2 - 19 Watt Screw in CF Bulbs - Moderate Light?

[LindaC]

I am wondering what to do with my 10 gallon tank, I recently changed the subrate to Aqua Soil and put in two 19 watt screw in compact flourescent lights from Home Depot. Will this be enough light to grow a decent amount of plants, like rotala, star grass, crypts, etc?

I have been thinking about adding a Current Satelitte 2x40 watts but if I add this to my 10 gallon, will I then have to inject CO2? I do not want to have to get another CO2 system for this tank, one is more than enough. I'd like to just use Seachen Excel for carbon, would I be able to do that with 40 watts over my tank?

Thanks for any input!

Linda

 

[flip_lx]

that will be good for medium to some higher lighting plants check my thread here

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/viewtopic.php?t=84577

 

[fish_4_all]

It will be enough to grow some plants. It will also put you possibly at a point where you need CO2 anyway. I have used 2, 20 watt screw ins, the horseshoe shaped ones and it is very bright over a 10 gallon. I can't make a recommendation about that light levels and Excel, have never used it. You will have to experiment and see or someone else will have better advice about excel and that light level.

 

[LindaC]

Great, I guess I'll leave them in then, although they are not horshoe shape, they're spiral, wonder if that makes a difference. My tank is still cloudy from the ADA Aqua Soil I recently laid down so it looks as if there's not a lot of light in the tank, it's still a bit cloudy.

I suppose I'm going to have to add CO2 but I refuse to buy another regulator, may just get the Hagen CO2 kit, with the Ladder, that should work well.

This is my mess around with tank and it's not out in the open where people can see it, so I don't mind adding DIY co2 either.

Many thanks all!

 

[Purrbox]

The spiral bulbs won't be as efficient due to losses from restrike. You've probably got somewhere between Medium Low and Medium Light. This is borderline CO2 territory, and your plants would definately appreciate it if you felt like giving the DIY CO2 a try.

FWIW I've got the 2x40 Current fixture over my 10 gallon, and I'm using only 60 watts (20 watts actinic) which brings the tank into definate High Light territory. Great fixture if you want to give higher light a try on the tank.

 

[Lonewolfblue]

You might also check on the spiral bulbs. Are they 6500k or 6700k? If they are the 3000k bulbs, then you don't want to use them. Make sure they are between 6000k and 12000k bulbs. At Walmart, I got a pair of 20W bulbs, and they are very good. They are the U-shaped ones, and not spiral.

 

[LindaC]

Sorry I am just getting around to responding to this post again: LWB, they are 6700K, they seem to be doing a decent job but then again, I now have Aqua Soil in the tank too! I have been looking for the 20 watt U-shapped bulbs but can't seem to find them anywhere. I was at a Walmartt in NH his summer, do not have one near me, and they didn't have any bulbs whatsoever.

Purrbox: I have been given the dual current 2x40 watt serious consideration but I'm skeptical over the amount of wattage, isn't that a lot over a 10 gallon tank? Although I must admit I love the 2x65 watt I recently purchased for my 29 gallon and love the fact that it's raised up over the tank and allows easy access to the water and plants, where my 10 gallon's hood is horrible and gives me a headache every time I do a water change.

I may just go with the Current Satelitte 2 x 40 watts, I can always shut off one bulb so that I'm getting 40 watts, that wouldn't be quit a high.

Thanks!
Linda

 

[Purrbox]

The thing is that the WPG "rule" breaks down over small tanks for a variety of reasons. As a result you need more light to hit each of the lighting levels than you would in a larger tank. The Current fixture will give you a lot of flexibility depending on how much light you want to try running over the tank. By only running one of the bulbs or using actinic light to adjust the amount of usable light, you can get almost any lighting level you might want.

 

[malkore]

I would call 2x19w spirals on a 10gallon medium light. figure 50% is lost due to the shape of the bulb and the fact that you can't make a real good reflector for that bulb shape either.

still medium light opens up a pretty good variety of plants.

also, nothing really wrong with 3000K bulbs other than the sickly yellow color they put off. They'll still grow plants just fine.

 

[LindaC]

The thing is that the WPG "rule" breaks down over small tanks for a variety of reasons. As a result you need more light to hit each of the lighting levels than you would in a larger tank. The Current fixture will give you a lot of flexibility depending on how much light you want to try running over the tank. By only running one of the bulbs or using actinic light to adjust the amount of usable light, you can get almost any lighting level you might want.

I'm glad to hear that, I order the Current Satelitte earlier today and now I'm anxious to see just how good the plants do in that tank with the higher light and the Aqua Soil.