Plant lights for a 55g

[Angelfish12]

There is all kinds off different brands of plant lights. Do you know a really good one for plants? Do you know where I could get it?


Thank you,

Kelly

[Diana]

Depends on how high tech you want the tank.

Low Tech: about 2 watts per gallon from T-8 (or even T-12) bulbs that are commonly available at most fish stores, hardware stores and elsewhere. Optimum color will be indicated by a K value of about 6,500K.
Low Tech usually also includes:
Plant substrate, or it may be sand with fertilizer tablets.
Fertilizer may be just tablets or low doses of liquid ferts. In some systems fish food becomes fertilizer fast enough to keep the plants going.
Usually no CO2, or perhaps some Excel. Low dose.

Medium Tech includes lighting closer to 3 wpg if you are using T-12 or T-8 bulbs, or about 1-2 wpg if you get into the T-5 fixtures.
Plant substrate.
Tablets and water column dosing, but it may be low levels.
DIY CO2 (yeast), though this is not so good in the larger tanks. Or Excel.

High Tech usually includes:
T-5 lighting at least 2 wpg. (Equivilant to 3-4 wpg of T-12 or T-8 bulbs). High quality reflector.
Plant substrate. May include root tablets, but definitely includes daily water column dosing.
Pressurized CO2.

As to where to get aquarium lighting it will depend where you are. In the US there are a lot of on line places that can ship to you, and there are a lot of fish stores that either carry plenty to choose from or can order whatever you want.
I do not know what is available elsewhere.

My own set ups are hardware store fixtures.