# Lighting a planted aquarium



## Guest (Jan 22, 2011)

Does anyone here use SHO lighting ? And if you do could you give me a idea how you like it ? I have been reading about it and am impressed with what I am learning. If what I have read is true, it is the best and cheapest lighting for a planted aquarium out there. Any opinions ?


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

Certainly not the cheapest in cost to buy...may be in cost to run. They are very effecient. I have two of them on a 125g. Awesome lights.

What size tank are you trying to light?


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## Guest (Jan 22, 2011)

jrman83 said:


> Certainly not the cheapest in cost to buy...may be in cost to run. They are very effecient. I have two of them on a 125g. Awesome lights.
> 
> What size tank are you trying to light?


jrman, thanks for the reply. My tank is 50 gal. Not set up wet, just getting everything ready now. I have seen prices of $30. to $40 each for bulbs. 65,85 andf 105w. Fixture for $5. A reflector for $50. Then all ya need is a 110 cord and plug, right ? Am thinking of using 2 85w. Tank is 30" long. What do ya think ? That would be cheaper than I have ever paid for anyother lighting at the same wattage........


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

Well....you will get many recs on how to do it very cheap, if that is the most important thing for you. I'm probably going to get a 40 breeder later this year and I plan to go to fishneedit.com and get one of their t5HO lights. They are very inexpensive for what you get I think, although I have no experience with them. I just got new T5HO light from Catalina and they are very expensive.


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## Guest (Jan 22, 2011)

jrman83 said:


> Well....you will get many recs on how to do it very cheap, if that is the most important thing for you. I'm probably going to get a 40 breeder later this year and I plan to go to fishneedit.com and get one of their t5HO lights. They are very inexpensive for what you get I think, although I have no experience with them. I just got new T5HO light from Catalina and they are very expensive.


 No I am not looking for the cheapest lights. I want the BEST. And from reading about the SHO, I am considering getting a couple. I was hoping to hear from people that have experience with them and their opinion as how good they are. I have MH lighting now I could use, but the articles I've read say the SHO is better for plants than anything out there today ? Thanks.


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## Gizmo (Dec 6, 2010)

I don't know about SHO lights - never heard of them until this thread - but I do know that many will say the best of the best are LED lights. The effectiveness of the LED's is still being researched, but as far as the spectrum, intensity, and power drain of the lights are the best out there.

I'm running a T5HO light on my 30 gallon and love it. Bulbs are about $20 each to replace, and my plants grow like weeds. A 20" fixture was $90 new at my LFS.


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

lol, guess I needed more coffee this morning. I assumed you were shorting T5HO, as 5HO. Never realized it was a S instead of a five. The SHO lights look cool....expensive though. Wonder how long they last?


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## Guest (Jan 22, 2011)

Ok guys, I am talking about SHO "Super High Output" lighting. If you want to learn a bit about it go to American Aquarium Products and click on aquarium products, then lighting & filter media, then SHO and power compact. Let me know what you think........


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

I think I may put a couple into my DIY fixture on my 29g.


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## Guest (Jan 22, 2011)

Yea, I am going to buy 2 85w and rig them up as pendants for my new 50 gal. set up. We shall see what we shall see...............I still would like to hear from anyone that has any experiance with these lights...........


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## saltydad (Jun 27, 2008)

Hi Guy, tell me more about the galaxy rasboras. They certainly are a beautiful fish, but seem to be described as rather shy. What are your experiences with them (sorry for the thread hijacking)?


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## Guest (Jan 23, 2011)

saltydad said:


> Hi Guy, tell me more about the galaxy rasboras. They certainly are a beautiful fish, but seem to be described as rather shy. What are your experiences with them (sorry for the thread hijacking)?


So saltydad, who are you talking to ? No mention of any fish in this thread. You on drugs ?


