What lighting?

[Morgie]

I'm getting into my first densely planted tank and I definitely need to upgrade my lights. Here are the stats of the tank and the plants I currently have or will be coming in over the next week.

Tank Size: 10 gallons
Current Plants: Red Indian Sword, Aponogeton (unknown sp.), Duck Weed
Plants Being Shipped: Dwarf Hairgrass (x6), Rotala nanjenshan, Rotala Indica, Wisteria, Cryptocoryne spiralis, Cryptocoryne retrospiralis, Cryptocoryne ciliata

What lighting/lighting fixture would you guys recommend? I'm willing to spend what I need to to have a successful planted tank.

 

[Morgie]

I could really use some help and advice you guys, like ASAP. I need to get my new light setup done over the weekend.

 

[George9]

I would recommend a 20" t5 ho fixture. They're cheap at aquatraders.com

 

[jetajockey]

Id just use a few screw in daylight cfls.

 

[Morgie]

Thanks so much, that's actually the fixture I've been looking at. I'll go to petco today to see if they have any. :>

 

[Morgie]

I'll look into those as well, Jeta. Although don't they need to basically be suspended above the tank? I'm not sure if I have room for the since this tank is on my desk..

 

[jetajockey]

Not really. I use these because I am cheap when it comes to small tanks. Most 10g's have a hood that already accepts 2 screw in bulbs, so it's just a matter of putting the right kind in there.

I can tell you that a t5ho fixture on that size tank is going to be a nightmare unless you plan to run pressurized Co2.

 

[aqua_chem]

Petco won't have Odyssea products. Only aquatraders carries them. They are are cheap fixtures imported from china (if memory serves me well). Reports on them seem to range from "not that bad" to "horrible, will never buy another". Personally, I would probably buy one to try, but do your research first.

The 20" Odyssea fixture is 4 bulb, and I don't know if they are on individual ballast or what their deal is. Although, I will say that T5s on a 12" tank will be algae on a stick without major CO2 intervention. Most of the 20" T5s you find are going to come with marine bulbs, because only marine tanks would realistically want that much lgiht.

If you absolutely want high light, I would personally feel better about the Odyssea 36w PC. Needs a new bulb, but wont be as intense as the T5s.

Seriously though, like jeta said, the hood with CFLs outa work out fine. Alternately, you can put some of those clip-on cone screw-in deals on their. Outa be fine.

 

[Morgie]

I ended up buying a (marine) 10,000 T8 full spectrum bulb. I'll try it out with the plants and if I don't like the results I can always return it and upgrade.