# 10g lighting



## melauriga (Mar 20, 2009)

I don't think the lighting on my newly set up 10 gallon is adequate. I only have one 15w fluorescent strip light and plants aren't doing well. I originally thought it would get some sunlight, but due to the sun being higher in the sky this time of year it's not happening. I am thinking of getting an incandescent hood and put in 2 compact fluorescent spiral bulbs. Since I know there is a lot of restrike on the spiral bulbs I am not sure what wattage to get. Has anyone else used these and can give a recommendation?


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## Alex123 (Jul 3, 2008)

10 gallon is a good starter tank and 15w is a decent amount for a 10 gallon I feel. The tank light penetration decreases exponentially with the height of the tank. 10 gallons are among the lowest so the 1.5 watts per gallon for 10 gallons has more of an impact than the same wpg of larger tank. You can grow a decent amount of plants than you would think. What are your plants? Plants rated low to medium light should do ok with this setup.


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## davemonkey (Mar 29, 2008)

I would go with the spirals, like 2 x 9 watt or even 2 x 14 watt. Also, line the inside of the hood with aluminum foil to increase reflection. That will give you up to 2.8 WPG, which is moderate light IMHO on a 10 gal. With that amount you could get away with liquid ferts and excel as a carbon source. 

It's not only the WPG that counts, but you also have to consider the fact that 15 watts from a t-8 bulb just isn't much light. I had 15 watt bulb over a 1/2 gallon tupperware at work (30 wpg) and could barely grow moss.

-Dave


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## dwalstad (Apr 14, 2006)

Alex123 said:


> 10 gallon is a good starter tank and 15w is a decent amount for a 10 gallon I feel. The tank light penetration decreases exponentially with the height of the tank. 10 gallons are among the lowest so the 1.5 watts per gallon for 10 gallons has more of an impact than the same wpg of larger tank. You can grow a decent amount of plants than you would think. What are your plants? Plants rated low to medium light should do ok with this setup.


I agree with above. I (and others) have gotten decent plant growth with 15 watts over a 10 gal without direct window light. I like the 15 watt fluorescent strip light!

To get the most out of this strip light, I would line the reflector with aluminum foil and use a Cool-white fluorescent bulb.

I suspect that something else is wrong. Do you have enough water hardness? Do you have a soil underlayer? Do you have a fair assortment of different plant species?

We need to know a little more about your setup.


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## melauriga (Mar 20, 2009)

I have Miracle Organic Choice topped with small gravel. I added broken up cuttle bone to the soil and a piece in the filter, baking soda, and epsom salts. My plants are echinodorus angustifolius, valisnera nana, hygro difformis, crypt lutea, hygro compact, bacopa monnieri, anarchis, ludwigia repens, lysimachia, dwarf sag, hornwort, frogbit, duckweed, and rotala rotundifolia. The crypts, anarchis, and bacopa look good, but many of the others are either browning, yellowing, or rotting. I may poke some dolomite lime into the substrate. I have been changing water every other day because ammonia has been at .5pmm


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## dwalstad (Apr 14, 2006)

melauriga said:


> I have Miracle Organic Choice topped with small gravel. I added broken up cuttle bone to the soil and a piece in the filter, baking soda, and epsom salts. My plants are echinodorus angustifolius, valisnera nana, hygro difformis, crypt lutea, hygro compact, bacopa monnieri, anarchis, ludwigia repens, lysimachia, dwarf sag, hornwort, frogbit, duckweed, and rotala rotundifolia. The crypts, anarchis, and bacopa look good, but many of the others are either browning, yellowing, or rotting. I may poke some dolomite lime into the substrate. I have been changing water every other day because ammonia has been at .5pmm


I would hold off on the dolomite lime unless you put a bag in the filter. I have a feeling you may be overdoing the chemical additions and water changes.

Unless you've got fish in the tank, I would temporarily stop changing water and adding Epsom Salts (magnesium sulfate) and baking soda.

I would carefully remove plant matter that is decomposing so that dying plants don't make the ammonia problem worse. Some of the other plants that are doing poorly may just need a little time to adjust.

The cuttle bone may not be dissolving fast enough, expecially if you've added too much baking soda (sodium bicarbonate), which will increase the pH. A higher pH (>7.2) doesn't allow the cuttle bone to dissolve. Then, if you're constantly changing water, you're removing what little calcium that does dissolve. Also, I would break up your filter's cuttle bone into smaller pieces. This will help it dissolve faster.

I know this is hard, but I would be patient. Let what you have stabilize. I would take heart from the fact that some plants are growing.


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## melauriga (Mar 20, 2009)

Thanks for the advice, I'll do that. I was just worried that the high ammonia would stress the plants more and cause an algae bloom, and concerned that my water is too soft. I'm used to working with a higher tech setup, this is all new and in searching the threads here there are so many different ways people do things. I will just sit back and let the tank do what it will. On a good note, I just checked and the hygro difformis has perked up a bit.

And everything I have read (admittedly more geared toward higher tech methods) says that the watts per gallon rule doesn't apply to tanks ten gallons and under. I read on another thread that if plants don't start growing soon, the tank is in trouble. I am worried that with only slow growing low light plants there will not be enough nutrient uptake.


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## melauriga (Mar 20, 2009)

Just wanted to give an update. I stayed with the 15w, lined the reflector with foil. I think it looks a little brighter in the there. I stopped fussing with the tank, like Diana advised, other than adding a little bit of dolomite lime to the filter. Most of the stem plants are perking up now and the floaters are putting out good roots. The dwarf sag doesn't look any better, but they don't look any worse either. The crypts love it in there. The only plants that I'm not sure will make it are the vals and echinodorus, but as I understand it not all plants will do well in any one setup, and they might just take time to settle. I have some marsilea minuta, hygro sunset, and hygro angustifolia on the way to try in there to pack it a little more full.

Ammonia levels are going down, from .5 ppm to .25 ppm.


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## dwalstad (Apr 14, 2006)

Sounds promising! Giving "Mother Nature" a chance requires a leap of faith.


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## Darksome (Feb 15, 2009)

I had a similar problem in my tank except I had a 14watt bulb...my solution: get a second bulb of equal wattage...so far my ludwigia that never grew, started putting out new leaves...a second bulb in addition to DIY CO2. Just curious, what benefit does baking soda have for planted tanks or is it just used as a buffer?


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## colinsk (Dec 29, 2008)

Baking soda is sodium carbonate. It is used to add carbonates (kH, alkalinity) to the water. I prefer something slower like oyster shells.


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