[APD] 180G budget lighting solution

[Kevin Stringer <kstringer1974 at yahoo_com>]

I have four tanks in my home at present. I have a 2.5G in my daughter's room in the hopes of creating an interest in the hobby, a 30G planted tank that I am setting up in my bedroom, a 55G Cichlid tank (also in my bedroom) that I'm giving serious consideration to converting to a planted tank and 180G tank that I would dearly LOVE to convert to a show room quality planted tank. My only problem is the $$$ to convert the big tank to a planted tank, specifically lighting. What is the most economical solution for providing high level lighting to a tank of that size (and please don't say sunlight)? It's an acrylic tank with two openings in the top. I used to have two 36 inch 2x96w enclosures from AHSupply but I took one of those for the 30G tank. The cheapest solution that I can find is a chinese lighting product that supplies something like near 900W or more of lighting for about $500 on ebay. Is there a better solution? I'd like to grow sword plants and
 other light loving plants rather than being limited to a low light tank. I get the feeling that it's a pipe dream to find anything resembling economical to provide sufficient light for a tank of this size. But even if there are suggestions for the 55G I would greatly appreciate them as I would like to convert that tank to a planted tank as well. 

Any advice is greatly appreciated. 

Thank you,
Kevin R. Stringer

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