# Lighting for a 75 gallon?



## AlecFish (Sep 6, 2014)

Hello all! 
First time poster here

To start off I've been running a 75 gallon for a little less than a year now. Ever since I started the tank I've struggled to find that perfect light. First I started with a dual T8 diamond plate HD fixture. It was great for growing the low light plants like vals and rotala but couldn't quite keep swords going for me or anything beyond the hardy plant spectrum. 

I decided to hook up a dual T5HO that I had laying around from a previous experience with the tank. I figured I'd be getting more growth and a better light spread. Well, one thing worked and that was the light spread. Previously with the diamond plate I couldn't see the color on my fish to well and there was a shadow in the very front and the back of the tank. But all of a sudden algae came up in full force which has led me to where I am now. 

Recently I've battling BBA. It's everywhere. I've been killing portions of it off with h202 but I'm just seeing it pop up in other places. I took off the T5's and threw on the T8's. I'm not really noticing anything different besides the tank seeming dimmer. 

Sorry about the long thread but I want to some things. 

Does having a dual T5HO fixture roughly 19 inches of the substrate require co2 and ferts?

How do I know how much to dose every week. Is it sort of guess and see what happens? 

Any recommendations for a low light fixture for my 75?


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## Newt (Apr 1, 2004)

Are you running CO2 with the T5HO bulbs?

How long of a photo period?


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## AlecFish (Sep 6, 2014)

No I'm not running co2 and they ran for 10 hrs a day. 

I'm trying to keep this as low maintenance as possible. But it seems hard to get good light spread and a good viewing experience. 

I'm just looking for suggestions on possible fixtures.


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## BenChod (Sep 21, 2011)

I use this for my 100g low tech tank and am very happy with results.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Lithonia...ty-Fluorescent-Shoplight-1284GRD-RE/202968125


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## TropTrea (Jan 10, 2014)

First question is what bulbs are you using in your lighting fixture. the balance of the spectrum is very important with algae seeming to love tanks with an excess of blue light. Using special flora lights are great for plant growth but often create issues on a pleasing color balance for some peoples viewing pleasure. 

With T-8 bulbs I found on a 74 gallon tank the ideal was running three of them mainly 2 GE 6,500K daylight and one Chroma 50 which was 5,000K. With HO T-5's I've found a good combo is 2 bulbs one being an ATI Purple Plus and the other a GE 6,500K.


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