# 75g, Low Tech Tank Begins!



## Owl (Aug 17, 2011)

Alright! I think I've finally pieced enough info together to start making some orders and plans!

After some discussion and some thought, I decided to go low-tech and ommit the c02, turns out that doing it in a tank this big isn't as simple as buying a Fluval kit online. If things don't get well though, I figured I could always add C02 later. Anyhow, here's the setup

Lighting: 

48 inch BLACK SOLAR T5 HO AQUARIUM LIGHT FIXTURE

Comes with two 54 watt bulbs 

Has one independent light switch.

Each T5 has its own individual German polished aluminum reflector that TRIPLES the light output into your aquarium from each bulb!

This light fixture features the HIGHEST QUALITY ADVANCE BALLAST. These ballast are excellent for the T5's lightbulbs. 

If you have a planted aquarium & would prefer 6500k bulbs, please tell us in the comments section when you order
5 year ballast warranty
Power: 108 Watt

Substrate:

AquariumPlants.com Substrate mix (black) and enough for about 3 inches.



Plants:

Fissidens fontanus

Anubias barteri 'Nana'

Melon Sword

Bacopa

Crypts

"lotus" plants



Alright that's about it for starters, once those get settled I might add a few more things. I'll be dosing with liquid ferts and some root tabs.

You're comments and suggestions are appreciated!:icon_smil


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## Optix (May 31, 2011)

countdown to algae explosion in:









VERY HIGH light...slow growing plants...no CO2...and probably running a deficit on ferts since youll run thru watered down liquid ferts quickly on a 75g

time for that mean learning curve


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## cybercat (Jun 25, 2011)

I have a 75 with a simular hood. I only use one bulb and I still have algea. No co2 either but planted with more types of plants. Your crypts will not make it with that high of light. Swords love the high light. My tank has a few different types and all are doing real well. My fauna is just angles and cories plus a few applesnails.


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## KrazyFish (Dec 23, 2010)

+1 on the excessive light for this plan. You will find that you need CO2 and comprehesive fert dosing regimen or else.....algae!

1 light is more than enough for this.


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## JasonG75 (Mar 1, 2011)

Optix said:


> countdown to algae explosion in:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


LOL totally agree Optix, this light fixture on this tank is a disaster waiting to happen. This lighting is not LOW Tech, find you some T5No strips then you would be ok.


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## oaksw12 (Nov 15, 2010)

I have a 75G with a 48" Catalina retrofit kit with 108 watts about 5" from the water. Here's the description: "T5 Retrofit Kit. Includes 1 cord, 1 switch, and two 54 watt bulbs (one actinic and one 10000K) with individual German mirror polished aluminum reflectors."
I got both at 6500k instead of the 10,000k, but it's a pretty similar product.

I started off with about 8 hours of light and CO2 and now just run 6 hours without CO2. In the first month, there was a little algae growth on the sides of the tank which I scraped off, and some algae growth on the plants, but never any green water or algae explosions. I have an oto and about 100 cherry shrimp to help with any algae.

As long as you monitor your tank and adjust accordingly you'll be fine algae-wise.


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## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

Two T5HO lights on that tank are more than enough light for a high light tank, with pressurized CO2, unless they are raised a foot or more above the top of the tank. If you run just one bulb at a time, and put a layer of fiberglass window screen over the light to further reduce the intensity, it will work for a non-CO2 tank. You could alternate the two bulbs, each one on by itself for 4 hours each.


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## JasonG75 (Mar 1, 2011)

Hoppy said:


> Two T5HO lights on that tank are more than enough light for a high light tank, with pressurized CO2, unless they are raised a foot or more above the top of the tank. If you run just one bulb at a time, and put a layer of fiberglass window screen over the light to further reduce the intensity, it will work for a non-CO2 tank. You could alternate the two bulbs, each one on by itself for 4 hours each.


Totally agree with you Hoppy. 

My only issue is "IS this really LOW TECH"? When you start thowing in T5Ho's and Co2 then it strays from Low to Hi Tech.


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## Owl (Aug 17, 2011)

hmmm, wow, finding decent lighting sure is difficult!

Should I switch to power compacts instead? I'm a bit confused as to how much lighting the tank would need. According to the lighting post on the forum I found earlier it suggested that two pc lights would be about "medium" lighting. Does that mean I would need 4 pc bulbs (two on each half of the aquarium) or just two for the entire tank? (one on each side)


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## Aquaticz (Dec 26, 2009)

I have a 75 as well
Lighting -A&H 4 X 55 w pc
Definitely high light - trim weekly or else.... Lol


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## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

PC lights are difficult to judge the effectiveness of. AH Supply PC lights are very good, because they have large, well shaped polished aluminum reflectors. But, Coralife PC lights have tiny reflectors that barely add any light to what comes from one side of the bulb. Other PC lights vary between those two extremes.

For a non-CO2 tank, you probably will do best keeping the light intensity down to less than 30 micromols of PAR, and even a single T5HO bulb, with a typical reflector, will need to be about 30 inches from the substrate to get that intensity. Coralife 2 bulb T5NO lights have been found to work pretty well for non-CO2 tanks, especially if they are raised by the feet that come with the lights. They work so well, again because they have very poor reflectors. If you want better spread of the light over the whole 75 gallon tank, you can use two of those, keeping them separated by at least 6 inches or so. (Or two rows of Coralife PC bulbs, again separated by at least inches.)


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## Hilde (May 19, 2008)

Have you checked out Pet Blvd. Two SolarMax may work. They seem to have a better reflector than the Coralife. PC bulb life span is 9months and the bulbs are expensive to replace.

Jacob has the SolarMax light strip over his tank.


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## Owl (Aug 17, 2011)

Hilde the link didn't seem to work for me, did you mean the SolarMax T5's?

Two 48 inch, correct?


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## JasonG75 (Mar 1, 2011)

IF you stick with NO (normal output) this will keep you in the LowTech range that you're looking for.


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## demonr6 (Mar 14, 2011)

JasonG75 said:


> IF you stick with NO (normal output) this will keep you in the LowTech range that you're looking for.


I was going to say the same, you don't have to scrap your plans totally, just go for NO instead of HO and you should be fine. The cost should be less too.


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## JoeDizzleMPLS (Oct 8, 2009)

I'm running a Coralife dual T5NO plus a dual T8 on top of my 75 gallon and it seems to be about the perfect amount of light.


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## Hilde (May 19, 2008)

Owl said:


> Hilde the link didn't seem to work for me, did you mean the SolarMax T5's?
> 
> Two 48 inch, correct?


Yes, Yes.Try this one. Forgot the SolarMax have 10000K bulbs. Reflectors are better than Coralife though.



JoeDizzleMPLS said:


> I'm running a Coralife dual T5NO plus a dual T8 on top of my 75 gallon


I have the Coralife dual T5NO and 1 T8 (LIfe-glo) on my 29gallon. Guess I don't have low light.


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