Best hood for a 10

[jackwagon]

Have a 10 gallon tank and I would like to make it a RCS and FRS shrimp tank. I would like them to breed also and I would love to plant the tank too. So here are my questions:

1. What is the best/cheapest hood for a 10 that can grow low light plants?

2. What is the best substrate for a shrimp tank?

3. What are good plants for shrimp?

 

[tiger terror]

I purchased a 10" led 7000k Finnex light on Amazon for less than $40& have it resting on a glass top...plants are doing great under this fixture..I have a mixture of crypts,anubias,windelov fern,jungle val&java moss w/a 50/50 mixture of eco-complete(black)-black sillica sand in my shrimp tanks..

 

[jackwagon]

Could I just buy a hood with screw in bulbs and replace them with different ones? Do they make bulbs for that?

 

[tiger terror]

Yeah,CFL's(compact florescents)..but from what I've heard they lose their intensity within 5-6 months & for what they are they are costly...I'd recommend something diff...you can find em in most home improvement stores...look for ones between 5500k-67000k...again not a cheap alternative..

 

[jackwagon]

So I'm looking at $40 minimum for a 10 gallon hood? Dang I was hoping for something cheaper but oh well

 

[tiger terror]

Sometimes cheaper isn't always the best way to go..good luck

 

[Bbarb27]

I've been growing low light plants in a 10 with an inexpensive light over glass with 1 CFL bulb (6500 I think) and I've not had any problems. Nothing fancy planted in my tank - java fern, anubias, small amazon sword, an aponogeton that's taken over the tank and lots of wisteria . All growing well in or on sand. I bought the light at a thrift store and replaced the incandescent bulb with a CFL bulb from a hardware store.

I tried another light fixture with 2 CFL bulbs and had algea issues right away, so I'm assuming it was due to too much light.