Lighting Help, Simple Question

[nicklfire]

Well hey guys,

Currently i got a 33 gal planted tank, i didnt know much about lighting and stuff and was just starting out with plants so i went down to get a new canopy light (cause i just had the bulb that came with the tank)

I came home very impressed with my new light canopy... Wow what a change florescents did.

But reading alot more about lighting and plants and stuff saw the generic standard for lights... 2w per gallon.

I took a look at the back of my canopy to find it's only 20 watts.... curious i look at the light which is only 17Watts.....

Now i'm very depressed i spent 50$ on this new lighting system only to find it's very inadaquete... for my new needs.

What should i be looking for light wise.... I wanna have a ..around 75watt system now.. so does that mean a canopy with 2 lights.. or ... just a little advice would be great

 

[Jen]

When I had my 35 up and running, I went to a lighting supply store. I picked up a 36 inch light ballast (like the one you see in most stores) and got 2 bulbs. The guy looked it up for me, and they were 6500k bulbs. The bulbs were 30 watts each, which gave me i think 1.8 wpg. I had no problem with plants, but i was sure the get medium light plants. The ballast and buld cost me roughly 45 canadian.

 

[nicklfire]

When I had my 35 up and running, I went to a lighting supply store. I picked up a 36 inch light ballast (like the one you see in most stores) and got 2 bulbs. The guy looked it up for me, and they were 6500k bulbs. The bulbs were 30 watts each, which gave me i think 1.8 wpg. I had no problem with plants, but i was sure the get medium light plants. The ballast and buld cost me roughly 45 canadian.

are you talking about somthing like this ?

http/www.homedepot.com/prel80/HDUS/EN_US...dgjk.0&MID=9876

 

[Jen]

That sent me to a link for generators. lol.

If you were looking in the lighting section, then in the flourescent section, then yep. It's nothing special, and you'll have the do the wiring from the ballast, but you just buy the plug and follow the directions.

You just have to be careful, they couldn't garuntee the kelvin rating of the bulb... and its pretty important to know what you are getting with the bulbs. It will make a difference.

 

[nicklfire]

That sent me to a link for generators. lol.

If you were looking in the lighting section, then in the flourescent section, then yep. It's nothing special, and you'll have the do the wiring from the ballast, but you just buy the plug and follow the directions.

You just have to be careful, they couldn't garuntee the kelvin rating of the bulb... and its pretty important to know what you are getting with the bulbs. It will make a difference.

Ok well maybe i'll just custom fabricate like you did,

I gotta pretty small smace cause my current canopy is about... 28" long by 4 inches wide.. so we'll see anymore pointers would be grea t

do i have a hardware a... 12v plug for it ?