# [Wet Thumb Forum]-Making my WalMart setup grow plants



## PiKapp382 (Jun 8, 2003)

Hi! I've got a question about lighting:
My g/f gave me a 29-gallon Walmart "complete aquarium kit" for my birthday, complete with Regent filter, no-name hood, and a 100w heater. I have a Hagen CO2 system going (I know it's for up to 20-gallons, but every little bit helps, right?) For the life of me though, I can't find the wattage on the light, but as it only has one normal flourescent bulb, I'm guessing it's a 24" 20W. Does anyone know if this is correct? If so, does anyone know of a good place to get a 55W fixture that will fit my hood? The one I have now is a striplight that goes over a glass panel in the hood. I'd like to keep the hood I have (to save $$), but I am sure I need more light. Thanks for any & all help!


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## PiKapp382 (Jun 8, 2003)

Hi! I've got a question about lighting:
My g/f gave me a 29-gallon Walmart "complete aquarium kit" for my birthday, complete with Regent filter, no-name hood, and a 100w heater. I have a Hagen CO2 system going (I know it's for up to 20-gallons, but every little bit helps, right?) For the life of me though, I can't find the wattage on the light, but as it only has one normal flourescent bulb, I'm guessing it's a 24" 20W. Does anyone know if this is correct? If so, does anyone know of a good place to get a 55W fixture that will fit my hood? The one I have now is a striplight that goes over a glass panel in the hood. I'd like to keep the hood I have (to save $$), but I am sure I need more light. Thanks for any & all help!


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## Jon Mulzer (Mar 9, 2003)

Well, you have two routes you can go. Either the ready made fixtures or the DIY paths. As far as ready made Robert sells the JBJ Formosa fixtures to fit your tank. From what everyone says they are very well made and excellently designed. I have heard nothing but good things about them. If you wish to go the DIY route then AH Supply makes excellent kits to install in your own fixtures. (www.ahsupply.com) I recently installed one of their kits in a hood that I made and I was ecstatic with it. Good directions, EVERY part you need is there to do the job. Even some you most likely won't use.

But, even with a 55w PC over your aquarium you will be kinda limited on what you can grow. That is a little under 2 watts per gallon. You will have to stick to the low to medium light requirement plants. You can still do a wonderful aquascape though. Anubias, java fern annd moss, most Crypts and many others.

One word of advice, and I have already found this out, if you are wanting to keep costs down then DO NOT get the planted tank syndrome. For some of us (myself included) once you start you can't stop. It is highly enjoyable though. And more beautiful than any plastic plants ever thought of being.

Disclaimer: Any errors in spelling, tact, or fact are transmission errors.


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## PiKapp382 (Jun 8, 2003)

> quote:
> 
> One word of advice, and I have already found this out, if you are wanting to keep costs down then DO NOT get the planted tank syndrome.











Too late.
OK...so 55W won't do it. How much do I need? Forget the $$ ... at least, to a reasonable degree.







Recommend your favorite lighting for a 29 gallon.


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## Jon Mulzer (Mar 9, 2003)

Well, most people go with the 2x55w kit from AH Supply or the 2x55 JBJ Formosa. If you want to just plug and play order the Formosa from Robert. They have a VERY innovative design. And I am not just plugging his wares because this is his forum. I have looked around and he has the lowest prices, plus his come with the proper color spectrum bulbs.

If you are the DIY type then order the 2x55 from AH Supply and install it in your own canopy or hood design. It won't fit in our stock light strip.

But there's a catch. That would put you at almost 4 watts per gallon and at that level you would need pressurized CO2 and a good fertilizer regimen or you will have an algae farm. Also since the bulbs are roughly 22-23" and your tank is 30" you will have less light at the ends than you do in the center. No real big deal, just plant your lower light requirement plants there.

I have been considering setting up a 29 also and I thought that the ideal way to light it would be a 55w in the middle centered with a 13w kit on each end forming an "I" with the lights. That would put you at a little less than 3 watts per gallon. That would be more forgiving of mistakes.

You could also just go with the 1x55w of either and start out with low light plants and learn all about fertilizers and such. With that approach you wouldn't have to worry about a small mistake turning your tank into pea soup. lol Nothing wrong with starting out small and working your way up. That is what I am doing now. You have to crawl before you walk.

My best advice is explore every inch of this forum and the old forum also and learn all you can.

