# ahs 36W on 10gal...



## Bert H (Mar 2, 2004)

I am thinking of upgrading the 2 x 13W ahs currently over one of my 10 to a single 36W ahs. Am wondering how many out there might have the 36W over a 10 gal and your experiences/feelings on it. Nutrient balance vs algae issues?

The reason I am considering it is when I look at the aromatica I have in my 29 (75W) and 50 (126W), compared to the sprigs I put in the 10 (26W), it's like night and day, all other variables being the same. The stuff in the 10 looks puny comparitively, which shows the wpg rule goes out the window with smaller tanks.

TIA.


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## TNguyen (Mar 20, 2005)

I have one on my 10 gal and it's perfect IMO. I do water change every 2-3 day so no major algae problem here.

Thanh


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## SnyperP (Dec 10, 2004)

I had a 2x13w over my 10g and i felt the same too. It's just not enough light to grow many higher light plants. Glosso grew fine in foreground only if i moved the light more towards the front, but the plants int he back would suffer. I think my issue was the light spread. I raised it two inches and didn't get much results balancing it out either. But i'd imagine 36w raised and bending the reflector a bit would work well =D


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## Left C (Jun 14, 2005)

I have a 10g with an Eclipse hood with an AHSupply 36w kit. When the 5300K bulb went out and became unavailable, I put in a 36w 6700K from Coralife. The plants are pearling like crazy. I have a 15g tall tank (same 20" x 10", length and width of a 10g) wth Coralife's 20" saltwater 28w Aqualight. I took the saltwater 50/50 bulb out and put a 28w 6700K bulb in it. Now I have one of Current's Dual Daylight 40w 6700K/10000K in it now. This bulb is bright! The plants are all Java Fern in this one and they are growing great but no pearling. Both of these little tanks have Hagen's CO2 kit.


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## Gomer (Feb 2, 2004)

1x36 works really well from an light intensity perspective. plants grow really well without major algae issues.
The only draw back is that light spread isnt the greatest. 3x13watt kits running front to back might be better?


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## shalu (Oct 1, 2004)

Gomer said:


> The only draw back is that light spread isnt the greatest.


I totally agree. This is true for all single strip lights. It can't cover the top part of tall background plants and/or short foregrounds(unless you raise the lights really high, but then you lose intensity).

I rested two AHSupply 22" reflectors directly on a 10gallon, each housing a 15w T6, ODNO 4x in series. Holy smokes, that is a lot of light! The light coverage is 100%, because those two reflectors cover the whole top  Within a few minutes, I can adjust the lights to no OD, 2x, 3x, 4x without losing any coverage.


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