a giftcard from Petsmart that I would like to use, but I'm sure I can find other uses for it if I choose a lighting system they don't have. 

Ideally, I would like to be able to put the lighting directly on a glass canopy. I saw this on Petsmart website, not sure if it would work well enough for plants:
Aqueon® LED Aquarium Light | Lights | PetSmart

Thoughts? Thanks in advance.


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## MCHRKiller (Jul 25, 2008)

I took advantage of that sale as well and got 2 new 40Bs. I picked up some Beamswork Razr LEDs on Ebay(topdogseller) in the 36" 6500K I think they are 1800lumens with some actinic night lights. Honestly I feel that 1 fixture in the center of the tank is adequate for lowtech....mine are growing Vals and Crypts just fine so heck for a sub $30 light with a nice color I cannot complain. People either love or hate Beamswork; I have another fixture on a different tank and it has been going strong for over a year so for the price you really cant complain.


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## bigmoose27 (Sep 28, 2016)

I just found a beamswork light on amazon, not sure if this would be too much light for a low tech tank:
https://www.amazon.com/Beamswork-6500K-Lumen-Aquarium-Freshwater/dp/B01FVNPZLY/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1475076668&sr=8-4&keywords=beamswork&th=1


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## Watercrayfish (Apr 21, 2016)

I have 40 breeder with finnex stingray. If I want medium I would go the Fluval Plant 2.0 with 24-34 inch(yes its smaller in lenght and you save $50), but for glass top that is the best and there is 120degree light disperison which no other light can provide for the cost. 3 years warranty and that is crazy waterproof.

I cant recall how many time my finnex planted+ took a dip from the glass lid. I am thinking to buy one for my tank but the stingray is doing a very good job with plant selections I have and no need to supplement CO2.

Sent from my HTC One_M8 using Tapatalk


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## bigmoose27 (Sep 28, 2016)

Watercrayfish said:


> I have 40 breeder with finnex stingray. If I want medium I would go the Fluval Plant 2.0 with 24-34 inch(yes its smaller in lenght and you save $50), but for glass top that is the best and there is 120degree light disperison which no other light can provide for the cost. 3 years warranty and that is crazy waterproof.
> 
> I cant recall how many time my finnex planted+ took a dip from the glass lid. I am thinking to buy one for my tank but the stingray is doing a very good job with plant selections I have and no need to supplement CO2.
> 
> Sent from my HTC One_M8 using Tapatalk


What kind of plants do you have in your tank with the stingray?

And what do you mean by "If I want medium"?


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## MCHRKiller (Jul 25, 2008)

The Beamswork you linked IMO would be more than a low/med tech with 1watt LEDs. The one Im using has .5watt LEDs and seems just about perfect.


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## Watercrayfish (Apr 21, 2016)

bigmoose27 said:


> What kind of plants do you have in your tank with the stingray?
> 
> And what do you mean by "If I want medium"?


I meant medium lighting.

I have these:
Amazon sword
Anubias 
Water Sprite
Java Fern
Lace Java Fern
Water Hedge (not aquatic)
Hygrophila-corymbosa
Elodea Densa/Anacharis (not doing good)
Ludwigiya Repens (doesnt look good)
Purple Cabomba
Aponogeton sp.
Limnophila Aromatica mini
Staurogyne Bihar
Crypt
Staurogyne sp. porto velho
Rotala Rotundifolia (wont reccomend)
Madagascar Lace
Crinum Calamistratum
Water Wisteria
Dwarf Lily


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## bigmoose27 (Sep 28, 2016)

Watercrayfish said:


> I meant medium lighting.
> 
> I have these:
> Amazon sword
> ...


What kind of dosing do you do with these plants? And yes the link that I posted from Amazon seems like too much lighting after looking at the lumens. :|


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## Watercrayfish (Apr 21, 2016)

bigmoose27 said:


> What kind of dosing do you do with these plants? And yes the link that I posted from Amazon seems like too much lighting after looking at the lumens. :|


PPS Pro and half dose of Excel, root tabs under swords and lily. I have Pool Filter sand as substrate.


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