Please dumb down lighting for me

Hello, I am starting a 75 gallon planted tank this weekend but the more I try to read on lighting, the more confused I am becoming. Can someone please dumb it down for me? I have a 48 inch light strip now and I don't know what the bulb is because I just picked up the tank on Saturday. I really need to know what bulbs I need and where I can find them, if I need more than the one light strip, and if I would need to make the white of the reflector silver somehow? I was thinking silver metalic spray paint but I don't know if it would stand up to the heat.

I am really excited about setting up a planted tank and I feel really comfortable with the dirt, substrate, and filtration processes but the lighting is tripping me up! If anyone can help me out I would greatly appreciate it!

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Permalink Reply by Hmoobthor on January 10, 2012 at 5:54pm

look at the bulb, it should tell you the kevin temperature and if it;s a T10, T8, or T5.

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Permalink Reply by breathekindness on January 10, 2012 at 9:18pm

what am I looking for?

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Permalink Reply by Hud on January 10, 2012 at 10:01pm

This should help (Unless you want to go for LED)

http://www.theaquatools.com/electric-equipment-calculator

Just fill up your tank size, it will show you what your tank need.

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Permalink Reply by Hmoobthor on January 12, 2012 at 6:32pm

imprints on the bulb...lol

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Permalink Reply by breathekindness on January 12, 2012 at 10:22pm

lol -I got that but what does a T10, T8, and T5 bulb mean to me? Which it better for low tech dirt tank?

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Permalink Reply by Paul Jones on January 12, 2012 at 11:50pm

t10, t8,t5 are basically the thickness of the bulb, for low tec you would be best to have t8s and still you would have fast strong healthy growth, as far as kelvins i dont even look fot it cos they are all different, usually i think its best to go with around 600k pinkish in colour where as 1000K would be blue in colour and coarse algae. so stick to pinkish and yellow white bulbs,some will even be labeled "for plants" dont look to much into lighting cos its just confusing coming from different sources. you will soon pick it up

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Permalink Reply by breathekindness on January 13, 2012 at 4:28pm

Thank you!

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Permalink Reply by Connor on January 16, 2012 at 1:14pm

go to like a petco or petsmart, they have lights specifically designed to for aquariums and that will grow plants, thats what i did and it had both t5 and t8 lights to choose from that would fit my fixture. Check out my video, i tell you the exact brand i got and how it is doing in a DIY setup

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Permalink Reply by Lewis Carruthers on January 17, 2012 at 3:58pm

If you're planning on using t8 bulbs, i use 2 hagen life glo bulbs atm and they work pretty well, theyre a 6700k bulb meant for highnoon daylight which works perfect for my plants, had aqua and power glo's at 18k and they just promoted too much algae. After you get to grips with things i think a step up to t5ho's and co2 etc is next step.