# Lighting Suggestions for a 55g no CO2



## Alaizabelle (Mar 4, 2011)

Hello!

I am currently working on switching over my 55 gallon tank from plastic plants and decorations, to pretty wood and real plants!

Right now there is a rather hodgepodge lighting system over the tank (two 15fl and an 18 watt fl, for a total of 48 watts) The two rescue swords seem to be doing well, as well as some wisteria, java ferns, an anubias nana and a bunch of bulbs that are sprouting! I have been leaving the window open, so there is some natural light added on, too!

Soon I would like to get a new light (as the fixtures are falling apart!). My goal would be as close to medium light as I can get without needing a CO2 system. (Trying to keep things low tech on this one!)

What sort of light/wattage should I be looking for? 
*c/p*


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## phys (Feb 4, 2011)

you could get about 75 watts of t5 lighting and that should be ok.


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## Totem44 (Mar 15, 2011)

I have a t5 on my planted tank and it has worked great, I'm not even sure what the wattage is but its a 36" with 2 bulbs. Wish I knew the names of my plants, but the most success I've had is with the green hygro grows tall and spreads, good for the back of the tank.


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## WhiteGloveAquatics (Sep 3, 2009)

I use a 39wx2 T5HO on my 55g(52g really but still 48" wide) its 36" with adjustable feet, without the ferts and Co2 this amount of light is truly perfect for the tank size. I can snap pics tomorrow of what just light has done in the past month.


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## phys (Feb 4, 2011)

how big is your tank totem?


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## WhiteGloveAquatics (Sep 3, 2009)

if its a T5ho Totem they are 39w bulbs in there. the 36" ones are 39w.


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## Totem44 (Mar 15, 2011)

My Tank is a 38 gallon is maybe 20" tall


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## phys (Feb 4, 2011)

thanks totem... good to know.. bigger tanks will require more lighting so keep that in mind when thinking about numbers.


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

Even a 48" fixture with 2X54W T5HO bulbs will work for no CO2. You can get one of those for less than $100. T5HO will get you your best bang for your buck.


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## Alaizabelle (Mar 4, 2011)

Do you know if I could get a x2 54w T5HO fixture, but replace one of the bulbs with a lower wattage? Or would that not work?


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

Alaizabelle said:


> Do you know if I could get a x2 54w T5HO fixture, but replace one of the bulbs with a lower wattage? Or would that not work?


That would work if you could do it. The length of the bulb makes the wattage what it is. Why would you want to do that?


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## Alaizabelle (Mar 4, 2011)

So the t5ho and t5no are different lengths? 

I was thinking that if the x2 t5ho turned out to be too much light, I could hopefully put in a normal output bulb instead of one of the HO ones. But I don't really know much at all about these things!

Edit: With a bit more googling, it seems that people have tried this and it overdrives the bulb to near HO wattage anyways, while shortening the bulb life.... so that's a no go 

Second Edit: I suppose I could always just run it with one bulb if it's too much  So.... now I've got to track down someplace where I can order a 48" T5HO fixture! (I've gone to 6 places around here, and no one has any 48" ones!)


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

T5NO is a different type of bulb altogether. The ballasts is a T5HO ballasts which drives the power through the bulbs, so I can see where it would drive them higher. Order online.


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