Lighting

[RossW]

I am wondering what do most people use for lighting above their African tanks?

Can I get away w/ a cheap old normal balast and lights or do I need to spend $200+ and get some T5 HO?!? setup?

Thanx,
Ross

[babblefish1960]

Any cheap kind of light will do, particularly as the lighting that is more expensive is for growing something green, and with African cichlids, they really don't care. You can use almost anything, it depends to some degree how much you would like to see.

[RoxyDog]

my 77gal has 2 x 40w normal fluorescents over it and I'd like it to be a tad brighter.  but it's not too bad really.

[groan]

my 70 has a coralife 2x65 on it.
i used to think it was really bright, then i got my 110w cF on my 30 and holy bright!

anyways, if you are not growing plants, dont worry too much about it. africans tond need plants to be happy.

[gkilla]

I would personally go now to the Super Pet in Barrhaven and get some T5 ballasts and bulbs seeing as they are 75% off right now. It shouldn't cost you more than $70.

[RoxyDog]

AFAIK they only have bulbs left.  but you might other good lighting deals there...

[RossW]

AFAIK they only have bulbs left.  but you might other good lighting deals there...

If that is true, do you know anyone who is selling a light set? 

[mseguin]

What size tank?

[RossW]

It could be any size, but could be the 110g from Nyxx which is 48x18x30.  I currently have a white sand bottom and it is likely I would continue that in any new tank.

[charlie]

If it`s a 48 inch tank , I think roxydog had a T5 double for sale .
Regards

[Nyx]

Ross, before my husband and I switched to saltwater, we had Lake Malawi cichlids in a 72 gal. tank. We couldn't afford fancy lighting at the time (as we had just bought the tank) so we bought a cheap, 4' fluorescent fixture from Home Depot and mounted it over the tank. We couldn't afford aquarium bulbs back then, either so we just bought plant bulbs from Home Depot as well. After a few months, we had more Java moss than we knew what to do with and our Java ferns grew really well and if I remember correctly, these are pretty much the only plants that do well with Africans. The lighting wasn't too bright but we could clearly see the fish, rock wall, plants, etc.

[fyrebull]

Ross, before my husband and I switched to saltwater, we had Lake Malawi cichlids in a 72 gal. tank. We couldn't afford fancy lighting at the time (as we had just bought the tank) so we bought a cheap, 4' fluorescent fixture from Home Depot and mounted it over the tank.

I did the same $16.00 dual 48" shop light at Home Depot took it apart wired in a switch painted the whole thing black looks great about a $20.00 dollar investment.