Where can I get 18" 6500k higher wattage lightbulbs? Everything I've seen is just 15w. I've got a 60 gallon tank, and I'd prefer not to buy a new hood just for lightbulbs. Looking to give the plants in the tank proper lighting to grow. Tank is 24" from top to bottom where (most of) the plants would be. If there's some sort of better lighting than what I've mentioned, advice there would also be appreciated. Thanks.

Is this a 48" wide tank? If so, why get only 18" lights.

Yea it's 48", the hood that came with it is 2 hoods with a split down the middle. They only take 18" bulbs. I have plants in there now and they've been fine. But I'd like to get different kinds and also have the current ones do as well as they can. Tomorrow we are going to look into co2 injections for it also. Tonight has been research mode on what we need to pick up tomorrow.

If I were you, I'd would get glass canopies in place of the hood and get a 48" fixture on put on the tank. You'll never be able to do much with bulbs that will only get so high in wattage,

I had the same thing in my 55g. I eventually replaced those 18" hoods with two 4' 2 tube t-8 utility/shop light fixtures from home depot. costs with 4 6500k tubes was around $30 or so.

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fw leiden since 1979, fo salt since 1979, mixed reef 55g 2002-2009. Strong emphasis on the tank taking care of itself. Balanced with plant life, no water changes, tap water, no filters in FW. Only dosing calcium, alk, mag in marine reef tanks. http://www.aquariumforum.com/f15/my-...ods-26410.html
recent tanks (till 2009) 7 years- 10g FW leiden 7 yrs, 55g mixed reef 7, 2 yrs, 20g FW leiden, 10 g fw leiden , 29g mixed reef, current tank 55g leiden

...or if you have about $300 you can get a quad t5 48" fixture lol

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"May I never wake from the American Dream."
-Carrie Latet

60 gallon
5 Orange/Sunburst Platy
1 Angelfish
1 Silver Tip Tetra
2 Glass Catfish
4 Zebra Long Fin Danios
2 Siamese Algae Eaters (SAE)
2 Amano Shrimp
2 Fancy? Tetras
1 Green/Ghost pleco
Hygrophila angustifolia
Anacharis
Swords: 1 Melon, 1 Amazon, 1 Rose
Micro Sword
Moneywort
Rotala nanjenshan
Anubias barteri/Broad Leaf
Brazillian Pennywort

and some I forgot the species of...

Yea... That's not quite an option on the table right now lol

With standard 18" T8 fluorescent bulb fixtures, you're VERY limited. In order to boost the wattage of the bulbs, you'll need to upgrade the ballast of the fixture, and in addition most 18" T8 bulbs are maximum 20 Watts.

Might as well spend the money and get a 48" T5HO fixture. I found several on Amazon for $100 or so.

Amazon.com: 48" T5HO: Pet Supplies

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Officially fishless until after the move....tune in later for details!

Thank you all for the replies and the link. Hopefully it'll be possible after the holiday season to get one.

I hear that! My 60g tank is running fine (for now) on dual t5 36" fixture. I want to get a 49" quad soon though...

__________________
"May I never wake from the American Dream."
-Carrie Latet

60 gallon
5 Orange/Sunburst Platy
1 Angelfish
1 Silver Tip Tetra
2 Glass Catfish
4 Zebra Long Fin Danios
2 Siamese Algae Eaters (SAE)
2 Amano Shrimp
2 Fancy? Tetras
1 Green/Ghost pleco
Hygrophila angustifolia
Anacharis
Swords: 1 Melon, 1 Amazon, 1 Rose
Micro Sword
Moneywort
Rotala nanjenshan
Anubias barteri/Broad Leaf
Brazillian Pennywort

and some I forgot the species of...

We don't have too much room for a big fixture since its in the bedroom at our apartment (the biggest room in the apartment). We looked up and liked the utility lights to suspend them over the tank. We didn't have enough time to go look/buy them before we left for the holidays. We have our tank lights on a timer right now. Would a timer work on those kind of lights? I figure if they hum, that would be ok since we'd be at work. How high up should we suspend t5 24" 6500k 32 watt lights needs to be above the tank?