Now, since I have went all this time only making suggestions and not giving any real advice I will say this. If I were starting out where you were I would either build a canopy or have a friend build one and put the 1x55 AH Supply in it. Then later on if you decide to more up to more of a challenge you can add another kit. It is easier to add lighting if you go the DIY route in my humble opinion.

If there are any other ?'s feel free to ask.

Disclaimer: Any errors in spelling, tact, or fact are transmission errors.


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## jpmtotoro (Feb 13, 2003)

2x55 is waaaaay too much to start with







you'll be growing algae faster than facial hair. i don't know the exact size of the 29 gallon tanks... but i have a 22 so i'm guessing it's close... 1x55 is a fine place to start. 2wpg with some CO2 isn't as expensive and will grow most plants you want but you're less likely to grow an algae farm. you can easily add another 55 watter later. depending on the size of your tank... you might also be able to do 2x36 watts. once again i don't know the exact dimensions, but there are a few options so check them out. honestly i would start at around 2wpg and work your way up. even at 2wpg you're going to need to learn how to fertilize. at 4wpg you're going to need to learn how to fertilize REALLY FAST. like jon said, check ahsupply and see what kind of combos you can make. you can then check with robert (owner of aquabotanic here) and check to see if his jbj fixtures will work. both should be fine. honestly that little plastic hood you have will probably get tossed either way. you'll most likely get glass to go over the tank, then the lights above that. anyway, you have many options... you also have a steep learning curve ahead of you... read read read... question question question... we'll help you get through it... we have already spent our money on our tanks... now we'll help you spend yours









JP


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## PiKapp382 (Jun 8, 2003)

Thanks for the help guys...I'll be checking into the Formosas, but it sounds like a DIY project in the works. I'll be back with more problems, I'm sure. 


> quote:
> 
> we have already spent our money on our tanks... now we'll help you spend yours


hehe...just what I need.


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## anonapersona (Mar 11, 2004)

I've got a 29 gallon tank with 55 watts from an AHSupply retrofit kit and it does just fine. I have compacta swords, sunset hygro, crypts, apongoneton ulvaceous and a ton of corkscrew vals, 3 red melon swords, a dwarf lilly, two anubias. 

It bubbles merrily all week with haphazard fertilization. I pull out 6 stems of hygro a week, each 8 to 10 inches long. The compacta babies I just toss every 6 months or so. I'll be getting rid of vals soon as they are taking over the back of the tank.

I've had this tank going for less than one year, but have no plans to increase the light. This was my first indoor aquarium and one of 3 planted aquariums I have set up now.

In my opinion, this is a great size to begin with, and a good level of lighting for a beginner. Not so fast (from high lighting) that is falls apart when you go on vacation and the light timer gets stuck off for a week. But fast enough that you can work with indvidual fertilizers and see the results. Not so bright that algae runs rampant if something is out of balance.


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## imported_Fred (Feb 1, 2003)

Other options AH Supply's:
2x36 ~2.5 wpg 
2 1x36 + 2 1x13 ~3.3wpg & better coverage set up like so;
---1x36---1x13---
---1x13---1x36---

Fred


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## George Willms (Jul 28, 2004)

I have a 29-gallon setup myself. I started with Double NO flourescents, moved to a 110-watt PC that was 24-inches, and usually only left one light on at a time. I just put in a new 30 inch, 130 watt fixture about 2 months ago and have had no problems. I have a timer set so that the full 130 watts is on for about 6 hours and 65 watts for the other 6. I dose with the flourish line and have had no pea soup problems. I also use the nutrafin co2 system. I have a mixed laterite and gravel base. I think that with the 110 wat JBJ's you can set a timer so that both lights aren't on together at the same time. Hope this helps, any further questions, just let me know.


George


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## PiKapp382 (Jun 8, 2003)

ok - one more question: Do I need a 5000K, 5300K, 6700K or 10000K bulb? From AHSupply:


> quote:
> 
> Part 15550 - 55 Watt 5000K Compact Bulb
> Warm daylight. Full spectrum. Use on a freshwater planted tank when you want to have the effect of sunlight filtered through a forest canopy.
> ...


The 5300 sounds right, but I just wanted to make sure. Thanks again, everybody!


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## imported_Fred (Feb 1, 2003)

If you go with a 2x? set up I would mix the 5300K & 6700K bulbs. 

