Correct lighting ?

Jun 19, 2013
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#1
I have a marineland 55 gallon tank its 48x12x21. I newly aquired a 48" 2 tube fluorescent 39 watts each 6500k each, is this a good setup for growing live plants?
 

CAPSLOCK

Elite Fish
Jul 19, 2004
3,682
33
48
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Cape Cod
#3
That light should do okay for lower light plants I would think (though I'm not that experienced). Stuff like java fern is hardy and will grow under lower light conditions; there are other good low light plants as well.
 

Feb 27, 2009
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#4
55 gallon tanks are hard to balance with good light for medium or higher growing lights, due to their depth. The light you mention having will be ok for low-light plants as mentioned and including crypts and mosses too.
 

FreshyFresh

Superstar Fish
Jan 11, 2013
1,337
23
38
East Aurora, NY
#5
Sounds like a twin tube T8 fluorescent. I believe T5 fixtures (skinnier tubes) are 55w per tube. Like said, java fern, anubias, etc. would probably be great with your ~78watts total. A T5 fixture would be ~110w total.

FWIW, I've got a twin-tube 48" T5 on my 55. It's a cheapy Odyssea brand, $59 shipped, bulbs included. My water sprite and wisteria are taking over the tank, but like OC says, it's tough to get a good light/nutrient balance in a 55. I struggle a bit w/ algae.

FWIW, I just have a cheap gravel substrate and have had luck with my rooted plants rooting like mad. I'm sure the high dollar 'super plant duty' substrates are great, but I question if they're a necessity or not.
 

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exhumed07

Superstar Fish
Apr 30, 2006
1,774
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Illinois
#6
I'd suggest looking into a dirted tank as well. I've noticed plants do better in lower light when they have pretty much unlimited nutrients to the roots. you will need to drastically step up the lighting for things like baby tears. I suggest a dual to quad t5ho lighting for the more advanced plants, but with what you have i see no issues with christmas moss, or java moss with caution. i say that cause once it's in the tank it is nearly impossible to remove. it's like the herpes of the planted tank world along with duckweed lol. another choice would be most crypts. in that tank i would say crypt speralis if i'm spelling it correctly as it's one of the largest and will fill out nicely. anubias, and jungle val will work fine i would think as well. those are the basic low light plants that are easily available. obviusly there are alot more but some are rather picky about nutrients and water chemistry.

Start with the basics. don't jump into things that require specific conditions right off the bat. get the simple easy to grow plants and get the system figured out and get the confidence up and in check then go further with it. Set yourself up to succeed, not to fail and get discouraged.

A couple things with plants. you want some that take nutrients right out of the water itself. thats where mosses and duckweed come into play. that will help prevent algae by starving the aglae. and pretty much any plant you get will melt and fall apart to a degree. don't think the plant is dead though. look for new growth. plants adapt themselves to the tanks they are in. if your water is not identical to the water they came out of the leaves melt. it's just part of plants. jungle val and crypts are realy known for it but they pretty much always bounce back. also if you are looking into doing a dirted tank as i suggested there will be algae to begine with. the dirt leeches nutrients into the water and you end up with WAY to much and the algae have a buffet to grow on. but once the tank gets establiched it will be fine. also do heavy planting in a dirted tank. sparse planting is going to get you setup for constant algae issues. but as i said once setup it's smooth sailing. my lights are on for 12+ hours a day and i have not had to clean the glass in months. my other tanks it's a totally different story.

Hope i didn't ramble to much and hope I gave you some good ideas and information you may need or was looking for.
 

Jun 19, 2013
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#7
Thanks for all the help, I did some research and its a T5 HO I will probably go with 54watts per bulb at 6500k I believe this will be enough for the low light plants thanks again for all the input.
 

exhumed07

Superstar Fish
Apr 30, 2006
1,774
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36
Illinois
#8
thats what i run on my 55 and it's a good idea to mix bulbs in some cases. i personally wouldn't go with 2 at 6500k. to me the color don't look right. so i run one at 6500 and another 10,000k daylight bulb. kinda cuts back on the red tint and makes for a more natural color in my opinion.
 

exhumed07

Superstar Fish
Apr 30, 2006
1,774
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36
Illinois
#10
suprisingly blue bulbs seem to wash out the blue color in some fish. I had alot of blue colored cichlids and i put an antinic bulb in my tank and the blues washed out in my fish and they looked dull. the 6500 and a 10,000k bulb will work well. but y not experiment and find a color combo that you like :)
 

FreshyFresh

Superstar Fish
Jan 11, 2013
1,337
23
38
East Aurora, NY
#11
thats what i run on my 55 and it's a good idea to mix bulbs in some cases. i personally wouldn't go with 2 at 6500k. to me the color don't look right. so i run one at 6500 and another 10,000k daylight bulb. kinda cuts back on the red tint and makes for a more natural color in my opinion.
I dunno Bro. Maybe it's the make/model/age of your 6500K lamps? My 48" T5HO 6500K's are very blue/white. Not a hint of red in them.
 

exhumed07

Superstar Fish
Apr 30, 2006
1,774
0
36
Illinois
#12
even on the pack the bulbs come in with the light spectrum graph, the 6500k is mostly red and green/yellow. and i notice a redish yellowish tint to the water with just 6500k. wheras when i mix it with a 10,000k it tends to be more of a white light look like with my tank with LEDs.
 

FreshyFresh

Superstar Fish
Jan 11, 2013
1,337
23
38
East Aurora, NY
#13
I guess my eyes just don't see it.

I don't know nothin' about nothin', but the reading I've done on 10000K color temp lamps suggest that this range does nothing for most freshwater plants, but let me guess.. yours are growing out of the tank, over to your neighbors house.

I'm kidding!!
 

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Feb 27, 2009
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#14
I've used 9325K bulbs on planted tanks, but didn't like the color as much as the 6700Ks. So, when they were due for replacement, I opted for the 6700Ks again. If I can find the link, someone put up several different lights over the same tank, to give folks a good 'visual' of what different lights look like.
 

exhumed07

Superstar Fish
Apr 30, 2006
1,774
0
36
Illinois
#15
that would be awsome OC!

Freshy my plants are doing well and i don't use the 10,000k for the plants. thats what the 6500k is for. I use the 10,000k for color. I would like to do like 4 bulbs over the tank for a multitude of color combination bulbs for a more full spectrum look. I'm also thinking high intensity white LEDs to supliment the brightness as well as to get the best color out of my fish.
 

DuctTape

Small Fish
Jul 25, 2013
15
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Iowa
#16
I agree, 6500k I the best for plants, and 10000k isn't a bad idea either because blue light has more energy and travels farther through water, so it will more effectively give light to the plants being in a deeper tank.