# Trying To Find A Good Light Fixture For My Planted Tank, Help?



## Orador223 (Apr 12, 2011)

So I have a 65 gallon planted tank and I'm currently using two shoplight fixtures that house 2 t8 bulbs each and one single lamp t12 fixture for a total of 168 watts. These fixtures take up too much space and take too much power, so i'm thinking of going with a LED fixture. Not trying to spend more than $100 for a 48in fixture, so i was thinking of a marineland single, double, or aqueon fixture. 

My current plants:
Java moss
Needle leaf fern
Marimo balls
Aponogeton bulbs
Lily bulbs
Cryptocoryne balansae


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

48" Freshwater Aquarium Light | eBay
Stay away from marineland if you want to grow plants!


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## Orador223 (Apr 12, 2011)

coralbandit said:


> 48" Freshwater Aquarium Light | eBay
> Stay away from marineland if you want to grow plants!


Hm, what's the difference between the $60, $80, and $100 fixture? Which would be best for my tank?


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

The $60 has .06 watt leds,900 lumens.The $80 has .6 watt leds 3100 lumens. The $100 has .6 watt leds and 4800 lumens.
If you click on the picture of each the detailed info for each light will come up(number of bulbs,switching info,color of bulbs....).The increase in lumens between the $80&$100 is in the number of bulbs.The $60 unit has lower power bublbs.
I'd go with the $80 or $100.If $20 bucks isn't the end of the world do the $100 if the shipping is close.


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## Orador223 (Apr 12, 2011)

coralbandit said:


> The $60 has .06 watt leds,900 lumens.The $80 has .6 watt leds 3100 lumens. The $100 has .6 watt leds and 4800 lumens.
> If you click on the picture of each the detailed info for each light will come up(number of bulbs,switching info,color of bulbs....).The increase in lumens between the $80&$100 is in the number of bulbs.The $60 unit has lower power bublbs.
> I'd go with the $80 or $100.If $20 bucks isn't the end of the world do the $100 if the shipping is close.


LED Pent 48" Timer 6500K Aquarium Light Freshwater Fish Plant 280X 20W 120 Cm | eBay

LED Pent 48" Timer Aquarium Light Freshwater 280X 20W Tropical Fish Tetra 4 Ft | eBay

Would the 6500k version be better? I think i'll go with one of these $100 ones


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## slonghi (Jun 28, 2013)

If you are even the slightest bit handy you can make one using workshop clamp lights and 85w cfl photography bulbs. You can get them from amazon for 10 each. I have used this setup for a few years and never had to replace the bulbs, plus the plants have never looked so good.


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## Orador223 (Apr 12, 2011)

slonghi said:


> If you are even the slightest bit handy you can make one using workshop clamp lights and 85w cfl photography bulbs. You can get them from amazon for 10 each. I have used this setup for a few years and never had to replace the bulbs, plus the plants have never looked so good.


I went for a diy project with my current lighting, i get 168 watts and a big mess on top of my tank, id rather pay more to get a nice sleek look


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

Out of the two I'd go 6500K for fresh water,didn't even see that the other was 10K(sorry).


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## Orador223 (Apr 12, 2011)

coralbandit said:


> Out of the two I'd go 6500K for fresh water,didn't even see that the other was 10K(sorry).


Will do, thanks buying that now


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## majerah1 (Oct 29, 2010)

Orador223 said:


> I went for a diy project with my current lighting, i get 168 watts and a big mess on top of my tank, id rather pay more to get a nice sleek look


Thats why I went with what I did instead of the DIY. If I were building a canopy then sure but for just over the top I think one of the ones pre made looks nicer. 

I would go the 6500K. I would read around on reviews on the LEDs though. Just to be sure they will support your plants.


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## Raymond S. (Jan 11, 2013)

The 3W bulbs give sufficient plant light. Bulbs lower in Watts don't. If you had a single bulb T8 strip light and replaced it with a Marineland Double Bright
you would be doubling your light and it would be better for the plants than what you had, but still not sufficient for med-high light plants.
You also have this height factor involved. You would be better off/w a Quad T5 in 6700K or may need to replace two of the bulbs/w a 10,000K. IMO


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## Orador223 (Apr 12, 2011)

Raymond S. said:


> The 3W bulbs give sufficient plant light. Bulbs lower in Watts don't. If you had a single bulb T8 strip light and replaced it with a Marineland Double Bright
> you would be doubling your light and it would be better for the plants than what you had, but still not sufficient for med-high light plants.
> You also have this height factor involved. You would be better off/w a Quad T5 in 6700K or may need to replace two of the bulbs/w a 10,000K. IMO


I bought the 48inch version of this Satellite Freshwater LED+ | Current-USA

All of my plants are low light and I'm also using ferts and flourish excel, so it should be fine. If not, i can put one t8 fixture in the back for some added light but everyone is growing fine with this one.


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

10,000k would have worked also....


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## Orador223 (Apr 12, 2011)

jrman83 said:


> 10,000k would have worked also....


I think the current satellite plus has so much more to offer for basically the same price


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## beanieboy182 (Jun 13, 2013)

go on e bay my friend.
item number 221247021651
then all u need is the tubes 
you could even buy 2 depending on how much light you want.
orr search e bay for T5 LIGHTING KIT MARINE TROPICAL 
for more options.


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## Orador223 (Apr 12, 2011)

beanieboy182 said:


> go on e bay my friend.
> item number 221247021651
> then all u need is the tubes
> you could even buy 2 depending on how much light you want.
> ...


already got the current satellite


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## Raymond S. (Jan 11, 2013)

With low light plants you should be ok.
For future references try this.
Lighting an Aquarium with PAR instead of Watts


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## beanieboy182 (Jun 13, 2013)

Orador223 said:


> already got the current satellite


i dunno how much par those give off but it says 30 watts 
i always thought a rule of thumb was 1 watt per gallon (before par came along)


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## Orador223 (Apr 12, 2011)

beanieboy182 said:


> i dunno how much par those give off but it says 30 watts
> i always thought a rule of thumb was 1 watt per gallon (before par came along)


1 wpg doesn't apply to LED's. The PAR rating is 36 at 12", 28 at 18", and 21 at 24", so it's good for my low light plants


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## majerah1 (Oct 29, 2010)

WPG is for T8 only. Once the T5s and LEDs came out the best measurement is done with PAR meters.


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## beanieboy182 (Jun 13, 2013)

thanks guys 
i actually have T5ho's in both my planted tanks and actually went with the 3w/per gallon thing 
everything is good for me anyway! 
LED's would cost less than T5ho's tho ?


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## Raymond S. (Jan 11, 2013)

Depends on which LED's and which T5's. You can drop $400 easy on either. Don't know if I'd trust the LED's on here as they don't
seem to have the lenses on each bulb like some LED fixtures do. I have the #39 Oddesy 2 bulb T5 and though more cheaper made than say Currant U.S.A. or others it seem to be working well(only 2 months now).
You had way more light than a Marine land double bright would give. Go/w the 3W like you said.


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