# T5 Fixture for my new 75 gallon



## geeks_15 (Dec 9, 2006)

I'm starting a new 75 gallon (48" long) tank and need some advice on my lighting fixture.

The tank will be heavily planted with pressurized CO2 injection. I don't want too much heat or the noise of fans so T5 or T5HO without fans are the options.

I've read many posts praising the Tek 4 x 54, but I'm worried that it is too much light. I don't want to be constantly fighting algae and I don't want to pay $300 (bulbs not included) to be running 2 of the bulbs.

I've had much success with the coralife double strip T5's when I had 2 double strips over my 29gallon tank. I had mostly medium light plants with a nice carpet of lilaeopsis. So I had planned to use 2 double strip 48" coralife and possible add my old 2 24" coralife. I can get this set up for $100 with the bulbs included. At 3" in width I could add another double strip to have a total of 216 watts for $150.

Another option is the Hagen glo T5HO double strip for about $150 (bulbs not included). Again I could supplement with my old 2 double strip 24" coralifes.

Then I found this Catalina Black Solar 4 x 54w fixture. This is a pretty good watts per dollar deal for $190 with the bulbs included.

As for my goals, I want a thick foreground. I'm not concerned with excellent reds in my plants. I will choose mostly easy to grow plants, but I would like to be able to have many options. Also I don't want to be trimming plants every week. Every 2 weeks I can handle.

Here is a list of my initial planting plan:
Sagittaria subulata
Hemianthus callitrichoides
Hygrophila corymbosa 'siamensis'
marselia quadrifolia
heteranthera zosterfolia
ludwigia natans
nesea pedicellata
nymphia lotus red

I'll also be using some anubias nana, java fern, java moss, and crypts in the more shaded areas of the tank.

So I'd love to get some feedback. Are the coralife's too wimpy even with 3 or 4 double strips? Is the Tek too much light? Is the Catalina a good deal or too good to be true?

Thanks in advance,

Jeremy


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## rich815 (Jun 27, 2007)

I started out with two 2x54W Hagen T5HO fixtures over my 72 gal (therefore a total of 4x54W) and along with pressurized CO2 and EI fert dosing using dry ferts. The lighting was WAY too much and I battled GSA and GDA algae like you would not believe, particularly on the leaves of my hygros closest to the light.

I got a hold of a 1x54W Hagen T5Ho light and have been using that for the last 9 months or so with just one of the 2x54W units (therefore 3x54W total) and the GSA and GDA subsided tremendously and now is hardly there. All my plants grew fine and I grew at least 30 different types in the time in there.

Recently (1 month ago) I thinned out about 50% on my plant mass in order to make room for 6 discus in my tank. The light seemed to be a bit bright for them so I turned off the 1x54W fixture and also backed off a bit on the EI dry dosing of my ferts to get the N down from 20-30 to 5-10ppm and the P from 10+ to 2-3ppm. So now I was 2x54W T5HO and dosing much less ferts. The CO2 continued as before.

Surprisingly my plants have not suffered in the least, the weekly film of GDA that would build up (not a lot but some) on the glass is hardly there any more and all looks fine. And this is with growing P. stellatus 'fine leaf', L. aromatica, L. sp 'guinea', Tonina fluviatilis and Hygro. sp. 'guinea', among other medium to higher light plants.

I guess my main point is I think people over-estimate how much light they really need to grow a decent amount and decent number of different plants. Therefore make sure you get a fixture or fixtures that will allow you to crank up or down the number of lights you use until you find what suits your situation best. I never thought 2x54W in the end would work out for me.


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## geeks_15 (Dec 9, 2006)

Thanks for the info. Your tank looks great BTW.


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## fiftyfiveg (May 11, 2009)

I have the Catalina 4X54w but only used 3x54w for my 75G. You can get the 3 bulbs version for $139.00

http://www.catalinaaquarium.com/pro...=1638&osCsid=9d821b2a49a5743113b8229606334a99

You can find cheap Hagen Glo T5HO double strip on ebay. I got two double strip with bulbs for $75 each set.


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## geeks_15 (Dec 9, 2006)

Thanks for the link. That 3 x 54 may be the best option yet. 

Which would you choose, 2 of the hagen glo fixtures or the 3 x 54 catalina?


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## fiftyfiveg (May 11, 2009)

Catalina 3x54w.


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## FSM (May 30, 2009)

I have the Catalina 3x54W fixture, I like it. I got one plant-grow bulb, 1 10000k, and 1 6500k and I like the combo. the 10k is bluish, the 65k is white-yellow, and the plant bulb is pink.

I don't have my CO2 hooked up yet though, and just added plants a week ago, so I can't comment on how well stuff grows.


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## nickman (Feb 25, 2008)

I am just getting back into the planted tank hobby so i cant speak on plant tank lighting but i can tell you that fans are highly recommended for T5 fixtures. It has been shown that keeping the ends of T5 bulbs cool (100 degrees F or so) helps prolong bulb life and actually increases light output. Passively cooled (no fans, just vents) lights like TEK and Hagen fixtures, while very popular and a great "bang for your buck" actually have less light output than an actively cooled (fans) fixtures. This is assuming that all other factors such as reflectors, ballasts and bulbs are equal.

i am currently running a 4 x 54 watt Nova Extreme fixture on my 75 and while the fan is annoying, i keep it on knowing my bulbs will last longer.

-nick


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## alan j t (Oct 22, 2008)

i have a 4x54 catalina lamp on my 75 gal. 2 bulbs on for 10 hrs and the other 2 for an hr or so.so far so good.i even bought another catalina lamp for my 55


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