I just ordered a 6' tank - very exciting:) While I wait for it to arrive, I need to plan the lighting. I also will have a 12" tall "halide" style canopy - so there should be plenty of clearance to house lighting fixtures. I seriously have no idea what to look for and what to consider.

Lighting color? Incandescent, florescent, others??
Wattage?

with a tank that long, do you get two lighting fixtures or one?

any brands or websites to recommend?

Tank will be fish only - no plants.

thanks as always

Hey, how are you? I think you should consider going with a dual Hood design. I would go for your standard fluorescent lighting. No need to up grade most of the higher end lighting can get very hot. If you really wanted to step into the future of aquarium lighting, why not try LED lighting, they are very durable, long lasting, and do not give off a heat signature near as high as standard lighting. Hope this helped!

lighting should be the choice of the one who gonna look at the aquarium.
for more ideas, try to surf the one in the home page. here it is:
www.directaquarium.com/

that website is very helpful! thank you!

by "dual hood design" do you mean two smaller fixtures instead of one long (72") one?

if you make your own hood, you can just use a 48" 2bulb florurescent light. you could even go as far as getting t-40 aquarium and plant lights, or as your just fish only use the regular cheapy bulbs. that would be more than enough for it.

www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDe...84349&lpage=none



get something like that. and put a glass bottom in your hood so water cant get to the light, put the light in, enclose it on the top with a hinge to get into it. simple.

bent has a 125 gal and it takes 2 36 in lights to make 72 in so theres a thought it looks good with an all glass top

I have a 6ft tank and i use 5ft lights. The type and how many is up to you. I have 4 lights, and 2 standard white ones, one with a pink tinge and a blue light. i have the main lights on from 6 to 10, the blue light is on from 5 to 6-30 and from 8-30 to midnight. When the blue light is on its own it creates a moonlight effect and when it is on with the mainlights it bring out a blue on the fish. I like the way it looks