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## peteyboyny (Oct 18, 2010)

Make a list of all the import features you want new light(s) to have, i.e.- multiple cords/switches, LED moon lights, cooling fans, how many bulbs, power rating, etc. Also, depending on where you are making your purchase...LFS or online, see if the bulbs that come w/the fixture are in the correct Kelvin range (most freshwater plants are in the 5000k-7000k range). If the correct bulbs DO NOT come w/the fixture, do they offer a free or discounted bulb swap? All of these questions should narrow your list down to a few fixtures. This coupled w/info and opinions should help you get what you need/want. I have a partially planted(fully planted SOON!)72g BF w/a 48" Wave Point 4x54w T5 fixture. It works great! Good Luck. 
I have 3 6500k bulbs and one 460nm actinic (just for color)


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## Chillwill007 (Aug 20, 2010)

What fo you guys think about this light setup for a 40 breeder? Its 4 bulbs at 39w and has 4 moon lights for only $79.99. Only thing is they' re 2 10000k and 2 blue accentics. Would that be ok for planted tank our should I switch them out to 2 6700k and get a pair of those plant grow pink bulbsOdyssea T5 High Output Lighting


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

Chillwill007 said:


> What fo you guys think about this light setup for a 40 breeder? Its 4 bulbs at 39w and has 4 moon lights for only $79.99. Only thing is they' re 2 10000k and 2 blue accentics. Would that be ok for planted tank our should I switch them out to 2 6700k and get a pair of those plant grow pink bulbsOdyssea T5 High Output Lighting


Not a bad price. Actinic lights will do nothing for plants if that is what you are buying for. The 10,000k are good for plants and a lot of people use both 6700k and 10000k together for plants. Personally, I like to have all 6700k.

However, 4 T5HO lights over 40g breeder tank may be way too much light. To give you a reference, I only have 4 bulbs over my 125g. It is really 8 bulbs, but only because it is 2-36" fixtures. Relatively speaking it is the same. Anyway, this is more than ample light for my 125g tank. I plan to get a 40g breeder this Summer and plan to only have a 2 bulb T5HO fixture on mine. Will depend heavily on the quality of the reflector inside, but I'd say overall that is going to be too much light.


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## Chillwill007 (Aug 20, 2010)

So you think this is the one I should use for the 40 breeder? I liked the other one because I thought this want really enough and the fact that te other one had the ble leds in them. Of course they are ot of stock of this one.
Odyssea T5 High Output Aquarium Lighting


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

Chillwill007 said:


> So you think this is the one I should use for the 40 breeder? I liked the other one because I thought this want really enough and the fact that te other one had the ble leds in them. Of course they are ot of stock of this one.
> Odyssea T5 High Output Aquarium Lighting


Yes. Believe you will be much happier. I'm no lighting expert though.


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## Gizmo (Dec 6, 2010)

Don't forget to check Craigslist! Most times, people will sell off old T5 fixtures at massive discounts, and in my opinion it's a lot more cost effective to buy a used fixture and spend some of the savings on some brand new bulbs. The hardware is extraneous, it's the quality of the bulbs you need to focus on. Fans, moonlights, etc. are all just bonuses. Case in point - I got an incandescent 30W hood light for free, and put in two $20 20W CFL 6700K daylight bulbs (the fixture was rated for 40W). The fixture itself is a POS, while the bulbs are what count. Currently growing wisteria and marimo moss balls in my tank like weeds under those lights.

And FYI - moonlights are only useful for two things. 1: A cool night light, and 2: To promote some fish's breeding habits (some mate at night).


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## snail (Aug 6, 2010)

Here is the link for SHO bulbs: SHO, CFL Lights, Compact Fluorescent, Lighting, Lamps, Bulbs for Hydroponics, Aquarium 
They call them the best lights available but I think that is maybe just because they are selling them. It does seem like they would be easy to use and cheep to set up for because they fit into a normal socket but seem to be just CLF with a high wattage. If nothing else they must get very hot so may not work in a closed hood (certainly not like they are shown in the picture with the hanging light shade placed directly on top of the glass). Not saying they are not useful or good, I'm just not sure about calling them the best. I'd want to read more from people who have tried them. If price is not a problem I would personally call LED the best.


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## Guest (Jan 27, 2011)

snail said:


> Here is the link for SHO bulbs: SHO, CFL Lights, Compact Fluorescent, Lighting, Lamps, Bulbs for Hydroponics, Aquarium
> They call them the best lights available but I think that is maybe just because they are selling them. It does seem like they would be easy to use and cheep to set up for because they fit into a normal socket but seem to be just CLF with a high wattage. If nothing else they must get very hot so may not work in a closed hood (certainly not like they are shown in the picture with the hanging light shade placed directly on top of the glass). Not saying they are not useful or good, I'm just not sure about calling them the best. I'd want to read more from people who have tried them. If price is not a problem I would personally call LED the best.


