lighting question

[bryannao]

i have a 29 gallon and a 5 gallon. i was looking for cheap lighting solutions, and i came across someone using clip on lamps from walmart with 13 watt cfl 6500k bulbs.

could i do this? he was using three on his 15 gallon.

if so, how many should i use on both tanks?

also, someone else suggested using 3LED 6500k bulbs in the clip on lamps instead. which one would be better for plants?

thanks!

p.s. this is the video i saw on the lights
Clip on lamp aquarium lighting - YouTube

 

[aqua_chem]

The clip on brooder lights are inelegant but unquestionably effective. I've used then before on aquariums, and am currently using them in an emersed setup.

 

[bryannao]

yes i know they are a tad bit unattractive, but i'm not super concerned with that right now. i just want a good light system for now. do you know which bulb would be better for plants?

 

[aqua_chem]

It's hard to go wrong with a 13w CFL or similar wattage bulb. You can always add more light, but its problematic to undo the effects of too much light. Just make sure that you get a 'daylight' bulb around 6700K and not one of the 'cool white' ones that have much lower kelvin values.

 

[bryannao]

and how many would i use for my 29 gallon?

 

[aqua_chem]

Depends on what you're trying to grow. Two would probably be fine for lower light plants, three for medium.

 

[bryannao]

okay thankyouso much!