# Lighting for a 10 gallon?



## jschall (Apr 13, 2009)

Right now I have an aqueon dual incandescent hood with 2 CFLs in it.

For one, I don't think I have very good CFLs for plants. As far as spectrum goes, what CFL should I buy?

I'd also love to have 3-4 CFLs instead of just 2, but I can't find an appropriate fixture.


----------



## jschall (Apr 13, 2009)

Also, there must be something of a balance struck between looking good and promoting plant growth.


----------



## jschall (Apr 13, 2009)

I was using a 15 watt, tried a 27 watt, did not see a very noticable increase in light output.
The 27s were too big for the fixture, as well (aqueon hood.)

I'm at a loss as to what the hell to do about this. I want more light.


----------



## Left C (Jun 14, 2005)

jschall said:


> Right now I have an aqueon dual incandescent hood with 2 CFLs in it.
> 
> For one, I don't think I have very good CFLs for plants. As far as spectrum goes, what CFL should I buy?


I've seen then in either 6500K or 6700K.

There are some places that are closing out Current-USA 20" PC Satellite fixtures. They come in two models; a 1x40w and a 2x40w. The stock bulbs are 50/50 Actinic/10,000K. You may want to swap them out for Current's very good 6700K/10,000K dual daylight bulb(s).

I had a Current-USA 2x40w Orbit fixture over a 10g for a while. It had pressurized CO2 and EI dosing. The plants pearled like crazy. They grew like crazy. There was quite a bit of Java Fern in it that was just laying on the substrate. I've never seen Java Fern grow so fast and really pearl like they were.


----------



## jschall (Apr 13, 2009)

Left C said:


> I've seen then in either 6500K or 6700K.
> 
> There are some places that are closing out Current-USA 20" PC Satellite fixtures. They come in two models; a 1x40w and a 2x40w. The stock bulbs are 50/50 Actinic/10,000K. You may want to swap them out for Current's very good 6700K/10,000K dual daylight bulb(s).
> 
> I had a Current-USA 2x40w Orbit fixture over a 10g for a while. It had pressurized CO2 and EI dosing. The plants pearled like crazy. They grew like crazy. There was quite a bit of Java Fern in it that was just laying on the substrate. I've never seen Java Fern grow so fast and really pearl like they were.


Current USA thing is too expensive.
I did find this:
http://www.ahsupply.com/36-55w.htm
$32 for the bulbs
$69 for the fixture

$114.42 for everything including shipping

Can I get good 36w 2g11 base power compacts cheaper somewhere else?


----------



## BJRuttenberg (Sep 25, 2005)

You can get a 2x40w current setup for _around_ that price. I"m going to have to second Left C's recommendation...I'm running a current 2x40w with two 50/50 bulbs and get immaculate growth on my 10gal tank...of course I have a CO2 system and all.

Also, depends on type of plants your trying to grow...I grow HC and other low growing light intensive foreground plants...if you're growing anubias and java moss/ferns, 30-40 watts should be okay.

Try EBAY:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Current-Satelli...emQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item518ecf87de


----------



## jschall (Apr 13, 2009)

BJRuttenberg said:


> You can get a 2x40w current setup for _around_ that price. I"m going to have to second Left C's recommendation...I'm running a current 2x40w with two 50/50 bulbs and get immaculate growth on my 10gal tank...of course I have a CO2 system and all.
> 
> Also, depends on type of plants your trying to grow...I grow HC and other low growing light intensive foreground plants...if you're growing anubias and java moss/ferns, 30-40 watts should be okay.
> 
> ...


$30 more expensive for almost the same wattage with an actinic bulb that will need replacing. I'm already having trouble justifying spending $115 for lighting on a 10 gallon tank.


----------



## mikaila31 (Feb 24, 2006)

I would keep working with the spiral compacts. I have 2 bulbs totaling 26 watts over a 15gal tank and it is a good low-light tank. Here is a pic of that tank, and here is its hood which is just a retrofitted 10 year old striplight. I grow java moss, crypts, H. corybosa, and a few other plants easily. I use bulbs from Home Depot, Menards, Fleetfarm- usually who ever is having a sale. Fleetfarm sells some nice 6500K bulbs a pack of 4 for $10.

