# Hood/Lighting for 55 gallon?



## ccrater (Mar 31, 2013)

I am about to go pick up a 55 gallon tank w/ stand, but it does not come with a hood/lighting or whatever. I believe it is 48" long. 
I was thinking about just getting a piece of plexiglass stuff and putting it on top, then buying 2 regular sized florecent lights to sit on top of that.

I'm not very handy nor do I have much free time.
I've also never had a tank this large, only a 20gal. 

Any suggestions, help, anything?


----------



## jacobe280 (Sep 19, 2011)

thats what I did but with old glass instead of plexi. get a couple of different spectrum bulbs and you should be fine to grow most all that you would want. best of luck


----------



## tipsy mcstager (Apr 6, 2013)

you'll do fine with a common fluorescent fixture, from say a hardware store 32W T8/T5 will interchange. as said two different spectrum bulbs. you'll want one to be a full spectrum, and one to be some type of plant growth blub, in the 5000-75000k range. 
these are somewhat cheap around $11-$15.

you might like to think about getting a traditional type glass hood, if nothing more then for ease of access. if your tank is an old style (without center brace) moveing a 46-5/8" x 9-1/2" chunk of plexiglass and the lights every time you need to get in the tank, is going to start to become a pain in the butt! and you'll need a place cutout anyways for the heater/fillter and soforth.

if yours is the new style (with center brace) two 23-1/8" x 9-1/2" glass hoods are only around $15 each. you'll get a plastic strip in the back as a place to cut for heater/ filter, and a lift up access with out haveing to move your lighting.


----------

