On Dec 24, 7:55*pm, "Reel McKoi" wrote:
"Tynk" wrote in message

...

YOu should be able to get bulbs for approx 12-15 bucks
each.............

* I would need 8 of them so that's kind of out of the question unless I know
for sure they'd get rid of the algae.

and since your gonna have to start somewhere go with
the Coralife Nutri Grow Plant Lamps. NO guarantee though as I am not a
plant kind of person, so you may have to try another type of bulb if
that did not work. *A few more things is really needed to help with
the picking of the bulbs though. DSo these lights *thata you have set
on top of the aquarium frame *or are they suspended over the tanks,
and how high are the bulbs from the water surface and tank substrate?

* They're shop lights that sit right on the tank's rim about 2" from the
water's surface.

2, 40watt bulbs ought to be plenty of light for a 55 gal
tank.............

* *Not if you want to grow plants. All I got were spindly sickly plants and
diatoms with only 2, 40w bulbs.

.I prefer the compact florescent fixtures myself,
over NO types of florescent tubes, but they will cost more initially
and for bulb replacements every 12 months or so........but they pack a
lot more watts into the same areas than NO types of florescents do.
Those places that sell bulbs all have discriptions of the bulbs and
what to use them for........Coralifes "aqualight" is super when it
comes to aquarium lighting, but it will set *you back better than a C
note for a 55 gal tank...............Please explain how you have the
lights installed over the tanks.............and are you using a
polished metallic reflector or a plain white reflector.

* *They're just the cheap white shop reflectors sold in all the Hope Depot
type stores for under $15. They sit side by side on the tank's rim.

YOU can call Hello lights or any of these other places and talk to
associates. Hello lights is especially knowledgeable..........AH
Supply makes a great compact florescent light assembly that can be
retrofit into the typical strip lights commonly found on a lot of
aquariums......(standard basic strip light as supplied by factory
which nornmally has tube florescent light bulb in it)

* These tanks didn't come with Aquarium strip lights. I've always just had
shop lights on them.

YOU can pack
lots more wattage in that same area with a retro kit from AH
supply...........probably be easy to put 2 x 96 or 2 x 65 watt CF
lights in the typical strip light / hood with minimal renovating a
typical hood........

* I don't have those regular tank strips for the 55s, they're just the 10s..
I use 2 40w CFs on the 10s and plants thrive.

.and then you could easily grow virtually
anything. I just put two 55 watt PC lights over a 29 gal tank in
original strip light (1 x 18 watt *bulb standard) *and its *super
bright............and I have no doubt its bright enough to allow me to
plant more Helvola water lilys in that tank as well....and have them
bloom all year round.......

* These are just common shop lights that I put cool white and warm white
bulbs in. *Before I spend "big bucks" on bulbs that may make no more
difference than the Flourish Excel made, I'll let the plants die and use
water lettuce and hornwart. Together they'll just shade and starve the algae
out but that is very dissapointing. *Having live plants in my tanks is all
part of the "fishy" scene.

I did add another rubberlip pleco to that tank today. *Massive water changes
and serious gravel vacuuming has made no difference either.
--

RM....
Zone 6. *Middle TN USA
~~~~ *}((((* *~~~ * }{{{{(ö

OK, now were getting somewhere. Regular old shop lights with a with
reflector. That is most likely the main problem. First off, the
reflectors on those lights are made to reflect light from a height so
yuo get decent light dispersion. The light reflected is made to
disperse out and cover a wide area (cone of dispersion) and that they
are that close to a tank and only have a short distance to travel
until the light hits the substrate and is reflected out or back,. odds
are the majority of your light is being reflected "OUTSIDE" the tank
itself, and not as much inside the tank as you really think is there.
White reflectors is sufficient in most cases for a shop light however
it does little to nothing for good results in a fish tank, but its
still better than black. I'll bet you a coffee that proper bulbs (no
more than 2x40Wattaers of the correct kelvin temps and "PROPER"
reflectors will be more than enough light for "ANY" Freshwater palnts
you can possibly grow in a 55 gal tank..............People
underestimate the reflectors on a fish tank and next to the proper
lamp itself they are very important. If yu have the right light bulb,
and can not get it to disperse properly you may as well use any old
lamp as your not getting the full benefit out of them.

I am sure you or your better half can nail and cut a few boards.Why
not get some 1 x 6 pine and fashion up a quick and dirty wooden hood
for a fish tank (do one tank to start) nothuing needs to b e fancey,
and just look at how some hoods are made in places like Petco er ah
make that Deathco. A simple wooden frame box, with a few slats of 1 x
2 spaced apart on top to allow heat and ventilation to escape, and
also provides a place to mount lights under. If yu want some pics I
can post URL of a few sites that has simple yet effective aquarium
hoods that are easy enough to make. Then pay Big Als or another online
vendor a call, and purchase proper reflectors and attach them to the
metal white reflectors all ready on yuor shop lights......or retro fit
ballast and sockets etc from shop lights into the wooden hood..and
install proper bulbs......................done..............a quick
stain is all thats needed to finish it off..............and maybe a
top coat of clear sealer like polyurethane or varnish............I can
just about guarantee, your black algae problems will be over and you
can grow virtually any freshwater plant around then in these
aquariums. The lights would be a much different inmprovement that
will be benefical and work. Flourish Excel may work but its not going
to take the palce of having a proper lighting setup. The lights you
have now are fine and dandy for a fish only tank or with a few low
light requirement plants, but still leave a lot to b e desired overall
as the color specturm and kelvin is totally wrong. Your plants as well
as your fish will all look and grow better, well the plants will
anyhow, because fish for thr most part are not reliant on linghts like
a plant is, but I bet the colors in the fish will be much more
vibrant. I believe lighting is about the most important item that can
be done to a fish tank that is going to have live plants or corals in
p lace and the person with the tank is totally committed to having
nice plants and corals growing, than almost any other thing that can
be done to a tank. Heck even the cheapest filters around will do a
decent job of what they are designed for, but a light is not that
way.............a cheap light setup will not do a thing for a fish
tank other than provide illumination for the tanks owner to see whats
inside..................Once proper lights are in place it may take a
few weeks to a month or two to get lighting schedule worked out, but
odds are in that time frame your plants are gonna start to kick ass
and things will look better every day.............Like I said propper
bulbs and reflectors in a home brew hood is not even in the same
league as adding supplements to a tank..........