Do aquarium lights need to be aquarium lights?

[amesdrew]

I have been doing my research on lights for quite a while...

I wanted LEDs... BUT...

I want to upgrade to probably a 2 foot 2x24 watt T5HO light it is for my 29 gal.
The prices for T5HO lights on pet shop websites some are waayyyyy too expensive for a lowlight tank. I have been looking at home and garden sites (MaryJane Grow lights ) and they are more affordable. Is there anything that makes aquarium lights different then grow lights???

If I do get these lights should I get a 6400K bulb or 10000K? Should I get the blue? would one T5HO and a blue be good enough for a lowlight tank?

I just want my spiral and african vals to look better.

Any advice light specialists??

[HN1]

Originally Posted by amesdrew

I have been doing my research on lights for quite a while...

I wanted LEDs... BUT...

I want to upgrade to probably a 2 foot 2x24 watt T5HO light it is for my 29 gal.
The prices for T5HO lights on pet shop websites some are waayyyyy too expensive for a lowlight tank. I have been looking at home and garden sites (MaryJane Grow lights ) and they are more affordable. Is there anything that makes aquarium lights different then grow lights??? Not really. The reflectors are what usually make the difference, but "grow lights" should be fine if not superior to most off the shelf "aquarium lights".

If I do get these lights should I get a 6400K bulb or 10000K? I'd go with 6400 for plants. Should I get the blue? That is aesthetic. If you like a bluish look, go for it. would one T5HO and a blue be good enough for a lowlight tank? IMO, 24W of T5HO is just about right for a 29G low light set up.


I just want my spiral and african vals to look better.

Any advice light specialists??

Comments in blue above. Disclaimer- not a lighting expert by any means.

[amesdrew]

If 24watts is enough, would 48watts be too much? Would I then need CO2?

[HN1]

I'm really not sure. I might try it with excel dosing, but I'd also be prepared to cut to one light. Hopefully jsoong or one of the very well educated lighting folks will chime in.

[amesdrew]

I use excel and some other good seachem stuff. If one light is good enough, then it would make sense to have the blue light.

I really appreciate it HN1, just want bigger, better looking plants.

[fort384]

Originally Posted by amesdrew

If 24watts is enough, would 48watts be too much? Would I then need CO2?

If you are willing to do some minimal dosing, I think you would be really happy with 48W of T5HO over a 29G. I ran a dual T5HO fixture over a 29 for awhile before going to 96W/pressurized CO2 and EI dosing. It worked really well for growing low and medium light plants. Things didn't happen too quickly, but I noticed an almost immediate difference in growth and health when I put it on the tank (vs. the single 20W T8 I had).

If you were to run just 1 6500K bulb, and 1 actinic bulb, you could still probably be successful with low light plants, though there wouldn't be much growth... but running both T5HOs would really expand your choices, without adding a lot of additional requirements. The 1 wild card here, when I had the dual T5HO setup, I was running a DIY CO2 system... so not exactly low tech. But there was no requirement for dosing PO4, and only a minimal requirement for dosing KNO3. If you dose excel as a carbon source (rather than CO2), and some kind of trace/potassium mix, I think you would have success.