Hey snail, thanks for the input. I am going to try a couple of the 85w SHO bulbs on the 50gal I am setting up. Ordered them today. Am going to set them up as hanging pendents. Will see about heat ? I should have my tank set up and running in about 2 weeks. Waiting for the tank to arrive. I will be posting about the lights as time goes on. In the mean time I am still looking for anyone that has them on a planted tank already for their opinion. I agree that LED is the best you can get right now. I have no problem with their price, but am a sucker for new products and need to try these out..............we will see..


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## snail (Aug 6, 2010)

I think as hanging pendents the heat will be no problem. I've used CFLs and was happy with the results, I think it's great as a quick solution, and it gives good plant growth. Higher wattage allows for more uses for larger, high light aquariums. With CFL I believe you loose a lot of light because it bounces off the inside of the bulb itself, so SHO CFL must be the same.

If you are really interested in the technical side and have money to throw around a PAR meter would be great


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## peteyboyny (Oct 18, 2010)

Hey, I don't know if it makes a difference to you or not but when I was looking for my light online I came across a lot of great priced fixtures that weren't "UL Listed". I was looking at some fixtures on Ebay from Catalina. All the reviews I read about them were great, just that "UL Listing" that made a difference to me. Some insurance company's won't pay on damage caused by an appliance that's not "UL Listed". Just something to think about.


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## Guest (Jan 29, 2011)

peteyboyny, thanks for the info. Can you expand a bit ? What kind of fixtures and what to search for on ebay ? Thanks...........


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## Guest (Jan 29, 2011)

snail said:


> I think as hanging pendents the heat will be no problem. I've used CFLs and was happy with the results, I think it's great as a quick solution, and it gives good plant growth. Higher wattage allows for more uses for larger, high light aquariums. With CFL I believe you loose a lot of light because it bounces off the inside of the bulb itself, so SHO CFL must be the same.
> 
> If you are really interested in the technical side and have money to throw around a PAR meter would be great


Thanks snail........... I got the bulbs yesterday and ordered the fixtures and reflectors too. The bulbs are certainty big and cheaper reflectors would be hard to find i'm afraid. I am not that interested in the technical stuff. Just want a killer planted aquarium. Got a question for ya. When I am set up and have plants in the tank with co2 and light going, how long would you estimate before I could tell anything about the lighting impact ?


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## snail (Aug 6, 2010)

I don't use CO2 so can't help much on that. I wouldn't think it would take long to get an idea though. It might depend more on the type of of plants. Fast growing plants with a high lighting need will be showing the effects within days I'd say, but you'd probably one to give it a month or so to really make judgement. Is this a tank that is already set up or a new one? A new tank takes a little bit to settle in.


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## Guest (Jan 29, 2011)

snail, this is a new [gonna be] tank. I am getting all the stuff ready. Have everything am just waiting for the tank. my lfs is having trouble getting what I want. Should have it in a week or two. Another Q. Once I am up and running, how soon do you think I should add plants and how many ? Tank will be 50 gal. Will have a mix of primo plant substrates. As an end product I want a moderatly dense planting and a good school of tetras. Plus the usual cleaners. few shrimp, snails, bushy nose............What do ya think ?


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## snail (Aug 6, 2010)

How you plant is up to you but the easiest way is probably to plant all the plants first, then fill the tank with water.


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## Guest (Jan 29, 2011)

Thank you, sir. I will certainly consider that.


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## balutpenoy2oy (Dec 17, 2010)

peteyboyny said:


> Make a list of all the import features you want new light(s) to have, i.e.- multiple cords/switches, LED moon lights, cooling fans, how many bulbs, power rating, etc. Also, depending on where you are making your purchase...LFS or online, see if the bulbs that come w/the fixture are in the correct Kelvin range (most freshwater plants are in the 5000k-7000k range). If the correct bulbs DO NOT come w/the fixture, do they offer a free or discounted bulb swap? All of these questions should narrow your list down to a few fixtures. This coupled w/info and opinions should help you get what you need/want. I have a partially planted(fully planted SOON!)72g BF w/a 48" Wave Point 4x54w T5 fixture. It works great! Good Luck.
> I have 3 6500k bulbs and one 460nm actinic (just for color)




You mentioned Kevin rating of fixture/light, color temperature ( Kevin ) or light output (lux/ lumens) which of them plays more important for photosynthesis, kinda confused about this *H2. Thanks


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## snail (Aug 6, 2010)

ganim said:


> You mentioned Kevin rating of fixture/light, color temperature ( Kevin ) or light output (lux/ lumens) which of them plays more important for photosynthesis, kinda confused about this *H2. Thanks


I'm not an expert but the following is what I understand, sorry if I have made any mistakes:

Lux/lumens refer to brightness which can be useful but the problem is that it from a human point of view, not for plants, not all of the light we see is useful to plants.

