# Light for mini s



## styderman (Jul 1, 2007)

I was going to buy the ada one but I was wondering if their are any other alternatives that are lower cost. i am going to gorw hc and stuff like that. thanks


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## goalcreas (Nov 20, 2006)

Home Depot sells a great little 37 watt PC desk lamp for between $16 and $19.
It lists for $29 but it is ALWAYS on sale, at least in Phoenix it always is.
It is not that bad looking and I and many others in AAPE use them over 3 gallon Picotopes or 2.5 to 5 gallon tanks. They work really well, I have a thick carpet of HC on a 3 gallon tank with no Co2, and minimal ferts, just cherry shrimp in the tank, powdered amazonia soil and the 27 watts of PC light.

I will try to find a photo to post later, but I am not at home right now and won't be able to do it until Tuesday night.


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## hoppycalif (Apr 7, 2005)

http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/nanos-large-aquariums-ponds/33748-2-5-gal-nano.html
Goalcreas, is the light you mean the one in the second post in this link? It is what I used too, but for my 2.5 gallon tank it seemed to be too little light except for Java fern.


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## gotcheaprice (Sep 4, 2007)

I'm using that in my 2 gal and it seems to br growing my glosso pretty well. And i got that at the Home Depot downtown for $19.99.
and btw, where did you get the ADA tank? Did you just ship it to Hawaii, cause shipping is more than the tank... only place i know of is kalihi pets but i never checked the price. i might go tomorrow. thanks.


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## goalcreas (Nov 20, 2006)

that is the one. 
I grow Blyxa Japonica, Downoi, fissidens, crypt wendetti, pellia and a thick lush carpet of HC under that light. No Co2 but maybe 1 to two drops of Excell once or twice a month, maybe up to 5 ml of Flourish comprehensive every other week. 100% pure RO and no algae what so ever.
Plants grow on the slow side, but who wants to have to trim daily in a small tank like that.

I could see it possibly being not enough light in a full blown high tech tank.
When I do small tanks, and I like to do the small ones they are just too fun, but if I had to trim them all daily, I would pull my hair out.

But it is good to get all views and suggestions to help Styderman make up his mind.

One good thing about that light is it is so cheap that you can try it and if you don't like it you are out only $20, and you might try something else and be out $50 to $150 or more and find you don't think it is the right light. In a small tank, TOO MUCH light can really turn your tank into an algae farm rather quickly.


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## styderman (Jul 1, 2007)

yup kalihi pets is the only place. They said that they are not getting new tank till wendsday. I was going to get a 60p thats why. how long is the bulb on the one that you got. the tank that I got is 12 inches so I was hoping to get a bulb at or near that length.


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## goalcreas (Nov 20, 2006)

Well, I think the bulb itself is maybe 9" long could only be 8.
It is about 4" wide, it is a 4 tube PC 27 watt bulb.
It is highly adjustable since it is not on stationary legs, you can angle it up and down and put it in just about any position you want, so that is nice.

I have one over a 2.5 gallon AGA tank which is ab out 12" long, maybe a little shorter and about 6" wide and about 8" tall. almost the size of the tank you are talking about right?
I am just guestimating by holding my hands apart about the size I think it is and taking a mental measurment right now


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## eklikewhoa (Jul 24, 2006)

I would go with the coralife 12" 2x18w.

I have 2x(2x9w)+1x13w+1x20w tube over my 5.5g and it has just enough umph to get the moss to grow low.


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## gotcheaprice (Sep 4, 2007)

Hmm... So they don't have any ADA tanks in right now? Thanks for the info. I was gonna go tomorrow, but I guess I'll have to wait till Saturday.


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## styderman (Jul 1, 2007)

Going to home depot tomorrow and buying the lamp. What is the optimal color spectrum for a ADA mini S? Are the bulbs that come with this the right spectrum? Do they sell the right replacments at Homedepot. Thanks for all the help. Aloha


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## gotcheaprice (Sep 4, 2007)

Not sure about the spectrum... But it's a daylight bulb, I'm sure it's fine, but you should check before you buy it. And yes, they do have replacements. And do you know how much the ADA tanks are? Just shipping was around $60, so not sure how much the ADA's are. I might just buy one of those generic rimlesses I see...


