Lighting for 55g non-CO2

Two T12/T8 bulbs should be about right for a low tech, non-CO2 tank. I think anything using PC bulbs with a reflector similar to the AH Supply reflector would be too much light, and using T5 light would certainly be too much.

 

I think that is a good choice for low light, non-CO2. I think all of the T12 fixtures now being sold, which are actually for T8 bulbs, as I recall, use electronic ballasts. Magnetic ballasts are a royal pain - noisy, uncertain starting, poor starting at low room temperatures, and inefficient. For awhile, and maybe still, the lowest cost T12 fixtures used a hybrid ballast, which was a big improvement over a pure magnetic ballast, but not quite fully electronic. I think those are probably acceptable.

 

How many hours? Ambient light?

I'm running a single 40w T-12 and a 36" T-8 on my 55gal and at a full (both fixtures) 10 hour photoperiod it's really too much for an ultra-low maint. tank. Push in a bit of CO2 and it works fine. Reduce the light to a single 40W and it works fine with no supplements.

This is in a room with virtually no ambient light.

FWIW

 

Less than 40 watts on a deep tank like that sounds very puny.

I've got 60 watts on a 29 and only about 500 lux reaches the bottom. That's not very much. I wonder what that would be in PAR?

Bill

 

Every environment is different, but my planted 55 worked fine with a single 40w bulb in a Marineland/Perfecto fixture (brushed aluminum reflector) above an all-glass cover. Flourite substrate, No CO2, No ferts, No water changes, Fluval 304. Vals grew like weeds. Swords looked good. Apons were weeds. Anacharis was weeds. etc. Maybe 12" worth of Danios and a single 14" pleco. I over-fed wardleys algae discs and tropical flakes. Walstad-style.

Best I can give you, but good luck with whatever you choose!