lighting recomendations

[supermazz9]

I want to upgrade my lighting, and I'm curious what folks here might suggest.

I'm looking at big al's website right now, and, wow...there a lot of different brands and arrangements.

I'm getting this for a 29 gallon unit, and I'd like to know what brands and such people have been happy with, disappointed with, etc...

I'm not going to say price isn't really an object, cause I'm not going to spend 500 buck on anything (unless you tell me I should, of course). I suppose high end would be 200, but I'm free to move.

 

[Alshain]

Coralife or Current USA both make great fixtures. Whatever you get, you may need to replace the bulb. What are your plans for this lighting fixture. Do you want a low light, medium, or high light tank? Do you want moonlighting?

This is my lighting of choice at the moment.

The bulb it comes with will give you approximately 33 watts of useable light which would be medium light for a 29 gallon. Replace it with a dual daylight bulb and you will have approximately high light. Comes with white moonlighting.

 

[supermazz9]

Coralife or Current USA both make great fixtures. Whatever you get, you may need to replace the bulb. What are your plans for this lighting fixture. Do you want a low light, medium, or high light tank? Do you want moonlighting?
quote]

What would the recommended spending be for medium or high light? For that matter, what is your definition of medium or high light, and what purpose would each serve. I would assume that I want high light, why not?

My tank is moderately planted, some rainbows, mollies, tetras.

I may need to replace the bulb? How come? The one it comes with is not so good perhaps?

Also, my tank is just under 30 inches long. Would this mean a 24 inch fixture? Would I be able to get away with a 20, and would that be a good idea at all?

 

[rich311k]

Medium light is from about 2 wpg to 3 wpg. Over 3 wpg is condidered high light. The 30" fixtures will fit your 29 gallon perfectly. I have a USA satellite 30" fixture on mine.

The reason you will need to change the bulb for higher light is that they come with a 50/50 bulb. The bulb is half atnic and halk daylight. The atnic half will not count towards usable light for plant growth. It will however really make you fish glow.

If you decide to go over 2 wpg you will need to inject CO2 and add ferts. Read the stickies in the planted section before making a decision.