Which Fixture?

[Fish Heads]

Hi All,

I'm working on a 29 gallon aquarium. No CO2, just a few nice looking plants that are low maintenance. This is in a school setting with no budget (of course) The tank will have a glass cover. The current fixture is a 30" fixture with a 17 watt 24" bulb.

Which light fixture would you recommend? Which will have lower long term costs? Is there another that you would recommend?
Thanks!!

My two choices that I have found:

Coralife Aqualight freshwater compact: 1 65 watt 6700K bulb. I am guessing that I wouldn't need the legs then. This is $66 including tax. http://www.marineandreef.com/product...0FreshSing.jpg


T-5 Freshwater Aqualight (?) double fluorescent: 1 18 Watt colormax and 1 18 wat 6700K bulb price runs about $50 incl shipping. http://www.thatpetplace.com/Products.../Itemdy00.aspx

[MarkP]

I'd buy a single 1x55 kit from http://www.ahsupply.com/36-55w.htm and install it in the plastic case from your current light strip.

Note that bulb is not included, so it would run $70 if you buy the bulb from them, including shipping. Replacement bulbs are $15-$20, but you can run 2 years between bulbs. You need a little (very little) skill with a powerdrill and wiring to put this together. Make sure to order the free tips if you are at all worried.

Your Coralife Freshwater runs about $66 including shipping, and you will notice more light from the AHSupply fixture. It's really the same bulb, 55 and 65 can be interchanged, so bulb life and cost are the same. No assembly required.

The T5 Light would run a year or less between bulbs, and each bulb would run about $10- So about $20 a year.

IME, any of these options would let you grow say, Java Moss, Java Fern, etc. The AHSupply ones would let you move into the most other stuff. If you plant heavy and have a light fish load, you may end up needing some fertilizer with the AHSupply- I know I do.

[rich311k]

The first fixture would put you well over 2 wpg. You may need CO2 your plants and algae growth would tell you that and you would more than likely need to add fertilizers. You could grow a large variety of plants.

The second would put you just over 1 wpg. You would not need to add CO2 and ferts would be minimal. Your plants choices would be more limited but you would have a decent amount of choices.

Long term cost would be bulb replacement once a year. It depends on how much work you want to do and how highly planted and what kinds of plants you want.

[dapellegrini]

The T5's in the link above look like NO, not HO T5's... If you go T5, make sure they are High Output (HO), otherwise, PC is a better choice.

HO T5 lights outlast PC lights on average by about 6 months (in terms of usable, effective life)... They put out higher lumen/watt, generate less heat and are cheaper to replace by a few dollars.

[Fish Heads]

Thanks All,

I definitely do not want to run CO2 with this system. I was concerned about algae growth.

Will HO's run in the same system as NO's?

[dapellegrini]

Good question. I don't believe they will. HO's, I believe need a special balast to power them, but I would double check that...

[JustOneMore20]

If you put in enough plants and have some fast growers (stem plants) then you shouldn't run into to much algae with the 65 watt fixture. I have it over my 29g that is heavily planted and I don't have CO2 or algae (that I can see). You will have a great selection of plants and if you put in some stem plants (Bacopa, Rotala, Ambulia, maybe some Hygro) along with other plants of your choice...you should be fine! I am happy with my Coralife fixture.

[dapellegrini]

Also, you don't have to get a 30" fixture. If you have a glass top, you could get a 24" light.