Craig Brye said:

I'm looking for some insight/experience into what lighting system (watts) I should get for my 75 gal. tank? This will be heavily planted with CO2 injection and all that good stuff. The tank is the standard 48" x 18".

Any advice would be appreciated!

I went DIY.

I run 6 32w T-8 4' tubes with Sylvania/Osram electronic ballasts on my
75 gallon AllGlass tank. I use Sylvania 5000k bulbs, sometimes
combining with 6500k bulbs for better color (more blues).

Avoid the Phillips 950 bulbs, they have a better CRI, but poor PARS.
The 850's are OK.

The bulbs cost me $3.45 each at the local commercial lighting
distibutor. I wasn't about to pay $12.00 to $20.00 each for bulbs
every six months or so... Many are just standard commercial lamps
with doctored spectrum charts on the box.

Reflectors are important - either make a W reflector to reduce bulb
restrike, or at minimum, use reflective white paint on a flat
reflector. Avoid aluminum foil - It is a poor reflector! A good
reflector can almost double your available light.

I have anubias, bacopa, hornwort, various cryps, marble queen sword,
dwarf hairgrass, chain swords, rotala magenta, water lettuce and
duckweed, etc. The red colors are maintained and growth is
acceptable. I could not keep pennywart going, however.

Banana plants exploded with growth until they hit the dormant period
and I pulled them.

I ran 4 tubes originally, and *most* plants did OK - but the marble
sword and hairgrass wanted more light.

Also, learn from my mistakes!
Mix some Fluorite, Profile or even Hartz pH5 cat litter in with your
substrate. Gravel just doesn't cut it - although I tried in an
attempt to eliminate the $100 cost (+shipping).

FWIW,


Greg G.