New Tank Lighting Help..

[Marx]

Ok so my 75 gal will be set up soon..

and i have a ICECAP 660 Ballasts (good for 440w) 4 VHO's or and combination..

i want some plants not sure how heavy... but at first i will get fish going and that will build nutrients for the plants..

can i just push 220w for now without a algea bloom? or should i run 1 110w 10k VHO and 1 life glow 40W?  150w lighting.. so 2 wpg.. instead of almost 3wpg...

thanks...

[Marx]

anyone??

[BigDaddy]

Here's my advice... save the fish for later.  You said you wanted fish for nutrients for the tank.  The only nutrient they provide is nitrogen, and KNO3 is cheap and easy to add and measure in a planted tank, well the nitrogen anyway.

Go with your 220W.  Make sure you have good CO2 levels (without fish, you won't have to worry about overdosing and killing your livestock).  Start a regular regiment of fert dosing, using fast growing stem plants to help you determine any nutrient deffeciencies (you don't even have to keep them, just use them until everything gets established).

The bonus to this is that your plants will also be well rooted, so your not as likely to have your fish accidentally uproot your plants.

P.S. - I'm setting up a new 75 gallon planted myself.   However, I'm just going with 4 x 55W compact flourescent.  I'll be doing 110 watts for a while until I can get 2 more 55W bulbs and a second ballast to drive them.  With good CO2, the plants will use less energy drawing up carbon and more energy gathering light, so even at less than 2 wpg, I can still put medium light plants in.