# First Attempt



## jcook5003 (Oct 12, 2006)

I found this forum and am very impressed with the low tech nature of you alls planted tanks. I dig it 

Ok well I have a few questions I bought an el cheapo walmart tank and hood, the hood had two 15w incandescant bulbs in it, it says it is rated for a maximum of 25w, so that means I should be able to use two screw in 20w flourescents right? does anyone have a link of where I can buy those online I cant find them locally.

Also how fine does the gravel need to be that is placed over the soil and how deep should it be? do you plant the plants in the soil or in the gravel?

Also I plan on using a Fluval 105 internal filter and waterhead, anyone see a problem with this? any better suggestions?

Anything else I should know I ready the sticky's on here but didnt find them as helpful as I had hoped, but I know I will get good advice here. 

Thanks Guys
Josh


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## bpimm (Jun 12, 2006)

Welcome to APC,

Yes it can take two 20W screw in bulbs. Do you have a Home Depot, or Lowes. they carry the daylight screwin bulbs. I have also heard that Wal Mart has them.

The gravel needs to be small enough to keep the dirt contained but not as fine as sand because the sand can compact and not allow free water movement in the substrate. I use a fine gravel for sand blasting (carried by LFS for aquarium gravel) the grain size is 1-2 mm.

I plant the larger plants in the soil dry then add gravel around them, for stem plants I add the gravel and about 1" of water then stick them in with tweezers. 

Do you mean the fluval 1 internal filter? the 105 is a canister. you don't need the canister, the #1 internal will be plenty, I have one in a 25 Gal El Natural.

Have fun.


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## jcook5003 (Oct 12, 2006)

Yes the internal one, I have heard the screw in bulbs make a lot of heat will this be ok in my hood? So are the bulbs not available online? I have looked at all my local hardware stores etc, all I can find are the long life bulbs and I thought they were halogen, and all the flourescents say flouresent on the package am I correct?


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## bpimm (Jun 12, 2006)

I have never looked online for the bulbs because they're available locally. any large home center should have them. what you are looking for is a compact flourescent, look fot one labeled Daylight. most of the standard CF bulbs are 2700K where the daylight is 6500K. at my local Home depot the 2700K bulbs are in a green package, the 4000K are in a red package and the 6500K are in a blue package. the bulbs are only abour 6 bucks each so shipping would be to much if they are available locally. 

it would help to know where you are. please update your profile with your location, then maybe there is someone in your area that knows where to get them.

Good luck

edit: the screw in bulbs don't make as much heat as the incandescent bulb the fixture was designed for so you are ok.


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## Kenneth (May 22, 2006)

Try looking at walmart for the bulbs. Look for "lights of america" brand. The lower wattage bulbs come 2 to a pack. The package will say daylight bulb and the background is a skyblue. Good luck.


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## bpimm (Jun 12, 2006)

I just checked a local Wal Mart and they have them. also you might want to go smaller on the bulbs, with the El Natural style tank you want 1.5-2WPG. 

Things to consider: 
Spiral bulbs will deliver less light to the tank due to re-strike.
That hood probably doesn't have good reflectors.
A 10 Gal is small enough that it doesn't fit the standard WPG rule. 

2 X 20 is 4 WPG, I don't know if the losses are going to be 50% or not. I think I would start with 15 or 17 watt version to be safe. you don't want to start out with algae problems.


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## onemyndseye (May 12, 2006)

I have 2 of these.

I lined the hood with Metal tape found in the roofing department at Home Depot and the like...(Labeled "Metal Repair Tape") ... to serve as a better reflector and protect the plastic hood from heat....with 2x20Watt screwins

This makes for a very cheap way to setup a tank  I agree with bpimm... 2 15watters will probably fill the bill very well.. with my 20's I have to keep plenty of Floating Plants growing to subdue the lighting alittle and keep algea away.

I really wonder about the loss of these bulbs sometimes... 2x25 watters are enough to cause algea blooms in a 20Gallon (2.5WPG) and 2 42Watters cause havoc in my 29Gallon... thats 2.89WPG over a 29G versus the 2.5WPG of tubes I have over my 30Gal. *Shrug*

Definately Walmart for the bulbs... the Lights of American brand work great 


Good Luck!
-Justin
One Mynds Eye


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## jcook5003 (Oct 12, 2006)

ok well guys a regular screw in flourescent bulb wont fit in my hood so I needed another solution so will this work or will the lamp get to hot for the plastic hood Fluorescent Aquarium Lighting: Perfecto Flourescent Aquarium Hoods

Or should I use this fixture with a glass canopy Fluorescent Aquarium Lighting: Perfecto Fluorescent Single Strip Lights

Also if I use those fixtures can I get a single flourescent bulb that is 30W if so can some post a link? Or is that still to much light?

Also I was wondering if this fixture will work with a 30W lamp instead of the 40W it comes with, could you all recomend a bulb for this lamp also, it even has a moonlight bulb Compact Fluorescent Aquarium Lighting: Single Satellite Compact Fluorescent Fixtures


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## onemyndseye (May 12, 2006)

You can find bulbs to fit... believe me  I have 4 that fit  And grow my plants quite well 

If you go with Power Compacts I wouldnt use more than 26Watts tottal

Good Luck!
-Justin
One Mynds Eye


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## jcook5003 (Oct 12, 2006)

Ok well I might go look for some bulbs that fit better than the ones that I had


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## jcook5003 (Oct 12, 2006)

Ok well guys I am a little lost on lighting how many WPG should I shoot for?


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## bpimm (Jun 12, 2006)

I agree with onemyndseye, don't go over 26 watts of compact fluorescent or 30 watts of spiral compact fluorescent. Can you move the socket in the hood for more clearance? if you can DIY check out AH Supply their 2 X 13 Bright kit would be just right. but getting the screw in bulbs would be the cheapest and quickest.


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## Kenneth (May 22, 2006)

I was at my local wal mart last night and they stopped selling the Lights of America brand compact fluorescent screw in bulbs. All they have now is spiral compact fluorescents from GE.


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