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## eklikewhoa (Jul 24, 2006)

ADA uses 8000k and I think their mini-solar is a different length and pin type then std lights.


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## goalcreas (Nov 20, 2006)

I think they are either 6500k or 10,000k, either way they seem to grow plants just fine.
I have never really looked for a different bulb.
I was told to get this light a year ago for my small tank by many in my group that have it for their small tanks.
No one ever told me to get a different bulb, so until you brought it up, I never really thought about getting a different one.


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## styderman (Jul 1, 2007)

Gotcheaprice dont by those crappy other ones. Stick with ADA. You can clearly see the quarlity difference. The Mini S was 50. I forgot how much they wanted for the 60p. Well worth the price.


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## gotcheaprice (Sep 4, 2007)

Yeah, I went today after costco and they had the Mini S, M, and L. They were from $50-$80. I don't know though, cause I saw a 2.5 rimless for $20... I don't have money, lol... I think I'm gonna go cheap on the tank and buy ADA substrate, or buy a ADA tank and use oil dri I bought. 

And I saw the lamp thing on sale for $16.99 or something like that at HD. They didn't have any small bags of peat moss, only a cubic feet or so for $8.


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## goalcreas (Nov 20, 2006)

Gotcheaprice, can you get the PICOTOPE anywhere by you.
These are 3 gallon, bow front rimless tanks, and they come with a nano HOB filter and 9w light. The light is low, many put that 27watt from HD ontop instead, but this tank, the whole set up goes for like $45, and after doing this one 
http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/aquascaping/43524-picotope-shrimp-tank-new-scape-my.html
I am ready for another, this one is going to my daughters classroom, so I can justify getting another, but anyway, if you can get this, it is a good way to go.


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## gotcheaprice (Sep 4, 2007)

Nope, pretty sure we don't have those. Many, I should remember what I sere at the pet stores, lol. I just remember there was this rimless Chinese brand one, about 7-8gals for $50-$60, comes with the tank and these lights on legs. I asked what the wattage was, and he wasn't sure, but thought it was like 9, which I can replace? 
Anyways, my parents are thinking I'm spending too much right now on my fishes, so it's gonna be like at least a month till I set up another nano shrimp... Sad, lol. I might just go the cheap way and get the $20 2.5 gal, and desklamp, not sure. Want a big tank though.


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## styderman (Jul 1, 2007)

Yup that tank in the pic is the other one that you can buy besides the ada. Save your money and buy an ADA. If your buying substrate then you will need to get way more money. I have the ADA substrate on reserve. My buddy at kalihi is only bringing in a few bags of that powder ada soil on thursday or friday. He claims its all for his private stock and one that he would put aside for me. He could be lying. But they do have the other ADA amazonia soil which will be cheaper than the new ada soil he is bringing in. I have not used ADA soil personally, but from what I have read on these forums and from the people that I talk to, they say that ADA Substrate is well worth the money. Am I right on that peoples? Shootz


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## gotcheaprice (Sep 4, 2007)

Actually, the substrate is $50, same price as the tank... All the other substrates are about the same price, maybe like $10 less, while the tank I can save about $30. I don't know though, cause it's not that I don't have the money, it's just spending it.


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## styderman (Jul 1, 2007)

Just do it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## gotcheaprice (Sep 4, 2007)

lol, donate me some money! and so, did you find the lights?


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## PaNoS (Aug 1, 2007)

I got my desk lamp at home depot for $19. I'm using it on my ADA mini S. I've been really thinking of buying the ADA light, but so far this 18w lamp has worked great for me. I'm seeing good growth. Check out my thread.

http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/nanos-large-aquariums-ponds/43539-my-ada-mini-s-setup.html


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## goalcreas (Nov 20, 2006)

That is not the same light from HD I am talking about.
There is a link to a photo of the light in Hoppy's post.
It is 27 watts, not 18


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## styderman (Jul 1, 2007)

No I didn't go yet. I had a test. I have had 20 hours of sleef in the last 6 days. I plan on going today and looking at the 27w and the 18w That 18w looks good.


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## gotcheaprice (Sep 4, 2007)

Yeah, the 18 w does look a lot nicer and matches it better. not sure if i saw that one there though.


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