# New tank lighting



## Gotfish (Aug 15, 2007)

I started a new 29 gallon tank recently. I want to use a hood that I have laying around. It has 2X55 watt CFLs. The bulbs that I have existing in it are a 10,000 k white and a 50/50. Are those lights ok for plants? I really don't want to spend any more on the bulbs. If I had to, I would switch to T5-HOs. 

Also how long should I leave the light on for. I have a wide range of plants that need low to high lighting. I will be adding a Hagen CO2 to the tank soon. 


Thanks.


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## hoppycalif (Apr 7, 2005)

When I had a 29 gallon tank with two 55 watt AH Supply lights on it, that proved to be too much light for the amount of work I wanted to do with the tank. But, my bulbs were 6500K bulbs, not actinic. If you have 55 watts of 10,000K and half of a 55 watt bulb with actinic and the other half with 10,000K you may have about the right amount of light. The actinic part isn't of much use for plants. If you like the effect of the blue light it should work.


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## longhornxtreme (Feb 20, 2007)

I'm also in a quandary as to how to upgrade my lighting over my 29G. It has 36w of T5 NO from a terrible coralife fixture. I was initially planning on 2x55 w CF from AHS as I've put together a few of their kits. BUT I want to suspend the fixture for the open top look as my fish aren't prone to jumping. I've been reading here and there that CF is just not that great for suspending 6-8" above the water. 

Which leads me to drool over the Tek T5HO fixtures, but of course... my tank is 30" and I can only choose between a 24" or 36" Tek... So it comes down to this, will a suspended 24" tek with 4x24 cover my 29 G until I finally piece together a 60P ADA setup? OR should I get a 36" tek and have it over lap the tank a touch with the anticipation of eventually running a 90P tank? Ahhh the choices. 

Do ya'll think the 36" would look terribly funny over a 30" tank?


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## hoppycalif (Apr 7, 2005)

I would use the 24" light over the 30" tank if it were suspended as you want. There is a lot of light spill out the ends of the reflector, and you only need 3" of spill on each side. The ends won't be quite as bright as the middle, but I doubt you would notice. The 36" long light would look odd and would spill a lot of light past the ends of the tank - in my opinion.


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## longhornxtreme (Feb 20, 2007)

thanks for the advice hoppy... I'll most likely go for the 24" as I'm planning a 60P in the future and that would fit it perfectly... By that time, the 29G will most likely turn into either a grow out tank or a quarantine tank... and a 1x55 AHS kit would be perfect for the 29 if it ends up as a grow out tank. 

I never really found a bulb in my 1x36 that I truly liked over my 10G test bed that's since retired to the closet. With the tek, I'll be able to use 2 different temperature bulbs for the inner tubes and only use the outer tubes for a noon day burst.


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