It is probably more a matter of taste as the 5000K, 5300K and the 6700K are all fine for plants.

Fred


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## Rene (Jun 7, 2003)

Before you go and spend all your money at AHSUPPLY, look around. There are many places that sell quality compact fluorescents.

Check out this link, it may help you save some $$$.

http://www.petsupplyliquidator.com/

Their prices are quite reasonable. AHsupply on the other hand, is grossly overpriced IMO. It is expensive because of all the hobbyists that recommend it (meaning its good). Other than that, you can actually make your own compact fluorescent system for only CAD$50. Buy each part seperately, the ballast, wires, and canopy. This will take some work though, so if you are as lazy as me, just buy the lighting unit, hehe.


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## Rex Grigg (Jan 22, 2004)

I will say just one word. Reflectors.

You can build your own system but it will not be nearly as efficient as an AH Supply setup would be. Or even one that Robert sells.

Moderator










American by birth, Marine by the grace of God! This post spell checked with IESpell available at http://www.iespell.com

See my Profile for tank details.


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## Vicki (Jan 31, 2003)

I certainly don't agree that AH Supply units are overpriced, considering you get absolutely everything you need, and the quality of the components that are supplied, from the reflector to the wire that's included. Granted, you might be able to do it cheaper if you purchased the components separately, but not only am I lazy (although not lazy enough to avoid an AH Supply retrofit!), my time is worth more to me than whatever little extra I need to spend with them. And the customer service is unexcelled; you can always go back to them and be taken care of, whether you need advice, a replacement part, whatever. Given a choice, the necessary room and sufficient fundage, I'll always buy a ready-made fixture, however, and I've been very happy with the JBJ I got from Robert; it compares very favorably to my 6x55 Hamilton Technologies fixture--which I've always been very happy with also. To get back to the topic, however--I think my choice would be to get the 1x55 retrofit. That would give you a wide choice of plants you can grow, allow you to keep your existing top, and as noted above, you could always add another 55w later on if you were so inclined.

http://www.wheelpost.com


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## Tenor1 (Mar 3, 2003)

There are many excellent suggestions offered here and all would work just fine. My recommendation is to get the most light you can afford. The 130-watt 30" fixture is the ultimate. 

Another consideration with increasing the light is increasing the CO2. My brother uses 2 Hagens on his Eclipse 29-gallon tank and has good results. But your lighting is going to be much higher than his. You could see an algae problem with high light and not enough CO2. 

Get the high light, use the Hagen and supplement with Flourish Excel, then save up for a tank CO2 system. I have a tank on my 36 gallon and it lasts about 1 year before it needs refilling. 

One of the tough things about a plant tank is the initial cost of lighting and CO2. The total cost is about triple that of a non-plant tank. It's the next level of freshwater tanks, IMO.

Good luck,
Carlos

==============================
I try to keep the tank plain and simple but it never stays that way!


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## PiKapp382 (Jun 8, 2003)

wow...thanks for all the replies! I'm gonna go for the 1 x 55W retrofit for now, with a 5300K bulb. It sounds like that will be the most forgiving setup, and as I plan to be going to Basic & OCS within the year, I don't want to leave my g/f a high-maintenance tank to babysit for 6 months. Of course, I'll probably have a huge amount of work when I get back, but...that's part of the fun, right? Right? C'mon, humor me here!


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## George Willms (Jul 28, 2004)

I've always sort of enjoyed the challenge of getting an out of shape tank back in order. Gives one a sense of accomplishment when people say "Wow!! That looks a million times better than it did 2 weeks ago!" Well, at least that's how it is IMO.









George


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## 1000MileStare (Jun 22, 2003)

hello,
im facing the same thing you are,, did you think about taking the bulb and wiring out of your factory hood and wiring it alongside the ahsupply kit? 20 more watts. im thinking about doing that myself. just a thought. im new to this as well so if this is a stupid idea someone correct me


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## PiKapp382 (Jun 8, 2003)

Are you trying to fit it into the existing hood, or build a new one? I wanted to keep my hood, so I retrofit the ahsupply kit into the old light's enclosure; I had to mount the ballast on the back because the reflector took up the entire width of the strip. There may be enough room on the end for one of those "moon lights," but there's no way there's enough room for another 24" light in there.
If you're building your own, hey - great idea, a little more light couldn't hurt, right?


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