# Lighting for a 50 gal...



## Bert H (Mar 2, 2004)

I need some experiences/opinions on the following: On a new 50 gal, 36x18x18, I will be setting up I wanted to use only a 96W ah kit as my light source. You think that will suffice? I could add a std 30W flourescent strip to it, but I don't want a second 96W, as I don't want the worries that would come with 4 wpg! TIA.


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## chubasco (Jan 16, 2005)

Hi,
96W of cf lighting with MIRO reflector (from AH Supply) should be enough for
most plants: this is more than 2.5W per gallon of NO fluorescent lighting. The
only problem would be perhaps the light not reaching all 4 corners. If you
wanted no-doubt adequate lighting go with two 55W cfs instead. This would
give light all the way across the tank with no dim spots. YMMV, always, ;-) 

Bill


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## turtlehead (Nov 27, 2004)

if your budget isn't low why not go the mh way?


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## Bert H (Mar 2, 2004)

Bill, I had thought about the 2 X 55W, but won't that leave a central area not quite as lit as the rest?

Don't really want to go the mh way, budget and other considerations.


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## chubasco (Jan 16, 2005)

Bert, if you use the MIRO reflector (I think it is 31") you won't be able to
discern any dead spot in the middle and will give you uniform lighting the full
3 feet of your tank as opposed to the 96W which will be very bright in the middle 2 feet and less on either end. You won't be disappointed with the
results, I assure you. Plus Kim is nice people to deal with, too! ;-) 

Bill Ruyle


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## chubasco (Jan 16, 2005)

Bert, the most cost-effective would be a 96W kit and upgrade to the 31"
reflector: the drop-off of light on either end wouldn't be that much. That
would give you enough light to grow just about anything, and only using one
bulb to do it ;-) 

Bill Ruyle


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## tsunami (Jan 24, 2004)

Personally, I would not even go with the highly focused AH Supply kits in this shorter, wider tank. In a 55, a 96w bulb worked fine only because of the extra height and narrow width -- not so with the 50g.

I would go with 5x32w T8 bulbs with an Aquamirror reflector. A combination of 3 ultrasuns (CRI 98) and florasuns (pinkish bulb) will provide very high quality, even lighting without the harshness of the PCs.

The bulbs are cheaper, too. They run about 10-12$ each for the 3 foot long ones.

Carlos


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## chubasco (Jan 16, 2005)

> I would go with 5x32w T8 bulbs with an Aquamirror reflector. A combination of 3 ultrasuns (CRI 98) and florasuns (pinkish bulb) will provide very high quality, even lighting without the harshness of the PCs.


True, Carlos, but this would easily be 3 times the cost, if not more.

Bill


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