I'd say the Kalvin rating is more important for plants. It gives you an idea if the type of light is useful for plants.

Watts of course is the amount of electricity the bulb uses but it can also be useful for getting an idea of the amount of light a bulb gives.

Really what we all want to know is the PAR rating. It is similar to lumens but only counts light that is useful to the plants. The problem is that standard bulbs don't come with a PAR rating and the meters are very expensive so most of us use the info we have to get a good idea of which light is better for our needs.


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## balutpenoy2oy (Dec 17, 2010)

Not may intention to snatch this thread ,I asked coz I come across with same wattage of tube but different on Light temperature and Output,
one has 6400k and 2362 lumens (as i remember ) and other is 4100k and 2850 lumens both has 32 watts and they are both T8 ordinary florescent tube. To make it short which one is better? Planning to use it with PL..


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## snail (Aug 6, 2010)

ganim said:


> Not may intention to snatch this thread ,I asked coz I come across with same wattage of tube but different on Light temperature and Output,
> one has 6400k and 2362 lumens (as i remember ) and other is 4100k and 2850 lumens both has 32 watts and they are both T8 ordinary florescent tube. To make it short which one is better? Planning to use it with PL..


This is a good example. Although the 4100k with 2850 lumens is brighter to the human eye the light is likely not as useful to plants. 

If you split up the colors of light it looks like a rainbow. Plants use the colors at each end of the 'rainbow' more, (like red and blue) people see the ones in the middle, especially green better. Green light is no good for plants.

The kalvin rating tells you the over all color temperature rather than the specific colors of the light. It is possible to have two bulbs with the same kalvin rating with a very different combination of colors, but in practice the wavelengths emitted by fluorescent tubes are pretty much the same. Because 6400K has a wide range in the color spectrum there should be plenty of the type of light plants can use. If you buy lights that are only to grow plants they will often be just red or blue so the kalvin rating will be completely different but if buying normal fluorescent bulbs I look for 6500K, 6400K should be fine too.


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## aalina387 (Feb 14, 2011)

*The Beauty of an Indoor Garden Using Grow Lights*

SHO (Super High Output) are simple yet effective lights that fit into simple incandescent fixtures, reflectors, or simple focused flexible light fixture such as the Eco Light.


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## phys (Feb 4, 2011)

Hey all,
I've put 3 26 watt CFLs, 20 watt 50/50 and a 10 watt 50/50 over my 55 gallon for 108 watts and my plants are doing well (better now than having 2 10 watt 50/50's and 2 15 watt CFLs). I have a ghetto-ized set-up and am just using some clip on lamps and a 3-light floor lamp right now. Not bad looking but not the best. Fairly cheap also.


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## Guest (Feb 14, 2011)

*Re: The Beauty of an Indoor Garden Using Grow Lights*



aalina387 said:


> SHO (Super High Output) are simple yet effective lights that fit into simple incandescent fixtures, reflectors, or simple focused flexible light fixture such as the Eco Light.


 Yes I agree they are a very simple to use light. I have 2- 85w rigged as pendents on my new 55g tank. Very bright lights. Been running now for 4 days. 12 hour cycle. Have 5 plants now and are looking good. Too soon to tell what effect these lights have. But as of now I can say the DYI was easy and they look great. And the price was right. Very low heat. [ as pendent ].
Thanks......


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## driftwood (Feb 13, 2011)

jrman83 said:


> Not a bad price. Actinic lights will do nothing for plants if that is what you are buying for. The 10,000k are good for plants and a lot of people use both 6700k and 10000k together for plants. Personally, I like to have all 6700k.
> 
> However, 4 T5HO lights over 40g breeder tank may be way too much light. To give you a reference, I only have 4 bulbs over my 125g. It is really 8 bulbs, but only because it is 2-36" fixtures. Relatively speaking it is the same. Anyway, this is more than ample light for my 125g tank. I plan to get a 40g breeder this Summer and plan to only have a 2 bulb T5HO fixture on mine. Will depend heavily on the quality of the reflector inside, but I'd say overall that is going to be too much light.


Would 2-54 watt T5, 6700k bulbs be enough light for plants in my 55g tank, its about 20in high


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

T5HO yes, IMO. I would guess that would get you into the medium lighting range.


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