# best medium tech light for 40 gallon breeder?



## organic sideburns (Dec 22, 2005)

Hey all. I will be setting up a medium tech 40 breeder peaceful community tank. I want ferns, mosses, anubias, dwarf sag, Marsilea Minuta. I plan on doing pool filter sand as most of my plants won't need to be in the substrate.

My question is, what type of light would be best for this set up? No co2 for right now, a few simple ferts, and I want to avoid algae as much as I can. Thanks!

Picture is an example of what I would like to re create. I have confidence with the right tools I can create a masterpiece. 









These are some of the lights I am looking at, thoughts?


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## badbart (Jul 28, 2009)

I've had a planted plus and a planted plus 24/7 on my low-medium tech 55 gallon and the planted plus gave me a little algae. The 24/7 seems to be better and if the 24/7 settings are too much light you can set a custom light setting.


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## sohankpatel (Jul 10, 2015)

Yeah, the Planted+ 24/7 is good. It can be dimmed if you decide not to use the 24/7 mode as well, so you can fine-tune the light.


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## organic sideburns (Dec 22, 2005)

badbart said:


> I've had a planted plus and a planted plus 24/7 on my low-medium tech 55 gallon and the planted plus gave me a little algae. The 24/7 seems to be better and if the 24/7 settings are too much light you can set a custom light setting.





sohankpatel said:


> Yeah, the Planted+ 24/7 is good. It can be dimmed if you decide not to use the 24/7 mode as well, so you can fine-tune the light.


thanks guys. I also added a third light to the list of potential choices. I added this one: 




It can be dimmed as well and seems algae safe for my needs. The 24/7 can be dimmed but it loses the 24/7 feature if dimmed. So, would the satellite + be a better option?


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## xpix3lx (Jan 26, 2016)

Organic, followed your post to this thread to avoid the clutter on the stingray thread.

Either the Current or the Finnex 24/7 is a good choice.
You will have to raise the fixture if you want to light the entire tank, front to back, but you should still have decent par.

I haven't seen one in person yet but the Ecoxotic E series is supposed to be really nice.
Although expensive it has more spread so you wouldnt necessarily have to raise the fixture and the 24/7 feature is fully adjustable (on/off time and colors).

I'm actually planning out my own 40b build right now and am thinking of going with CFL's.
Lots of info in this thread.
http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/10-lighting/153195-my-inexpensive-cfl-light-solution.html


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## natebuchholz (Sep 28, 2013)

xpix3lx said:


> I haven't seen one in person yet but the Ecoxotic E series is supposed to be really nice.
> Although expensive it has more spread so you wouldnt necessarily have to raise the fixture and the 24/7 feature is fully adjustable (on/off time and colors).




Regarding the post above...


I believe these fixtures are being discontinued.
They are owned by the same company that makes the Current Satellite. They have a tendency to run hot.


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## organic sideburns (Dec 22, 2005)

xpix3lx said:


> Organic, followed your post to this thread to avoid the clutter on the stingray thread.
> 
> Either the Current or the Finnex 24/7 is a good choice.
> You will have to raise the fixture if you want to light the entire tank, front to back, but you should still have decent par.
> ...


Thanks! I think I am going to go with the current sat +. I was planning on using a glass canopy so can I just lay the light right onto the canopy instead of raising the fixture?


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## jrygel (Jan 29, 2014)

Since you are planning on a scape like the one pictured in a 40b, you need to give a little thought to light coverage. I used a satellite plus on a standard 30 for the last two years (same height and length as 40b), and with the types of plants you are planning, you will have enough light. 

BUT, with it sitting on the glass, and with driftwood and such extending well up into the water column, you will have a lot of shadows and stuff. IME, the shadows that are created by a low-tech scape of that sort can look very nice and artistic, but all the tanks I have seen that fit that description have a suspended light will above the water, either a metal halide or a kessil. I think that a bar would look a little weird, with a noticeably much brighter band of light directly under the bar, and most of the tank much dimmer. You might be able to pull it off with two bars, directly above the glass, but hanging is probably a better bet - it lets the light diffuse and blend a bit before it gets to the water column.

-Justin


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