Lighting Headspin

Wynter · Jun 11, 2023

Hello! As I get ready to ramp up into my summer gig (and thus have some extra play money) I am starting to look at getting some lighting for my tank. I currently have a 36-gallon bow front (30.7 in L x 15.7 in W x 22.2 in H (77.9 x 39.8 x 56.3 cm)) and I for the life of me cannot seem to get a handle on what I should be looking at for lighting. The tank is this kit from PetSmart: https://www.petsmart.com/fish/start...quarium-starter-kit----36-gallon-5282370.html so it currently just has the strip light that is on the hood.

I know future stock list includes an anemone and I would really like at least some live plants. Coral would be awesome, but I may hold off until we upgrade our tank in a few years (not the original plan but now my husband has started to look at fish and all I keep hearing is "dang too big for our tank" XD). I don't really have a good way to hang anything so I think I need something that has some kind of stand the can connect to the back of the tank.

On a related note, does anyone know of a good tank hood to use that will allow the light in? Or should I stick with our original plan and custom cut something from plexiglass? We have a toddler, so I'd like to prevent all the toys in the tank lol.

Please let me know if you need any other specifics, etc. Thanks in advance!

X-37B · Jun 11, 2023

If it was my tank I would take the hood off. You can get a net top to keep fish in and toys out.
Lighting for a nem and corals.
I have had good success with ai 16hds. You would need 2 or a 32.
You can look at noopsyche K7V3 and get a nice light with mount for $219. I have one on my 20g nano cube.
2 16' on my 30g with nem.
1 K7V3 on my.20.
Both work well.

Bj’s Reef · Jun 11, 2023

Welcome to the forum. As mentioned above a screen top will work just fine. You don’t want a glass top on a salt water tank. Most if not all of the major brand of leds will work echotec and AI and others have a bracket that will work with your tank. My advice is spend the money on a quality light up front. By once cry once and enjoy a light that will be useful as you advance in the hobby.