# plant lighting? please help



## fish fanatic (Jul 24, 2007)

Is this light good for live plants?

Nova Extreme HO Lighting Fixture - 4 x 54W T5HO - 48 in

http://www.aquariumguys.com/current-nova-extreme48.html

I was wondering because it had the actinic blubs.


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## fish fanatic (Jul 24, 2007)

I fould this light for really cheap, can i just replace the bulbs with some other kind of bulb?


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## BV77 (Jan 22, 2005)

it says it takes t-5 bulbs. Well the 10,000k and actinic are not really for plants , that is more like saltwater lighting. You could find some 5000k - 6700k bulbs fairly easily on line or locally at home improvement stores. The 5-6700k is the color temp that plants require.


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## fish fanatic (Jul 24, 2007)

about how much would they be?

and if i got those bulbs, how effective would the light as a whole be?


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## BV77 (Jan 22, 2005)

they might be like $7 or so each at a home improvement store, or check online at like BigAl's online, Petsoloutions, or Drsfosterandsmith.com


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## fish fanatic (Jul 24, 2007)

i looked at a couple places but they are only about like 30 watts or so,

that would not be very high lighting for plants....


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## G-NOME (Jul 7, 2010)

If you want to grow plants your going to need a T5HO. It all depends what your growing too...low light plants, etc..


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## fish fanatic (Jul 24, 2007)

I want high light plants, so I could basically grow anythign i wanted...

is there a way i could find light like that for the fixture?


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## fish fanatic (Jul 24, 2007)

anyone???????


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## Mikaila31 (Nov 29, 2009)

you need 54 watt T5 bulbs with the proper kelvin rating. Its been awhile since I got new bulbs, but IMO you are looking at $40 for 4 new bulbs. Bulbs should also be replaced, I do it around every 2 years. 

That fixture will give you light to grow plants, but what size tank are you putting it on? It may be too much if you are not willing to do CO2.


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## chevyrs1969 (Sep 8, 2010)

I have a planted 55 gallon tank that I was having the hardest time keeping the plants looking healthy. The only lighting I had was the light fixture that came with the tank, a single t8 bulb. I went to Home Depot and bought a fluorescent shop light that holds two t12 bulbs. I also bought two GE t12 bulbs 6,500k, the whole setup cost about $40. Light fits perfectly over the tank and within a week the plants were looking greener and showed signs of growing.


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## Mikaila31 (Nov 29, 2009)

Yes in the end any kind of floros work. The main issue is efficiency and wattage. As far as T12 go they are pretty inefficent compared to t5 or PC. I have never had any luck with t12 or t8 bulbs IDK why.I know a lot of people can grow plants under them and usually you need 2 bulbs the length of the tank. I've tried that with 2 t8s at 6500k and it did horribly. Eventually I scrapped one of my older t8 strip lights and mounted 2 spiral compacts in it that were about equal in wattage to the T8 and technically less efficient due to shape. Have not had a problem growing plants in that tank now. I don't actually have a tank that uses the standard T8 lighting(I've got the fixtures and bulbs) they either have stronger lighting or its been modified in some way. I actually don't have a hood I haven't torn apart and rebuilt better.


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