I prefer building my own fixtures and spirals compacts are always the cheapest way to go. They may not be as efficient, but they defiantly work. If it were me I would gut the fixture and make a better reflector. You should have room to add another bulb, possibly two.... You can get a single socket at most stores. Menards was the only place I could find a straight dual incandescent socket.


----------



## Left C (Jun 14, 2005)

Here's a 2x40w Satellite for $102. http://www.saltycritter.com/lighting/current/current-satellite-power-compact.htm

Do you have an enclosure for the AHSupply kit? They're $30.

The 2x36w AHSupply kit puts more light down in an aquarium compared to a 2x40w Satellite with plant bulbs because of it's excellent reflector(s).

If I were you, I'd get a 1x36w AHSupply kit, bulb and enclosure or you can mount it in a stock plastic aquarium strip light. With good CO2 and ferts, you should be able to grow just about anything.

finished enclosures: http://www.ahsupply.com/finished_enclosures.htm

DIY enclosures: http://www.ahsupply.com/diy.htm

near the bottom of this page, you can see DIY kits in stock plastic fixtures. Look for these statements -

Click on the photo above to see a regular light strip for a 2ft. long tank retrofitted with a Bright Kit™ and a 55watt bulb. The ballast is simply mounted on the outside back of the strip.

Click on the image above to see a regular strip light retrofitted with a Bright Kit and a 36 watt bulb. You almost have to get behind the aquarium to see that the small ballast is mounted on the outside of the back of the strip.


----------



## miles (Apr 26, 2006)

the ahs 1 x 36w would be too much light for a 10 gal tank, even if he has co2 and is dosing ferts. i'm speaking from the maintenance side of using so much light--you're gonna be trimming your stems every 3 days. forget to dose or co2 not in line, voila, you got an algae farm. not to mention heat/temp issues.

go to that other board, look for a sticky ("PAR data spiral..." or some such title) in the lighting section. long story short: vertically mounted spirals give more light than horizontally mounted ones of the same wattage.


----------



## mikaila31 (Feb 24, 2006)

That was a very interesting sticky. I'll keep that in mine when I build or retrofit my next hood. I prefer them horizontal so the hood is not so tall, but will try them vertical and see if I notice a difference.

IDK about 36 watts being too much on a 10 gal, I certainly think some could pull it off if they are good with balancing tanks w/o co2. I have 26 watts on a 5gal paludarium, there is about 1gal of water 3 inches deep that gets almost full light. There are probably 3 pounds of dirt held back by a leaky rock wall. CO2 never touches the tank and I rarely do. It's my most balanced algae free tank.....


----------



## Left C (Jun 14, 2005)

miles said:


> the ahs 1 x 36w would be too much light for a 10 gal tank, even if he has co2 and is dosing ferts. i'm speaking from the maintenance side of using so much light--you're gonna be trimming your stems every 3 days. forget to dose or co2 not in line, voila, you got an algae farm. not to mention heat/temp issues....


I had a 2x40w Orbit fixture over a 10g for several months. I kept the stock 6700K/10,000K in the back and I replaced the front actinic bulb with an ADA 36w 8000K bulb. This tank had pressurized CO2 and EI dosing.

The plants were mostly Java Fern and _Blyxa aubertii_. The Java Ferns pearled so much that the water looked like it was boiling and they grew quickly. The _Blyxa aubertii_ grew to the surface and hand many tiny white flowers. This plant turned a golden color from being green. There was a compact sword in the tank too. This tank ran really well for months until I cracked the glass on day. Then I replaced it with a 15g.

I agree with miles. This was excessive, but trimming wasn't really needed very often. There were no stem plants in it. The AHSupply 1x36w kit is enough to grow anything that you want.

Another option is the 20" Coralife 28w PC Aqualight. The stock 50/50 bulb can be replaced with either a 28w, 32w, 36w or 40w square pin PC. It's ballast is rated for 40w. I have one for 9 years now over another 10g with no problems. It's reflector isn't very good compared to the AHSupply's so you end up with a lower light aquarium even with a 40w bulb in it.


----------

