# Best Lighting for a 40b?



## lovesplants (Jan 9, 2012)

I was wondering what the best lighting
for a 40b would be. Waiting for the stand I ordered
so it's not up yet. The lights are next. I've looked at so 
many online! I'll be using some flame moss I have in another
tank and windlov fern. I'd also like to put in some dwarf lillies and tiger 
lotus, crypts(not sure which ones yet), melon sword, anubias coffefolia and 
I'm looking for something low growing for the front. And all that can change with 
what will grow best.
Any ideas on lighting? I have a coralife 4x67k on my 75g, I'm figuring something
like that might be too much for this tank.


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## Michael (Jul 20, 2010)

For low to medium light, two T5 NO tubes or one T5 HO tube should do it. I run 2 NO tubes over my 40 gallon, suspended about 4" above the top, and get about 45-50 umol of PAR at the substrate, which puts me in medium light by most definitions.

Surprisingly, I get more PAR when I use 4100K Phillips daylight tubes from Home Depot than with 6700K Coralife tubes. The Coralife tubes only give about 30 PAR, cost more than twice as much as the Phillips, AND only last about 6 months! So sometimes cheap and easy is better.

I also have very good results with spiral compact fluorescents mounted vertically over a 20 gallon tall that is the same height as the 40b. In this case two 26w 6500K Sylvania spiral CFs produce about 60 umol of PAR at the substrate. These also come from Home Depot, and cost about $6 each.


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## lovesplants (Jan 9, 2012)

I've read about people using the bulbs from Home depot. In my fixture I have now 
it has 4 pins in a line, I haven't seen anything to fit yet.
Thanks for the info, I'll be looking around for a fixture that will take the cheaper bulbs for sure!


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## thefisherman (Nov 26, 2011)

I like to refer to Hoppy's chart from PT forums. Search "PAR vs Distance" and I am certain it would answer most if not all (basic) questions.

Cree LED's, DIY LED's and dimmable flourecents (such as ATI, geissman components Plantbrain uses) etc., is another topic.


Sent from my iPhone


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## Michael (Jul 20, 2010)

Hoppy's chart is just about the best thing out there. It doesn't cover spiral CFs or LEDs. From my experience, spiral CFs mounted vertically perform similarly to T5 HO tubes.


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## lovesplants (Jan 9, 2012)

Thanks Thefisherman, I printed that out. I'll check out the website tonight.
Michael, there is so much to learn about planted tanks! Once I get this right I'm
going to redo my 75g. Gee, years ago I let the tank run for 2 weeks and stuck 
my fish in, some rock and a fake plant or two, good to go. My fish lived for years!


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## jester61288 (Dec 9, 2010)

Michael said:


> Hoppy's chart is just about the best thing out there. It doesn't cover spiral CFs or LEDs. From my experience, spiral CFs mounted vertically perform similarly to T5 HO tubes.


can you post up a pic of how your lights are setup..like the fixture you used


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## Michael (Jul 20, 2010)

My camera is down, but when I have it back I'll post some photos in my journal.

Basically, I have a metal conduit bar over the tank with two clamp light fixtures suspended from it. The fixtures are hanging from their cords with the clamps removed. I used the 8" diameter fixtures with hemispherical aluminum shades--they were about $9 each from Hopeless Depot.


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## jester61288 (Dec 9, 2010)

Michael said:


> My camera is down, but when I have it back I'll post some photos in my journal.
> 
> Basically, I have a metal conduit bar over the tank with two clamp light fixtures suspended from it. The fixtures are hanging from their cords with the clamps removed. I used the 8" diameter fixtures with hemispherical aluminum shades--they were about $9 each from Hopeless Depot.


lol Hopeless Depot..I was thinking about hanging mine like that..pendent style


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## hornedtoad1 (Jun 24, 2011)

I also have very good results with spiral compact fluorescents mounted vertically over a 20 gallon tall that is the same height as the 40b. In this case two 26w 6500K Sylvania spiral CFs produce about 60 umol of PAR at the substrate. These also come from Home Depot, and cost about $6 each.[/QUOTE]

hi michael, i'm planning on getting something about 20" tall--55 gallon or so, whatever shows up on the local craigslist--and was wondering whether i could use cfl's, for a total of 2-3 wpg. that's working really well for me on other tanks, it would be great to be able to stick with them. probably should go with t5's, but just have to ask. thanks.


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## Michael (Jul 20, 2010)

Hornedtoad, I think the spiral cfls would work on a 55. My 20 tall has the tubes about 6" above the top of the tank, and about 20" above the substrate. For a 48" long tank, you would need at least 3 cfls, and 4 would be better.


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## hornedtoad1 (Jun 24, 2011)

thanks, michael, that's really great to hear--i'd thought maybe it was a crazy idea. four 26w bulbs should work; i can use the 8" reflectors.
here's a shot of my current system--it's pvc, and the bars the lights clamp onto are on chains so they can be raised or lowered.


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## Z400 (Mar 24, 2010)

I just recently sold our 40B planted set up. 

I was using a Aquasun 2x39w T5HO fixture, did a terrific job.


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