# T5 ho and glossostigma



## tayjay76 (Feb 16, 2013)

I have a couple of 23watt cfl bulbs on my aquarium. I recently grabbed a couple of 30watt cfl bulbs, but I have read that cfl bulbs aren't really that great for plants, especially glosso. My glosso was growing well with the 23 watt cfls, but the growth was strictly verticle.

The tank is 15 gallon with DIY co2, pps-pro fertalizing, and gets three watts per gallon total with the 2 23 watt bulbs. I just got the 30 watts today, so that makes 4 watts per gallon.

I was looking at a t5 dual 20inch fixture that has two 18watt 6500k HO bulbs. Do you guys think that this fixture will give my glosso enough light? 
I heard that this may be too much light for my tank, what do you guys think?


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## Zapins (Jul 28, 2004)

Yes that fixture would definitely give them enough light provided that each bulb has an individual reflector, perhaps even more light then you need. Do not buy Odyssey brand on ebay, they changed their name from Jebo a little while ago and they only sell crap products that will short out and are a fire hazard.

If the light is too intense you can always raise it up off the top of your aquarium by a few inches to decrease its intensity or unplug one of the bulbs so you use only one at a time, or simply turn it on for fewer hours a day.

Also compact fluorescent bulbs (CFL) are not bad for glosso, it was the fact that you are using spiral CFL bulbs that is not ideal. If a CFL bulb has proper reflectors and are straight bulbs - not spiraled - are great for growing glosso.


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## tayjay76 (Feb 16, 2013)

Where do you find straight cfl bulbs. Also I am using a couple of clamp lamps that are hanging about 2 inches from the water, are those sufficient reflectors?


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