Budget-friendly lighting options for a 55-gallon aquarium

[goldfin]

I'm on a tight budget for a new light for my 55, so I'm looking for some affordable options. I've narrowed it down to the Finnex Stingray 2 48" or the Koval 45"-50". Any thoughts on these two or are there other lights I should consider?

[desertstream]

Consider checking out 23 or 26 watt 6500K CFL bulbs - they're around 5 bucks each. You can fit them in a desk lamp, either clipping it to the back of your tank or placing it right on the glass if the lamp's deep enough. Desk lamps are also pretty cheap, about 5 dollars. Each bulb gives off around 1600 lumens, so just plan accordingly based on your tank's size - most plants need 20-30 watts per liter.

[coltin]

Consider grabbing a couple of LED spotlights from a hardware store. Two 100 watt LED spotlights would provide plenty of light.

[goldfin]

Consider grabbing a couple of LED spotlights from a hardware store. Two 100 watt LED spotlights would provide plenty of light.

I'll definitely check that out, thanks for the suggestion.

[goldfin]

Consider grabbing a couple of LED spotlights from a hardware store. Two 100 watt LED spotlights would provide plenty of light.

I just found this Maxxima 4ft LED shop light, 300-watt equivalent. It's got a motion sensor, turns on automatically with passive infrared tech.

www.homedepot.com

Maybe a bit overkill for my 55?

[coltin]

300 watts is overkill for most tanks, unless you've got a 4-foot high tank, which isn't common. The sensor on that unit would be a hassle too, going on and off all the time - not ideal for a tank.

[goldfin]

Consider grabbing a couple of LED spotlights from a hardware store. Two 100 watt LED spotlights would provide plenty of light.

I think for a 21/22 inch tall tank, you'd want something around 10-20 watts.

[goldfin]

Consider grabbing a couple of LED spotlights from a hardware store. Two 100 watt LED spotlights would provide plenty of light.

Found another one - 240 watts, 4000K. https://www.homedepot.com/p/Metalux...= ... 536396-_-N

[coltin]

I've worked with tanks similar to yours, and I think I can offer some insight. For a 4ft long, 2ft wide, and 2ft high tank, we used two 150-watt metal halide lights, one over each half, and it worked beautifully for the plants.

Considering your tank is shallower, at 21-22 inches, you could get away with two 50, 75, or 100-watt spotlights, depending on the plants you're growing. Look for globes with a 6500K rating, that's what worked for us.

[coltin]

Here's one that's 4000k, or I think 240 watts. https://www.homedepot.com/p/Metalux...= ... 536396-_-N

Actually, I think the 4000K might be a bit low for what I'm looking for - I'd rather have something around 6000-6500K.