Hey all, first time poster, but been reading all I can for a few weeks.
I have a 26 gallon Aqueon Bowfront tank (starter kit) which came with a T8 15W light setup.
I've set up live plants in the tank and am running the light 10.5 hours/day on a timer. Live plants are a couple 4" Amazon Swords, two 3" Java Ferns, and one 2" Anubias. I'm finally starting to introduce fish and currently have two dalmatian mollies.
My main question is I have read the T5 is better than the T8 for plants, and the 15W isn't enough.
I was researching light upgrades but have been having a heck of a time figuring out what wattage I need and what type of bulb and what size will actually fit on the bowfront (tank is 24"L with middle clear plastic strip to let light through in the current hood).
I found the AquaticLife T5 HO Dual Lamp Light Fixtures (Freshwater) 24" 48W (1) 24" 24W 650nm Pink Roseate (1) 24" 24W 6,000°K online, but before I order it ($105), i was wondering if this would work.
Will it fit on the Aqueon 26G starter hood, or will it be too wide for the current light slot, so I'd need to get a new tank cover too?
Is this overkill for either my plants or my fish? (Or, should/can I have two timers controlling the two bulbs individually?)
Is this overkill as far as $$$ goes?
I have a 26 gallon Aqueon Bowfront tank (starter kit) which came with a T8 15W light setup.
I've set up live plants in the tank and am running the light 10.5 hours/day on a timer. Live plants are a couple 4" Amazon Swords, two 3" Java Ferns, and one 2" Anubias. I'm finally starting to introduce fish and currently have two dalmatian mollies.
My main question is I have read the T5 is better than the T8 for plants, and the 15W isn't enough.
I was researching light upgrades but have been having a heck of a time figuring out what wattage I need and what type of bulb and what size will actually fit on the bowfront (tank is 24"L with middle clear plastic strip to let light through in the current hood).
I found the AquaticLife T5 HO Dual Lamp Light Fixtures (Freshwater) 24" 48W (1) 24" 24W 650nm Pink Roseate (1) 24" 24W 6,000°K online, but before I order it ($105), i was wondering if this would work.
Will it fit on the Aqueon 26G starter hood, or will it be too wide for the current light slot, so I'd need to get a new tank cover too?
Is this overkill for either my plants or my fish? (Or, should/can I have two timers controlling the two bulbs individually?)
Is this overkill as far as $$$ goes?