Best Lighting for Discus/Planted

[PhishNFilly]

Can somebody please point me to a direction here in the forum in regards to lighting etc? My Discus are growing like mad, in a few months I want to get this 75 going into a planted. I need to know what direction should I go for a good light ( not the pricest plz) for showing off my discus colors and also a good light to make my plants thrive. Any links are appreciated to jump start me. Right now I have just strip lights over glass tops, again it's a 75 gallon. Thanks, Julia:)

[mlov1022]

Those GE Aqua Rays are good bulbs.

[nikond70s]

julia, if you want to get started in planted tanks. go to this forum...

plantedtank.net

all the info you need to know about growing plants/lights etc...

and as for your question. plants do well and prefer bulbs in the 6700k-10k range. you can go with power compact lights T5's or metal halide etc..
i prefer to use T5's and get one 6700k bulb and one of those pink bulb combination. it really brings out the colors in colorful fishes.

[neon]

I have 55gal tank and I like T5's. My bulbs are 10K and pink combination and my plants grow pretty well.

[Darrell Ward]

I would go with one 70 watt HQI, 6500K metal halide. Nothing out there is better. Not CF, LED, T5, or anything else. Been there, done that.

[PhishNFilly]

Thanks guys, I am late getting to read the responses. I will look into all that were mentioned and take it from there, I finally put sand down again for the juveniles, I removed it because as you know sigh the care of the bare bottom is easier to maintain. I grew bored with the bare bottom tho, and I feel the fish are bored for some reason with it as well. I must get lighting, my fish look drab with just strip lights and lowe's lightbulbs again a sigh. Thanks guys, Julia:o

[PhishNFilly]

I wonder if I can beg upon somebody to take a look at this and give me an opinion. I also have a ridiculously stupid question so please bare with me. If I end up going this route, do I NOT need glass tops? I just leave it open and the light fixture stands up above it? Thanks for anybody who takes the time to check out this light at big als for me......I can't afford anything more than like $130......Also please note the bulb wattage and colors etc.....should this work for me and grow my plants. Julia

http://http://www.bigalspets.com/2x54W-T5-Linkable-Light-Fixture/dp/B002BHBQ30?ie=UTF8&id=2x54W%20T5%20Linkable%20Light%20Fixture&field_product_site_launch_date_utc=-1y&field_availability=-1&field_browse=3010036011&searchSize=12&searchNodeID=3010036011&searchPage=1&refinementHistory=brandtextbin%2Csubjectbin%2Ccolo r_map%2Cprice%2Csize_name&searchRank=salesrank

[PhishNFilly]

More......my main concern is the wattage of the bulbs offered. They have this at a petco near my house.....T5 bulbs, there are 5 different ones to choose from. I am dumb on which to go with that will show my fish colors and grow some plants. TY again. J

PS. PETCO HAS THIS T5 BUT NO BULBS INCLUDED FOR $100. BULBS ARE $21 DOLLARS A PIECE. TY:angry:

[nikond70s]

I wonder if I can beg upon somebody to take a look at this and give me an opinion. I also has a ridiculously stupid question so please bare with me. If I end up going this route, do I NOT need glass tops? I just leave it open and the light fixture stands up above it? Thanks for anybody who takes the time to check out this light at big als for me......I can't afford anymore more.....Also please note the bulb wattage and colors etc.....should this work for me and grow my plants. Julia

http://http://www.bigalspets.com/2x54W-T5-Linkable-Light-Fixture/dp/B002BHBQ30?ie=UTF8&id=2x54W%20T5%20Linkable%20Light%20Fixture&field_product_site_launch_date_utc=-1y&field_availability=-1&field_browse=3010036011&searchSize=12&searchNodeID=3010036011&searchPage=1&refinementHistory=brandtextbin%2Csubjectbin%2Ccolo r_map%2Cprice%2Csize_name&searchRank=salesrank

julia, the links not working atleast not for me. but u dont need a glass top. if the light has legs u can just put it on top or hang the lights. its preference. and anything in the 6500k-10k is good for plants. but most people go for the 6700k give or take in that range. i need to see the light and price and ill see if i can look elsewhere for u for a better price. i personally stay away from big chain stores unless they have a sale going on cuz most of the time they are overprice.

[PhishNFilly]

Oh let me try this again, sorry for the terrible typO's I need to read before I post it. Let me try it again. This light is at Big Al's Online. Petco has this same outfit but minus the lightbulbs, I have to pay extra. Thank goodness I can do without glass tops!!!!!!! Oh that made my day. Thanks you here I will try again below. My concern is the wattage offered with this fixture. Will it work for me? J

http://www.bigalspets.com/2x54W-T5-Linkable-Light-Fixture/dp/B002BHBQ30?ie=UTF8&id=2x54W%20T5%20Linkable%20Light%20Fixture&field_product_site_launch_date_utc=-1y&field_availability=-1&field_browse=3010036011&searchSize=12&searchNodeID=3010036011&searchPage=1&refinementHistory=brandtextbin%2Csubjectbin%2Ccolo r_map%2Cprice%2Csize_name&searchRank=salesrank

[PhishNFilly]

http://www.bigalspets.com/Lighting-Fish/b/3010031011

Going to try it this way too....when you get to the page it's the first light fixture in the second column. TY so very much!

