Adding second light to standard T8 fixture?

[librarygirl]

Hi,

I'm not sure if this is possible so I thought I'd ask.

I have the standard florescent single strip T8 florescent light that came with my 29 gal tall tank; it's a 17w strip, 8000k), similar to this one. I'm growing low-light plants; some are doing OK, others weren't, so I figure a light upgrade might be in order. Due to light sensitivity and migraines I can't upgrade the light too much; I tried a T5NO fixture but it was too bright for me so I had to return it. So I'm wondering if adding a second T8 bulb to my current fixture is possible? Perhaps a floramax bulb to cut some of the extra brightness and add some extra light for the plants at the same time. Is this possible with my current hood and if so how would it be done? If not, are there dual T8 fixtures around I could look at (my searches are giving me T5 fixtures, not T8s).

Thanks in advance.

 

[revchristinejday]

Dear Library Girl,

If you wish to add another T-8, you probably will have to remove the hood, add glass strips, to replace hood, available at very reasonable prices, and add a new strip light to go along with the strip that came with the hood. (I'm thinking like a Aqueon 29 gallon hood. If it's a Marineland hood with a filter too I don't hace a clue what that would involve)

I recently added another strip light to my 125 gallon, with flora-type tubes and my plants love it!

Good luck,
Chris

 

[mfdrookie516]

What bulbs have you tried? More intense doesn't necessarily mean brighter. My tank was MUCH more bright with 10,000k's than it was once I switched to Giesemann aquaflora's. I'd be willing to bet that if you got some good bulbs like that, you'd visually see about the same amount of light, but the plants would have MUCH more light to use.

 

[Coursair]

I would try swapping the bulb first. They should be replaced yearly anyway IMHO.

Go for 6500K or try the others that were suggested.

 

[librarygirl]

@revchristinejday - thanks! wow that seems complicated lol Mine is either an Aqueon or Top Fin light fixture; it came with the tank but not sure of the manufacturer. It's not a Marineland though. It looks like there's just room for one light in there although maybe someone more handy than I could rig up two lights in it but with my luck I'd burn the house down.

@mfdrookie516 - Since I upgraded recently to a 29 gal I've only used the standard light it came with. When I had the 20 gal I tried using a T5NO dual light fixture with two floramax bulbs which were easier on my eyes but I don't think the plants liked two red bulbs without a daylight bulb. Since I couldn't tolerate the brightness of even one daylight T5 I had to return the fixture. A 10,000K bulb might be worth a try, I'll try that next thanks!

@Coursair - Thanks. I'll probably try a 10,000k; I already have an 8,000k so a 6500k would be going backwards. Thanks.