lights for a ten gallon

[mom2reds]

I have a standard ten gallon tank kit with the lights that came with it. I don't want to spend a lot of money right now on it.but would like to put some better lights on it. my questiion is would the Mni compact flourescent bulbs 6500 K a good light or should i get The coralife 50/50 50% 10000K daylight and 50% Actinic 03 blue be better. They have both lights in theDr. Fosters mag. for 7.99$ Secound question is will they be to hot for my set up my LFS says that they will melt my top?

Tess

 

[mr funktastic]

get 2 10 or 15 watt screw in CF 6500k bulbs and u will be fine. it wont melt your hood and should put you at pretty solid low light so u can grow crypts and some easy stem plants. i am no good with suggest low light plants so i am sure soeone else will fill in. u can get them at wall mart in the fish section usually. like 4 bucks each.

 

[mom2reds]

thanks i will try walmart

 

[ryan]

i have the coralife flourescents 50\50 and a daylight lamp from the same wattage as you described and am growing high light plants easily.i have a ten gallon but it wont melt your hood as mr.funktastic said .also im running diy co2 and ferts so that might help but why not try it.

 

[Purrbox]

Just remember that the 50/50 bulbs half the amount of usable light. With a ten gallon you're going to need extra light to be able to grow just the low light plants, so I would recommend skipping on the 50/50's and sticking to strictly daylight bulbs like the 6700K.

 

[ryan]

acually both mine are 10000k and are equivelent to a 50 watt incadescent.

 

[Purrbox]

Since incadescent lighting is nearly worthless for growing plants, the equivelant incadescent wattage listed on these bulbs is pretty much meaningless for our use. The only time it really means anything is when you're trying to figure out which bulb to buy for the lamp by your bed that you've been using incadescents in upto this point.

Since you're running two 10,000K bulbs, that would help explain why you're getting such good results. Just didn't make sense with the 50/50's like you originally listed.

 

[ryan]

sorry guess i should have been clearer on that.