[nikond70s]

that fixture is fine. my only concern is the brand. never heard of that brand so i cant say much about it. but if u wanted that fixture i would get it from petco and buy ur own bulbs. i would prefer some Giesemann bulbs one midday and one colormax pink. so its a white bulb and a pink bulb. that combination is really great makes the fish color stand out more. 2x54watts over a 75 gallon. that would put u in the low tech to medium tech lighting. should be fine with soil substracts.

but have a look at these lights. cheaper and i know lots of people with these fixture and dont complain about it. and its best bang for ur buck. comes with mounting legs also.

http://fishneedit.com/t5ho-4ft--2lamp-aquarium-light.html

if u do decide to order from there. on the bulbs get all white amd 6700k

[PhishNFilly]

Ok another question.......this pink light bulb mentioned, is the actual color of the bulb pink or is it white and comes out pink....I know this sounds dumb but I don't think I have ever seen a T5 pink lightbulb, and if I go with Petco, they only sell zoomed T5 light bulbs and they offer 4 different kinds, it's so hard, I will have to go back and forth running with light bulbs for a week until I get what I like I imagine. Again where do you all purchase these T5 pink colored bulbs......Julia

[PhishNFilly]

Niko thanks so much for the advise you have given me. :D

[nikond70s]

the pink bulb is more like a transparent pink. and yes it give out a white ish pink. and u get them online. there like 18-20 bucks each. julia, when i get home i will get some pics of the pink bulb and how it looks in a tank compared to other bulbs. i gotta pick up my nephew from ucla ill pm u or something later.

[PhishNFilly]

Ok I will wait to hear back from you. Again many thanks. I am so lost deciding. J

[PhishNFilly]

I really like this one at Fosters.......what do you think? It has both white and pink and offers 10,000. J


http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+3733+13822+23753&pcatid=23753

[PhishNFilly]

Nikon I went to Petco and got a zoo med T 5 for $110, NO BULBS the box was banged up so they gave it to me $15 bucks off. The fixture itself was just fine.:o

I purchased three bulbs and will use these until I get the ones you recommended. This is what I got ...please give me your take on this if you can plz.

Zoo Med Flora Sun max plant growth 5,000 K

Zoo Med Ultra Sun super daylight 6500K

Zoo Med Ocean and Sun 10,000K says for strong emissions in the blue spectrum stimulating deeper ocean environments.

I am using two right now.....the tank look nice but the Discus are hiding it's a shock to them I am imagining.....

Are you sure that the two bulbs you recommended are going to make my plants thrive that is my first concern. Also The Midday one brings out the color of the fish, can you make me a vid of your tank so I can see your Discus with this light combo if possible? I am waiting for my babies to come out of hiding so I can see them with these lights, please tell me what you think, as soon as I can I will do a vid or what I have and send it on this thread. Again if anybody reads this please respond as well. Thanks very much Nikon for all the help and advise. J

[nikond70s]

your bulbs are fine julia. i recommended those giesemann bulbs cuz they are good quality and you wanted colors to pop out. the bulbs you have now and my bulbs i recommended both grow plants. i just think the ones i recommended would show off your fish colors more. also in order to make your plants thrive you should have nutrient rich substrates. so its not only the lighting. i dont have any pics of my old tank with T-5 with those bulbs. i only have a few a few pics but with PC lightings but they are on my phone. i witched my tank to amazon biotope. took out all the plants. switch my lighting to marineland LED's.and i no longer keep discus. i currently keep altums. but here is my current tank setup with LEDs.


http://i39.tinypic.com/ozfqp.jpg

[PhishNFilly]

I am going to purchase the pink one for sure, thats a must. I need to go back to all the threads on planted tanks and read. I have sand and didn't want to do pots but I did see a gal here did a really great set up with pots. Also now that my glass tops are gone, my temps at night are going to drop, should I jack up the temperature of my heater to compensate for no lids now that I have this T5? ps. I am going to go to planted tanks as you recommended way up at the beginning of this thread. Thanks again. J

[nikond70s]

I am going to purchase the pink one for sure, thats a must. I need to go back to all the threads on planted tanks and read. I have sand and didn't want to do pots but I did see a gal here did a really great set up with pots. Also now that my glass tops are gone, my temps at night are going to drop, should I jack up the temperature of my heater to compensate for no lids now that I have this T5? ps. I am going to go to planted tanks as you recommended way up at the beginning of this thread. Thanks again. J

yeah def sign up for plantedtank.net julia. everything u need to learn about lights and plants and planted tank on that site. u will get a lot more helpful response there. with the lid on the tank. the temp just holds in more so your heater gotta turn on less. with open top heat escapes so your heater will be on more often. do a search on those giesemann bulbs on that site and you will see lots of good things about it. you can use sand to grow plants if ur doing low tech and no co2. plants just grows slow. plants grow faster and healthier with rich nutrient substrates.

[4discus]

PhishNFilly,

One quick thought on the no top on the tank subject...I dont know about you but I have jumpers and my top has saved my fish more than once.

[gerrard00]

If you do a search for jumpers on this forum, you'll see quite a few threads on the subject.

[PhishNFilly]

I will most deff look into this, right now I only have the Discus and one german blue ram and 2 cory's in this tank. Do Discus jump? I will have to do a search of this topic. Thanks guys. Just an update ......tonight I got four plants and have NO idea what they are. Why Why Why can't those places label, I don't think they know themselves and that is the truth. Once I decide what to do with them I will post a vid and perhaps somebody can here can tell me or I might have to go to the planted tank. Nobody around me in a 50 mile radius has cardinal tetras or raspboras. Neons don't work they die on me, I will not go neons again in my Discus tank.... TY all. Oh I forgot......all my discus are terrified one one tiny german blue ram LOL I am sure that will change hopefully by morning.......such sissies I have! J

[gerrard00]

Here's just one recent thread:

http://forum.simplydiscus.com/showthread.php?93677-Sad-day-in-my-house-this-morning.-I-had-a-jumper.

If you search the archives, you'll find lots more.

[Discus PB]

I just bought 4 foot a T-5 grow light off Amazon for $60 with free shipping. I bet you could lay that across your tank. I needed it for my seeds I am starting this year. So I won't be testing it out on the fish tank until late spring.