how can i figure this out?

i want to grow some live plants legit this time. in my 45 gallon con tank and well i you need stronger wave lenghts to penatrate deeper water. thats why breeders are better tnaks to grow or long tanks not tall. but hey i have allot of time on my hands so why not take a chlange on. now i am looking but i havent found any thing that has at all helped me in gauging how strong of a light out put id need to get that deep. but i also had an idea take this long drift wood drill right threw it and anchor it to rocks and insert the plugs in the holes of the wood in which then id have the wood ancored with fishing line suspended in the water higher in the water coloum which to me would be a good way to start them its like a diy frag rack. and what light would i need regardless to jsut grow your basic plants? i want some mosses a amzon sowrd and some thing growing on the woof so a java fern prolly.

I really don't know what to tell you about the light, D, my planted tanks have just
evolved with the lights I already had on hand.
One plant that has done well for me that the fish don't mess with is the Cryptocorine
wendtii... I have had some Amazon Swords get so big they overwhelm the tank, and the leaves get ragged-looking easily it seems. Some of the fish will eat them, too.
I have a friend in Corpus Christi with an awesome planted 55 with Africans in it, I'll ask him what lights he uses.

Thanks j I tried live plants with stock lights and failed and it was in a short in hightower tank and I even tried dual lights but still didn't work

u want a dual bulb T5 high output light fixture, that will do the trick.

How much do those run for?

check the internet! aquatraders.com is cheapest unless u can find used ones by u.

lol sorry bra didnt even think when i posted forgot i have a desktop again lol

is this what im looking for right? and should i have the tank a open top? cause this tank has a canpoy

Drake-tripod wrote:is this what im looking for right? and should i have the tank a open top? cause this tank has a canpoy

?

my bad lol http://www.aquatraders.com/Odyssea-36in-2x39W-T5-HO-Light-Fixture-p/52122.htm

so im getting that light for x mas so idk if they gonna order it for me and let me have it when it gets here or make me wait lol

Drake-tripod wrote:so im getting that light for x mas so idk if they gonna order it for me and let me have it when it gets here or make me wait lol

nice, that light will give u almost 2 watts per gallon, and ull be able to do most low to medium light plants... OH YEA! i even got a 3ft daylight bulb id give ya if u want to switch out the actinic.

For plants I think you want 4000-6500K, in a 45 a single T5HO might be enough.
I'm thinking the 1200K covers that range instead of bypassing it so you should be good???? The actinic wouldn't really add anything for freshwater plants, but if you like the extra color keep it. If you swap the actinic for a plant bulb the 1200k would keep it from looking too yellow.

oh sick chris thanks and what would you do keep the attnic? i just want it the best strongest light so i can grow plants and not worry about it being hte lighting i like attinc color but its jsut cons you know?

And would it be best for no top? And is my emp 400 all good? When I find my ac 110 I'm use that swap it out And would my choice of plants be good? The amzon sword a anbuis and java moss and I think there was some thing else lol

no top is up to you... my plants do well either way. i would switch out the actinic for a daylight bulb, just like Jeff said. I would put a 6500k bulb in for it. If u want growth over spectrum.

emp 400 will do a fine job, all those plants should do fine. Check out crypts as well (the plant, not the gang).

i am running the same light only 4ft long on my planted 75.... i have 2 daylight bulbs in the fixture, a 10k, and a power-glo. then i also have another standard 4ft t8 fixture with an actinic in it to bring out the color in the fish.

plants do fine, and fish look good.

what do you mean growth over spectrum? and what is your day glow bulb k out put? and would the stock lights with it do the job? i just want to be the best i can