Lighting options for a planted 10gallon?

[Shadey]

I've been thinking about getting a 10 gallon... There are a couple for very cheap on my local kijiji, usually something like this:

(Aqueon Basic 10 Gallon - Size: 20" x 10" x 10")

How easy would it be to find good lights or a better hood w/ good lights for something like this? Anybody know?

Thanks!

 

[Fishkeeper26]

Just replace the bulbs with cfl bulbs, no need to get a new hood

 

[jsoong]

Just replace the bulbs with cfl bulbs, no need to get a new hood

That only works if the hood has incandescent fixtures, AND is big enough to accommodate CFL. Most newer tank kits have fluorescent bulbs, but are often under-powered for planted tank.

It all depends on what kind of plants you want to grow & how handy you are ...

A super simple solution is to ditch the hood completely, and hang a fluorescent fixture from the ceiling. <Any kind of fixture (of the desired watts) will do, even shop lights, just get the proper bulbs.> To reduce evaporation, you can get a glass top for the tank, or just leave it open. <Open tanks can have certain plants that will flower above water.>

If you want to get into high light plants, you will prob want to get a T5HO or PC retrofit. Some hoods have enough room for something like this:
36 or 55 watt Bright Kits
But most likely, you will have to custom build a hood for the tank.

A less DIY version is to get a glass top, and buy a fixture that rests on top of the tank. This is an eg.:
Aquarium Lighting T5 Fluorescent Light Fixture: AquaticLife T5 HO Dual Lamp Light Fixtures
<You will need to find one that is the right length to fit the tank.>

 

[jddeal]

I'm curious what the best CFL solution is for using the stock hood. I'm in the position that I have the stock hood with two 10 watt u shaped CFL screw in bulbs over my 10 gallon but I would much rather find a bulb that fits that, with two, could push closer to 30 or 40 total watts. Living in on campus apartments, I don't have a lot of room to build a rig around this tank or hang something from the ceiling, so I want to try and maximize my total wattage without too much construction.

Has anyone found a bulb that works really well that achieves at least medium range lighting with screw in CFL bulbs?

 

[Fishkeeper26]

I think cfl bulbs come in 15 or 16 watts that would fit in the hood, at least in mine. That gives you about 30 total watts, but what you really should be looking for is kelvin rating and par. IME replacing icadnescents with cfl bulbs work great and there isnt a need to trash the whole hood if you can just use cfl bulbs.

 

[jddeal]

Aye, I'm having a bit of difficulty finding a higher (5k+) kelvin rating for a bulb that would fit at 15-20 watts. I was hoping there were 15-20watt u shaped CFL bulbs instead of the spirals but I might just have to settle on spirals.

Although I hope to find a higher wattage bulb, right now I might settle on this one. Do you think it will fit in the typical 10 gallon stock hood?
link

 

[Fishkeeper26]

Marineland makes u shaped bulbs

 

[Shadey]

Does anyone have any info on LED lighting?

Would this be a good light?

Single Bright LED Lighting System (18" to 24"): Amazon.ca: Home & Garden

With LEDs do you ever have to replace them...? I know that regular lights run out of like.. plant juice after awhile.

 

[Metalheadx]

Actually that 10 gallon comes with a full spectrum bulb with it and it's not a bad one either .... I have myself the single bright marineland led lights on both of my tanks and I like them so far !

 

[Coursair]

I've been thinking about getting a 10 gallon... There are a couple for very cheap on my local kijiji, usually something like this:

(Aqueon Basic 10 Gallon - Size: 20" x 10" x 10")

How easy would it be to find good lights or a better hood w/ good lights for something like this? Anybody know?

Thanks!

I use Marineland or ZooMed u-shaped CFLs in mine. I grow plenty of plants, you can see a few pics on my profile.

If you get into high light you HAVE to add CO2 or you will just grow an Algae Farm.

Are you planning on adding CO2 ? If not I would stick with CFLs.

I have a clip on Archaea LED fixture on my rimless 10g. The fixture was expensive. It's pretty, but the light looks "cold" to me. It has almost the same PAR as my CFLs with more drop off in the corners.

More light is not always the answer, it depends on what you want to grow.

In my tanks I grow:
Crypt Nurii Pahang mutated
C. Wendti
C. pontederiifolia
C. Balansae
C. Parva
C. lucens

Dwarf chain sword
Ludwigia repens
Myriophyllium mattagrossense
Bacopa monnieri
Dwarf tiger lotus lily
Lots of different mosses
Java Fern (reg, trident, and narrow leaf)
Anubias
Amazon Sword
And others ( can't remember all the names )

 

[Coursair]

That only works if the hood has incandescent fixtures, AND is big enough to accommodate CFL. Most newer tank kits have fluorescent bulbs, but are often under-powered for planted tank.

It all depends on what kind of plants you want to grow & how handy you are ...

A super simple solution is to ditch the hood completely, and hang a fluorescent fixture from the ceiling. <Any kind of fixture (of the desired watts) will do, even shop lights, just get the proper bulbs.> To reduce evaporation, you can get a glass top for the tank, or just leave it open. <Open tanks can have certain plants that will flower above water.>

If you want to get into high light plants, you will prob want to get a T5HO or PC retrofit. Some hoods have enough room for something like this:
36 or 55 watt Bright Kits
But most likely, you will have to custom build a hood for the tank.

A less DIY version is to get a glass top, and buy a fixture that rests on top of the tank. This is an eg.:
Aquarium Lighting T5 Fluorescent Light Fixture: AquaticLife T5 HO Dual Lamp Light Fixtures
<You will need to find one that is the right length to fit the tank.>

That kit comes with an incandescent hood that will accomodate 2 screw in CFLs.